New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-02-24
NJ USIC
Unsatisf factory Opera.

TO the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: There seems 10 be a great desire on
the part of the board of directors of the
Metropolitan Opera House to find out the
causes for the deficit that. according to re-
ports, is confronting them. Maybe this let
ter viii assist them
The casts which Mr. Gatti Casazza has
seen fit TO put before the audiences of the
Metropolitan Opera House are in many
cases inferior enough to be rejected by
audiences much less used to hear the best
singers. The good Italian performances are
cast with German singers such as Destinn,
Gadski, SleZak. etc, CarusO. of course. al
ways excepted, who anyhow is no acquisi-
ton of the shining light from Milan How
ever. the trio of prina donnas. Mines de
Pasquaii. Aida and Noria, to be cred
tied to the account of Mr. Gatti Casazza,
whose courage to affict the sub
scribers of the Metropolitan Opera
House with these celebrities is either
due to gross incompetence or contempt
for the artistic taste of the American
people. If we charitable we must as
cribe it to the first season. Such perform
ance Of Faust as 1t was my misfortune
to hear some time ago with Nine. Noria
as Marguerite, would not be tolerated on
any third class stage of Europe. where the
best seats sell for dollar. Why should
the New York people stand for such demon
strations of incompetency? 1t IS curious
fact that the above mentioned pr1Ina DON
mas are strangely absent in nearly all per-
formances that are under the direction of
Toscanini. On the other hand, important
parts like kurwenaI in Tristan are in
trusted to native of Italy, who. no doubt.
is good artist in his own repertory, but
whose representation of the role of Kur-
wenal is certainly much inferior to that of
any of the German harytones who are avail
able at the Metropolitan Opera House
Mr.. Gatti-Casazza evidently tries to present
operas in New York according to the
Milan standard, the result of which is very
evident financially and artistically-
A DISGUSTED SUBSCRIBER.
New York. Feb. 10, 1910.
1t is obvious enough from the literary
construction alone 10 require no proof that
the writer of this complaint is a German
and a lover OF German opera. There can
also be no question that he and those
who sympathize with him (and they are
many have a serious grievance against the
opera as it has been conducted this sea-
son But. if the policy of Mr.. Casazza. as it
has been proclaimed is carried out, their
present unhappiness will be as bliss COM
pared with what they will feel next year.
when it is proposed that there shall be an
italian chorus with an admiXture of Ger
man singers for the German operas. 1t Is
scarcely to be believed that with the his
tory of the last season Under the German
regime and the first few years of Mr..
Abbey before them the directors of the
oIera will deliberately invite the secession
from the ranks of their subscribers of the
lovers of the serious lyric drama and Of
honest art. There are influences prevailing
at the Metropolitan Opera House just now
that are inviting the interposttiOn Of the
directors of the owners of the building,
who are supposed to have the right, under
a clause of the lease which they have
gwen to the operating company TO pro-
hibit any conduct on the part of the les
given to the operating company, to pro-
test against ''Salone" in January, 1907
lis obiectionabl Bile and detrimental 10 the
best interests of the Metropolitan Opera
House"
The opera is not only artistic but also
q social institution. As such It's prestige
will always be jealousy guarded by those
who have made it possible by the con-
struction and maintenance of the lagn;fi-
cent institution in upper Broadway. Against
the interests which they represent, all
petty, ignobIe and selfish schemes are sure
to suffer shipwreck II. z. K