The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-05-01
IN TIE WORLD OF MUSIC
rHE POSING or OSCAR HAM
WERSTEIN.

from the fold " opera IN thia country u
something which every real lover Of music /
anouid regret Il n undeniablo that 1
mahy features q tho enterprise conducted
hv him we're onen - sharp criticism. and |
h,s pollrv was a. times beyond the com
ureheuslon Vt ordinary mOrtals, but
none the less his personal force was un-
deuiabla and his shrewdness In certain
directions rnuuestiOnAble. Furthermore
aa va, a delightful letter writer. but In |
tha department ~ intellectual activity |
b. need not rest
Tho most important point IN connection |
S,irA his work in the oporatio aeld was the
Tact that II wa the outcome 81 . genuine !
behsf In opera ~ a form u art. When
there wAs a good performance Of an inter |
astinR opera a. the Manhattan Opera
Houas no one knew IL better or enjoyed
u more than Oscar Hammerstoin. Whsn
The performances wa inadsQuata those
conconed In Il beard rude but accurate
nriacaam from tho inprsasario.
Hls singers were cheorfully deludSd by
Eabaliei that they fooled the odd man,
bz1no critic In this city could 90 surely
Or 90 suoCinctly sum up thslrensrita and
9a1sues - AfN HAmmsrstein. He UNDER
eco SrSEy one Of his psopls. Nons d
Shnm understood him. The playful and
HdBoffVs Hannag IN which he got rid Of
HwSlaag' when they had outlived their
nnsaulnaas IN bic establishment ought
GuphavO thrown much Hight on his insight
halen tnpresGEio. but opera singers do
hae zee much further than their own
W1ETWA
Nm HAmmerstsin's personal enjoy
mane % opera and his profound belief
lAil1s Importance az art were what drew
M INTO the hSld and kept him In n a.
nMg 20 he stayed there, Naturally he
kapsd 20 make money by giving opera,
buA his hope wa bassd onl the belief that
hB fellow oitinsns could be induced 70
raEard opera a. he did and not 70 sstesrn
q only a toy Of fashion.
10 expected 20 and IN New York enough
people who would love opera for la own
ode 70 furnish the necessary support
for an opera house which had not social
prestige nor the backing Of the financial
eloct. In this hope Mr.. HAmmersteln was
disappointed from the beginning. His
opera house battled for existence from
the Day its doors were opened till that
on ehlch they we're closed. and IL was .
losing fight from the very start
At one time few Of the persons recog-
nized a. influential in the social set went
20 the Manhattan occasionally and finally
certain factors caused Wednesday night
n be regarded a. its fashionable night
A, this time Mr.. Hammsrstsin received
nor money In return for his Efforts
tl.an eg anv other time IN the brief career
Of tke LIal;hathan Opera House. although
tho pstrorags e tho smart set was
not d. ,5~C= on which he hal counted
FOR sds.oTt
The = ii sDoll Of Campaninis con-
Quoting had much 70 10 with the a..
traction Of auditors generally regarded
a. being adherents OF the other house
When Mr. Hammsrstein dispensed With the
services Of Campanini he lost the friend
ship Of the most influential persons ia
this number. aud from that time the
dusk Of the Manhattan was n plain view
n those familiar with tho progress Of
operate affairs
A few months ago -tor.-s appeared IN
the newspapers 10 thu eject that The
Metropolitan Opera Company had made
ovsrtures - Nr HimmersteIn looking
10 the requirement 4 his operate prop
erties and ~ the elimination Of himself
from the Geld These stories were wee
hsmently denied. Thereupon Arthur
Hamrnersteiu. son o. Oscar Hammer
stein. gave ont a detailed statement
Of the negotiations which had taken place
between himself and the Representative
OF the Metropolitan Opera Company
The matter vas permitted 10 drop 1nd
nsthing more was heard ~ ~ nm Mr.
Untermysr on Wednesday announced
tho conclusion n the new negotiations
which have retired Mr. Hlmmerstein
with what 70 the passing observer looks
like a neat profit on his entire op~ratic
enterprise. not 10 speak n N" personal
pleasure which hs has oh'a ned from the
industry
Mr. Hammerstsin has always had q
d9sire 70 daDhls IN opera lie has made
several experiments That with the Old
Manhattan Opera House IA which he
producei Noszkowskis -BoahdI' was
really ambitious and deserved better
fate than D had; but az that time the
pabhc had not been eduCated 10 listening
"a second and third class singers and
M Hammerstsin's merely re-pecta hl-
casts had no chance m the dominion ~
Do Reszkes and Plancons
That his efforts A. the newer Manhattan
we're of no small Importance In the world
~ music has been proved conclusi valv
by the alarm which be spread IN the
Metropolitan camp liz has been from
the frat regarded a. a serious oppos.
tion and u must - source Of great
rsai.f 70 the directors Of the Metropolitan
Opera Company to feel that they have
Al last removed HIM from the circle If
their daily consideration
What eject the cessation ~ tII- whole
some and ave Inspiring opposition l-
going 90 have On ths character ~ tho per.
Fornanrc. A. the Metropolitan Opera
Ho,i-e remains ~ he seen Nothing ~
the history n 'l" urgaulza now Ir
control NJ thai institution has operate,
90 inspire a deep faith IN IN" purity ~ o.,
arti-tic IDEAL. The Metropolitan Op"ra
House " governed by men OF lnt'llicnnor
out neverthei'-- they dwell and llWsv.
have dwet N a world whose chief rlr-uu
70 Anu .Huisrr They cannot h" svra, No.
u oEer a continual feast ,l SERIOUS af'
works 20 people who go ~ rl" opera 2.
pas- d pleasant and .sr-Irriy Huur ur rau
VIVA they have done tu.- Gar may n'
fairly 0rrar'ed go 'aru.-' 1T what fH"'