The evening world., 1910-12-31
As the Great Public Can
not Afford to Pay for
Grand Opera, He Says,
He viii Provide Its Fa-
Uorite Tunes at Moder-
ate Prices.
BY SYL VESTER RA WILING.
III Ii the world loves a tune"
"a said Arthur Hammerstein,
sententiously. Say what

~ said Arthur Hammerstetn,
sententiously. Say what
you will of the masterfulness OF
modern orchestration, or the clever.
ness of up-to-date composers who
strive 70 make notes reflect the sense
Of words, for the great public Music
must spell Melody to be effective"
We were discussing Mr.. Hammer
stems scheme for giving what he
calls 'music-drama." and the son OF
the famous impresario was very
much in earnest. AS we chatted in
II of the Offices of what only a short
time ago was the new Manhattan
Opera House, the applause Of the big
vaudeville audience. now its patrons,
drifted in, and both OF us became
reminiscent of four years OF opera
giving that. untimely as was its end.
may be said TO have worked a revo-
luton not only in New York but
throughout the country.
After ALL" continued Mr.. Hammer
STEM you must remember that the
o~pera-going public is only a very small
portion Of the community. Your ordi-
nary men and women, much as they
may desire to near grand opera. only
rarely can afford the price of seats, and
the cost OF presentation prohibits re-
duction OF the tariff. Nevertheless, they
love TO hear the great operate arias
with which they are familiar. Then
drama appeals TO the whole mmunity
Now. with these facts In mind, I am
about to launch a new enterprise. I
nave conceived the idea OF presenting a
play. the backbone OF which shall con-
sist OF the choicest extracts from the
b~est-known operas. In the place OF dull
recitatives | shall offer speech, and my
actors will be singers.
"The Maestro's Masterpiece
During the four OF my term
Of management. under my father. OF
the Manhattan m the Philadelphia
Opera Houses | had exceptional opnor-
tunity to study the musical likes and
dislikes OF the public. With these in
mind | instructed Edward Locke. an
thor OF The Climax to write a drama
Tor me embodylnS my pr. nciples. | gave
him seven selections from operas nv
Don!zetti, Verdi, Glorddno, Abt and Of
fenbdch. and TO tAese | added eight
original numbers written for me by
taetano MerOld, upon and around
which he was 10 construct his plot. He
has succeeded, / believe, admirably.
The action throughout logically leads
M to the fifteen arias l selected. The
overture and the between acts music
are well known compositions by Mas
seuet, Punchielli and Ts~chaikowsky, all
appropriate 10 the play, The cast con-
lists of ten people, all save two Of
whom are singers Of equation. one
= 4 'ce.list ana the other Is an expert
enccd actor 20 sustain the leading part.
NJ orchestra consists OF fifty-hye pieces
ni$ conductor Is Gaetano Merola,
"ao II responsible also FOR the original
score.
We shall omen IN Boston on Jan.
% for a two weeks engagement. Then
We shan return to New York. to a
BroAdway aouse, Tor :he balance Of the
season. Tie price of seats Will range
from s. down. II Is essential to the sue
cess of my plan mat my musir-drlma
shall he within the reach of all, aud the
g. limit Will not he exceeded. The
MaestrO'S Masterpiece will not only
raise the standard Of musical produce
lions, but viii establish 1t for future
nrpluptinu9