New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-04-16
MUSIC
OPERA AT THE METROPOLITAN
Review of an Active and Prosperous
Season.

| Guided yesterday with representations OF
| Humperdincks "Hsnsel und Cretel," FOL
| lowed by "Paglia cci'' in the afternoon and
'Tosca" in the evening. II was the twen-
| tysixth season at the famous establish
nient in upper Broadway-the third over
which Signor Gatti-Casazza has presided
and tho first at which he has had individ-
ual and undisputed control He deserves
10 he congratulated on having carried the
season through without scandal OF any
kind and in having achieved a notable
! financial success. Though he Is not WILL
ing 10 confess ". or does not think it wise
to do so )wtich amounts 10 the same
thing. 1t Is an entirely reasonable pre-
sumption that opera has been profitable to
its purveyors this year in spite If the
/ heritage Of handicaps placed upon It by
Mr.. Conried's administration. Of which we
/ have been obliged 10 hear so much during
tho last three years The forces have been
reduced nearly one-half as compared with
! the inflated company of last year, and yet
have given performances practically every
! day since the season was begun on the
Nth day of last November III luck has
| pursued Mr. Gaiti. but II was not OF the
kind that can be designated offhand as
| misfortune. either from a financial or an
| artistic point OF view. Signor Caruso has
| not been able 10 sing since February s.
That fact. no doubt. was woful TO the sub
scribers for the season, and may be set
down as doubly portentous for the next
season. inasmuch as the directors OF TIE
Metropolitan Opera Company have deter-
mined TO raise the price OF chairs in the
/ 70
S. but the Law OF compensation remained
operative, and the public was taught a
better appreciation OF operas not in signor
Carusos repertorv than II would have re-
ceived had the popular idol remained In
the public eye-or car. German opera,
which seemed 10 be threatened by the en-
| forced retirement OF Mr.. DIPPED last year.
came into peculiar prominence because Of
the enforced retirement OF Signor Caruso
! this
BY 4 peculiarly happy dispensation. Miss
! Farrar. the most popular ~ the compsny's
singers after Sgnor Caruso, was lowered
with an opera which made strong appeal
70 the most enthusiastic and faithful ele-
ment among the citys music lovers. and
what has happened since February s may
be set down a sort OF educational cam
paign which may have results the value
Of which will best be appreciated when in
the natural course Of events Signor Caruso
will no longer be member OF the Metro
politan company.
II has long been customary In making
retrospect OF the season 10 take a glance
at the Promises held out in the prospectus.
This. Of course. Is merely a matter of
habit. Since opera became the greatest OF
all social fads there has been no real need
Of managerial promises beyond the one that
a season Of opera will be given. The sub
scriptions for the new year begin TO come
I'm before the end Of the old No questions
asked about the repertory; few about
the singers. The comparison between prom
Use and fulfilment. however. is interesting,
and becomes valuable when in the
present instance. II discloses a nicer bal
ance than IL has been possible for any re-
viewer 70 record for a long term OF years
When the public we're invited 70 subscribe
for the season last summer. performances
were promised IN French. Italian. German
AID English. The splendid principle that
all works were TO be sung in the language
TO which they were native was 70 he up
held There had been talk ~ performances
in the vernacuar OF two operas which
seemed peculiarly adapted TO such neat-
ment Godmark's "Heimchen am Herd
(Which is German for The Cricket on the
HEARTH and Humperdlnck's 'k6ngs-
kinder" but the director put a quetus on
II Immediately after his arrival from Eu-
rope The plan was impracticabe. he said
Nevertheless. he announced an opera.
Twilight" by Arthur Nevin. American in
subject and language, in midseason. and
Withdrew il at about the time when re
public had been told 10 expect its per
fornance II was plain as a pikestaf TO
all close observers that Signor Gatti had
not been permitted 70 exercise the discre-
ton which ought 10 be vested solely I'm
him in announcing that the new opera
would be performed. and also that he felt
no heartburnings when he proclaimed later
that its manuscript material was OF a kind
that made the promised production i'm
possible.
Meanwhile a singular combination of cir
cumstances led 20 a fulfilment OF the prom
ises OF the prospectus in spite OF the direc-
tor Of the 80 opolitan Opera House. Mr.
Dippel who lad undertaken the manage
nlent OF the Chicago Opera Company. whose
activities were chiefly devoted 70 French
opera fhe principal singers being those
whom Mr. Hammerstein had gathered to-
gether at the Manhattan Opera House
herel had carried with him from New York
10 desire 10 give some performances In
English. He was encouraged In this desire
by Mr. Clarence Mackay and Mr.. Otto
Kahn: but the Chicago season was not long
enough 10 enable him 10 BRING IL 10 fruition.
As Mr. Hammerstein's successor Mr.. Dip
pel was confronted with the score OF an
American opera. "Natoma," Of which the
authors were Mr.. Joseph Redding and Mr.
Victor Herbert. The opera had been offered
10 Signor Gatti-Casazza and the music Of
the second act given a practical trial on
the stage Of the Metropolitan Opera House
The director did not think IL worth produc-
ing Mr. Dippel. however, had begun 10
talk about opera in the vernacular in Chi
caro. Mr. Ricordi, publisher OF the ma
/ ioritv Of the popular operas OF to-day, es-
neciallv those OF Signor Puccni, had Joined
/ In the chorus, and with a display Of energy
quite without parallel in operate history
Of America. M Dippel. when he brought
his Chicago company 70 Philadelphia. pro-
duced Mr. Herberts work first in the old
federal capital and then in New YORK.
Next 70 give emphasis 10 his patriotic en-
,erpr,se. he changed his plans for series
NJ performances in New York and devoted
three out OF ten representations 70 the
new opera. though he found II necessary az
The last performance 70 associate foreign
/ curtatn-raiser with II. Meanwhile the move
ment in favor Of English opera or opera
IN English. had resulted in the creation
| ION naper, OF a Society FOR the Promotion
~ Opera in English and the Encourage
I q