The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-05
THE OPERA
 IN CHICAGO

The opening of the grand opera sea- son in Chicago is an event Of, social importance comparable only to a sim liar occurrence in New York. One who saw the opening production Samson and Dellah" wrote glowingly of the big brilliant audience During the sum mer new row of boxes was added to the auditorium, the horseshoe for the upper tier thereby reaching completion. This year the half circle for the lower tier of boxes has been put in and now there is double horse shoe which gives ample opportunity, in six boxes, for the showing of many interesting parties.
 The women so wrote an observer, were noticeable for their lack of jewels directly contrary to reports of last years audiences. Only. two Chicago women this year wore tiaras--Mrs. Cy- rus Mccormack and Mrs. James Hara- han; a dozen more wore pearl or dia- mond dog collars, and a few single ropes of pearls were seen. So, on the whole, the audience of opening night was jewellesS. Mrs. Harold F. McCor- mack, who is said to have one of the finest collections of jewels in the city, chose to appear in a princesse gown of rose satin brocade made perfectly plain except for touch of jewelled white net used about the top of the bodice and over the shoulders. Her jewels included only long diamond drop earrings.
 
 Apropos of opera, news comes that MT Oscar Hammerstein, who started his London season with flourish of trum- pets and the beating of tom toms, fig uratively speaking, is finding that the road to operatic victory is not all prim- roses. One authority gives, editorially in Town and Country Magazine, the following impressions of the situation:
 The situation of his new house is against him because it is so far east. Covent Garden is bad enough in that re- spect, but it has the sancity of age to protectit. Since all the people who can afford to support opera live in the great West End the Kings way in the east is not the ideal site for. an opera house in the second place MT. Hammerstein has yet to learn a great deal about grand opera and the public. His one idea in New York on which he based his venture was that there were more people here willing to pay s5 for opera than could get into the Metropolitan opera house. His notion of the kind of opera they wanted was entirely at fault. lie seems to be equally at sea in Lon don. Otherwise he would not rely or such operas as Quo Vadis?" and Rig oietto. Quo Vadis?" may be exceed ingly popular in France, but it could
 
 England. The public in America and England has either no musical taste at all or very cultivated taste. It will not accept bad opera like Quo yadis? ?" nor does it want opera that has been done to death like "Rigoletto." In America more perhaps than in England there is field for the latest sensation We are like the people of Athens, al- ways ready to worship the unknown. But we do not worship it long unless we find it satisfactory. There is no per manent place in America for "Salome" or "Pelleas." Both had great success tor few hearings, ,sut the one fails be- cause 1t is bad music, the other because it is dull. Our public is immensely ec- lectic and the English public is just the same with the exception that the per centage of music lovers is higher. The public there has enjoyed good music at low prices much longer than we have. But we are getting to their level very quickly. Whenever orchestral music is. given at low prices it is al-. ways the best music that pays.