New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-04-16

body could find out" The competition cd"e
TO an end on September Is: so said the
directors. in spite Of Mr.. Kahns announce
ment. Ten weeks were permitted 10 pass
before the judges were selected. ana lro"'
December till now we are without ihior-
nation as 10 the determination OF the jury
II would seem as II. had Mr.. Hammersteih
remained In the field the cause OF Ameri'
can music would have been very CONSIDER
ably promoted: for then we surely WOULD
have known before this OF the results or
this prize competition.
The last Metropolitan season ended with
proclamation OF plans which looked as
IL artistic ideals were TO be substituted Tot
commercial ambitions. Performances az
The New Theatre were TO be abandoned
also those 1T Baltimore. In order 10 make
these and other representations possipie
Mr. Dippel had almost doubled the forces
at the Metropolitan
This year the smaller company gave eish'
performances in Philadelphia and fourteen
in Brooklyn. besides those called for by
the subscription and the special occasions
which became more and more numerous as
the season wore on. Under the circun1-
the more careful preparation" were out
OF the question And yet il must be ad-
mitted that the company-rank and file-did
work which would never have been ex-
pected in a European opera house sup
port had been promised in the upper strata
from the affiliated companies OF Boston
and Chicago, but II was not received with
absolute graciousness. Nine. Media sang
once in "Rigoletto" and once again in
"Traviata." One performance OF the two
was in the subscription Then she was
announced as III and departed for England.
Mile. (or Mme) Hpkowska sang a few
times as also did Senior Constantine. but
the public were Indifferent TO their perform
ances. which were In the old Verdi operas.
Obviously IL they were TO be done at all
the public thought they ought 10 be done
Astter but we have been spoiled in this
respect. and will surely have 70 return
10 lesser ideals.
Interesting Incidents, though they seemed
to have chiefly a commercial side. were the
visits OF two composers who came to see or
supervise the production Of their latest
works. Signor Puccini came on November
Il and remained until after the production
OF La Fanciua del West" he sailed the
very day that his German confrere. Herr
Humperdinck. witnessed the first perform
ance OF "Konigskinder." For the Italian
opera the management had arranged two
special performances a double prices They
were popular failures. in spite OF the in
terest excited by Mr.. Belascos play on
which the opera was based II was bit
amusing TO say the least. 10 observe how
quickly the lesson Of the special perform
snces was learned by the management;
also, it was COR ought to have BEEN in
structiye. The German opera was pro-
duced in regular course. and turned out TO
be the most popular opera of the season.
II also helped its predecessor, "Hansel und
Gretel." into recognition, which at last
was admitted into fashionable society by
being included in a subscription perform
ance
The presence Of the Russian dancers was
particularly fortunate incident at the
close OF the season. when Signor Carusos
Illness threatened disaster. Interest was
stimulated at once, and remained till the
close OF the season Nine. Pavlowa and
her companion. NJ. Mordkin. supported by
a very mediocre company Of dancers, had
discovered themselves to their admirers be-
fore the opera season opened. They then
took part in the Metropolitan entertain
ments until the end OF the first week OF
January. Then they departed. and came
back very opportunity for the second fort
night of March.
The rest Of the story may lie read out Of
the following table and comments. There
were twenty-five works of opera, with sub
scription performances on Monday. Wednes-
day, Thursday and Friday evenings and
Saturday afternoons. At these perform
ances the operas We're given as follows:
REGULAR METROPOLITAN SUBSCRIPTION.