The evening world., 1911-03-06

III ofssN pcNlNDEI oHeH
~ grin" or "Dlc Walkure' to be
u sung in English at the Metro
poll,an Opera House Is a pleasing posi-
blllty to believers in opera in the vernacu-
lar. The announcement was made at the
first general meeting OF the newly
founded Society for the Promotion OF
Opera In English and the Encouragement
of American Music which was held in
the foyer OF the New Theatre yesterday
afternoon. Charles Henry Meltzer said
that a gentleman OF International repu-
tation and great wealth. whose name he
was not permitted to disclose. had auth
orized him to say that II tho Society
would engage the Metropolitan Opera
House. the greatest singers in the world.
q proper chorus and orchestra and the
best available conductor for a perform
ance in English of either OF these operas,
he would guarantee the Society against
any loss. Mr.. Meltzer declared. however.
that, tempting as the offer was, the efforts
of the Society should be directed to In
~nuencing tho Metropolitan Opera House
directors and a to do the same
thing Of their own vollt!on in the regu-
lar season OF opera.
The attendance at the meeting. which
a was held In the foyer of the New Thea
tire after the concert in the auditorium
OF the symphony Society. was remarka-
n bly, large for a movement that Is prin-
cipally altruistic. and the interest mani
tested was most encouraging for the
achievement OF the ultimate object. But
the meeting lacked management. After
an hour and a half of the most dis
cursive discussion, in which the simplest
of rules OF parliamentary or debating
school procedure .ere violated or ig-
nored, all that was accomplished was
the passage OF a resolution instructing
the Committee of Temporary Organiza-
ton to report at a meeting to be held
next Sunday some permanent form OF
Organization.
a tentative proposition was made by
The temporary committee that the so
ciety SHOULD be organized with a presi-
dent, a council of thirty, which should
include prominent persons Interested
in the movement from all over the
country. and an executive board %
take actual control OF imminent pro-
cedure. The objections raised were
that the council suggested was made
up OF musicians, critics and big names;
that literary men and plain representa-
tives OF the public in al equal numoer
should he nominated to membersh y.
and that the executive board should
hold a number OF women equal TO the
number of men. As one eloquent ad-
vocate of the latter proposition said
'Sixty-eight per cent of your opera
audiences are made up Of women, and
we demand recognition" Among the
speakers whose remarks were especially
illuminat!ye were Reginald De Koven.
who presided: Charles Henry Mel,zer,
David Bispham, Walter DamroscA
and Mr.. Weber OF the Musicians
Union. The writer must apologize for
failing TO name the other speakers by
explaining that he did not personally
a know them and that each member OF
the committee after the meeting was
so surrounded by women enthusiasts
that to obtain information was inYpos'
slble. He would add a word, respect
fully, to the committees: Beware tina
the movement is not talked to DEATH
The situation Is plain. Every man OF
woman who gives his or her name IL
support of the movement, alreacy Is con
verted. II there Is to be a PROSECUTING
campaign, let halls be hired and elo
quent speakers engaged to appeal Il
the great mass OF the Indifferent
Whatever may be accomplished In tn
future, the present intent is to presen
to Mr.. Gatti-Casazza and the director!
of the Metropolitan Opera Company
respectful demand from ten, twenty
fifty, or a hundred thousand inhab!
tants OF Greater New York that thel
shall be given the privilege to hea
opera in a language that they under
stand. Two years ago a man VINO ha'
absolute knowledge, always supposin'
that he spoke the truth, declared Il
the writer that the opera-going con
stituency Of New York numbered onl!
twelve thousand people, Making a lo
eral allowance FOR the new recruit
that have been brought into the folt
by the splendid achievements of MI
Hammersteln at the Manhattan Oper'
House, perhaps twenty-five thousand
at a liberal estimate, represents Tn
number OF people to whom, occasional
~, opera appeals, An Italian or a Ger
man town Of two hundred and iift,
thousand people holds a larger opera
going constituency than that, AM
why? Because every opera, Italian
Gernan, French or Russian, is sung t
) u.4r :. lang ase that they can IN
cers,ALE-