New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-11-12
plryeyor of Hired Applause Is
SoreIV Grieved.

that hc hoped very much ITO oI'c """'N
tovc the report that II an opera singer
refused TO buy the applause Of his gallery
bovs he. Nathan Arlock, would cause mat
sr,ist To be Kissed Except in this particu-
lar Mr.. Arlock said. the stories relating To
his arrest in Philadelphia few days ago
were correct. lie Was arrested on the
charge OF a woman singer who refused TO
subscribe to the claquo
lie maintains nc did not say word about
Kissing her Arlock says he has never In
all his life. threatened to hiss any singer
who did not pay him money for the APP
plausc of himself and employees. only a
few opera singers have not paid him for
applause ne says. lie called friend to
witness that once. when a famous singer
said she could not afford to pay him SO
night for loud reception. Arlock replied
''Vely well. madam; then | shall APP
plaud you myself personally, for nothing
il | like your voice" And he parted from
her on good terms. he says, and the wit
ness nodded an energetic affirmation
Arlock is about thirty years old. He was
dressed in a lemon colored suit He says
he has done very well i'm the claque busi-
ness in this country during the last two
years lie has made a good living. that
is. lie is upset over the publicity that his
methods are receiving just now, but thinks
the claque is here to stay.
His money has been not so easy TO make
as some persons might imagine. You see,
il Il this way;
Il advertise a singer with my hands"
explained Mr.. Arlock. 1T is a question of
legitimate advertising. / notice some sing
ers deny that they have been using the
claque "A majority of the Metropolitan
singers use it.
Believe me- il is not an easy way TO
make a living by the claque. l was al
ways running chances with the singers.
Perhaps they will not be satisfied with the
applause Of my boys. once / paid $4i for
tickets and the singer refused to pay me
anything. Always 1 have nervousness
around me.
For $50 ! promise $50 worth of applause
for a singer Perhaps | buy from the box
Office thirty-hve gallery tickets, at 81 each;
understand me. ! make then So Then
those tickets / give to some boys who are
most musical people. " understand but
they couldn't afford it to pay for their
ticket otherwise. When my singer comes
on then these boys make it the claque.
plaud for the certain singer.
II never paid the boys anything except
sometimes a cup of coffee. Next morning
call for my so. If the boys have not done
Well the claque then / would he ashamed
TO show myself to the singer Always l am
nervous
"One night ] and my partner got 5000
from one singer that is very fond Of
lock. whispering his name Il met my
partner at the Metropolitan after the
opera and we cleared SEQ apiece out of that
one Claquc. We had to buy $40 worth of
tickets for our boys Not all the seats
could We buy in the gallery that night. A
few We had to pay s. for downstairs. 1t
was very CLASSY claque the singer
wanted 1t was his first appearance in a
new opera"
DO YOU find ii a delicate matter to ap-
proach the singers with a proposition to
applaud them for a certain amount Of
honey he was asked.
There Is no specified sum-" he replied.
II tell them ! would not like to advise
them how much money they should pay for
the claque There is an American tenor
L. whom ] approached i'm the Hotel Ma
5rstic. I'm Philadelphia. in a very friendly
way. as usually. and ne told me to come
lp and see him Friday.
When ] came up he asked me what
would that claque cost him? ! said that |
never suggested any price TO a singer yet
But, l SAYS. being that ] know what the
opera is and that YOU have never sang in
opera in America yet I would advise
you to spend with me $50. He said that
he's only getting 5000 a night and he can't
pay me $50. but would be very glad to
give me $50 He says that his wife is
against IT, but as he wants It very badly
ne gave me d proposition. When ! am to
leave his apartment the singer says he
will foot his wife by SAYING to me at the
door.
Mr. Arlock, ! am very sorry that We
can't do any business and if YOU hiss me
! will kick YOU out from the Metro
poltau.
In the mean time ne took my address
and promised TO send me $50 check
What is the largest amount of money
received 10y YOU in one week for your SER
vices as head OF the claquc?' Arlock was
asked.
. Season before last ! and ms partner
got $500 from opera singers at the Man
haitian and the Metropolitan in one week.
We had % clear profit of $50 between us.
10 was better then, because Hammerstein
made the claqee a good business. There
was competition between the singers at
tho TWO houses. understand me.
The biggest claquc that ever existed in
the world. bigger than all Of Europe com
bucd. was the opening night of The Girl
Of the Golden West There were sixty
boys i'm the gallery and others scattered
through the downstairs.
"Hnd now" ne continued disgusteJly.
'"mauy artists say they never heard Of the
csquc Lots Of them they wouldn't be
singing al all. understand me. but that
! should make them the claque yet.
The first chance they got it they don't
know mo a. all. now that the managers
OF the opera house say they don't like
the claque"
did YOU always solicit subscribers to
your claque fund or did they sometimes
sock you.' Arlock was asked
Sometimes the artist sent for me-" he
replied. Some Of the singers were 90
much enthusiastic about the claque as
that They know had eight years OK
prricnce IN Europe. Europe. understand
mo- is considered always to be more mu-
steal than AWcrica. \ famous singer once
tod me 10 come To- his house in New
York
Where DO sou applaud The Flower
Song when ! SING hc asked me.
70 knew the opera When the end comes,
} applaud f. : said
''No. Tor me { want YOU to do 50 not