New-York tribune., 1912-07-14
HANMERSTE|N REMAINS
N LONDON OPERA FIELD
Saws He Will Begin Again in No.
vember, Despite Losses on
Season Now Ended.
IN SPEECH FROM STAGE
Tells That on First English Pro.
duotion Of Massenet's Don
ouiohotte" House Con-
tanned Just $425.
Az rraasatlant!c w!reless % The Trteune.l

rBy Transatlantic wireless TO The Trieunel
London, July 13.-Oscar Hammerstein
wound UP his season tonight in so much
na blaze Of glory as he was able to ac-
emulate by exhibiting all his best
artists in gala performances Of extracts
from several operas and by delaying the
announcement Of his plans for the future
until the last moment after an energetic
campaign of rumor had been carried on
several weeks. AS a final touch letter
appeared in The Standard" this even
ing urging a continuance of opera. The
tnpresario announced from the stage to-
night in the last words of a speech that
contained both interesting financial fig
ures and broad criticism that he would
bsgin another season Of opera in his
London Opera House, beginning about
the middle Of November and end when
you don't come any more"
The new season. he said afterward, will
be az theatre prices, as this present sea-
son had been, and in order not entirely
to disappoint those who predicted that
the house would become a music hall, he
will open about the middle Of August for
q short season Of theatrical productions,
the nature of which he is not yet ready
10 announce. In the mean time he will
take a short rest and go TO Paris, but
spend most of the time in London.
In the course OF his speech he said
mat IN seven motnhs he had lost $500
900 and had a mortgage Of over 100000
an the house. At the first production in
England Of lLassenet's Don Quichotte"
the house contained S425. which dwin-
died to S255 by the eighth performance. .
Public's Best Was Little.
THE question here arises" he said.
whether II is my fault or the fault Of
the public I do the best I know how,
and the public did the best they knew.
and that was very little. 1 was taught
n know before I started that present.
ing grand opera TO an operatically un-
educated public-not musically unedu
Gated but operatically uneducated-would
be dificult. Other governments subsi-
die grand opera England doesn't, and
the English people do not call in the
government to furnish a subsidy.
'T built this house with my own linn
tied means and then mortgaged it for
$4,000 1 spent a great deal Of money
In bringing out that which I believed in
this nation would musically succeed. But
how 10 continue? What is there to hope
for?
rs this house to become a music hall?
Why, II would be a crime. turned this
over in my little brain and was i'll al
most In this city ] have no partner
Not a single. solitary soul is interested
to the amount Of one penny in the build
ing or in the performances, but 1 can
not look ruin in the face, and l repeat
that If It were not for my Unborn love
OF opera I could not continue. But am
what you call an enthusiast; I am
musician and have made some little
creations Of my own, and TO withdraw
now would TO me be an absolute horror
Il is a terrible thought. l can't DO It.
am going TO give grand opera again.
will begin again in the middle Of No
vsmber and end when you don't come
any more"
MIR. Hsmmerstein Cheered.
When he came to the front Of the
curtain again Mr. Hammerstein said he
hoped his speech would wake the public
up and lead to their giving him real
support; "and II they don't" he added,
Ind lose everything, what difference
does It maker You can't take it with
!cu when you go, anyway"
The speech aroused great enthusiasm,
,sd at the end Mr.. Hsmmerstein was
eAsered again and again.
The performance included the Aneri-
can singers Felice Lyme, Augusta Doria,
Vtnie DAILY, Orville Harold and Henry
Weldon, and Berthe Cesar, Yvonne Ker-
ord. Victoria Fer, Jeanne Jomelli, Da-
hada Jean Buysson, Wilmer Beck and
Atout Gaetana. Merrla and Fritz Err
sady alternated in conducting. There
we're scenes from "The Tales Of Hoff-
mann" 'Rigoletto," ''Herodiade," Ham
Faust" 'Dinorah," The Chimes
Normandy" Romeo ct Juliet" and
g orchestral selection from "Mignon,"
TIE Barber Of Seville and William