New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-12-19
NO GRAND OPERA IN
ENGLISH THIS SEASON
Directors of Metropolitan
Unanimous in Refusing Ham,
merstein's Request.
HAVE PLANS OF THEIR OWN
Oscar, However, Says He Will
Garry Out Project if
Assured of Finan-
cial Support.

I
cial Support.
| The directors Of the Metropolitan OPP
era Company unanimously refused at a
meeting yesterday afternoon to grant
Oscar Hammerstein request that lie
be permitted to give grand opera In
English in New York. Mr.. Hammer
stein said, after the refusal, he would
none the less carry out the project II
he were assured of the support OF the
public.
In a statement issued after the meet
ing the directors asserted that, while
not opposed to the principle Of grand
opera In English, they based their re-
fusaI upon their belief that at present
there was in New York a public SUI
fcient to support only one opera house,
and that second institution would
cause the Metropolitan financial loss.
The directors present at the meeting
Cottenet, Robert Goelet, Eliot Gregory,
Frank Gray Griswold, Clarence n.
Mackay, W. X. Vanderbilt, Harry
Payne Whitney and Henry Rogers
Winthrop.
Why Directors Refuse.
The directors statement was as fol-
lows:
- hA
poitan Opera Company has given careful
consideration TO Mr. Hammerstein re-
quest for such modification or his CON
tract with the metropolitan Opera com
pany as would permit him to produce
grand opera in English in New York,
/ upon the conditions outlined in his letter.
and an expression OF the views or most
OF the directors has been secured. At
the meeting to-day they ANONYMOUSLY os-
cided not to accede 10 Mr.. Hammer
STEMS request. In order that their po-
sition may be understood, they nave
authorized the following statement OF the
reasons which Influenced them In reach-
| ing their decision, which they feel JUS
titled In making public inasmuch as Mr.
! IIammerstein made public his rcasohs
for making his application:
The purpose of the directors OF the
Metropolitan Opera Company Is to do al!
| In their power to advance the cause or
| grand opera in New York. The entire
income OF the enterprise and several nun
bred thousand dollars In addition nave
been devoted 10 this cause: The Met
ropolitan does not claim the exclusive
possession Of the grand opera held. 1ut
the directors cannot fail 10 recognize
that New York demands. and shouid
have. the best grand opera. ana tnhI, ~
view Of the enormous expense involved
in giving the best grand opera under eN
isting conditions. the city cannot AZ
the present time adequately support more
than one opera house for grand opera
Nban nd being given LOtH
at the Metropolitan and at the Manhattan
opera House New York was offered more
opera than II could support, with the re-
suit that both Mr. Hammerstein and the
METROPOLITAN Opera Company lost money
Accordingly. when three years ago the
METROPOLITAN Opera Company decided 10
join Mr.. Stotesbury and his associates
In the purchase OF Mr. HaininerslelN
Philadelphia Opera House and his seen
cry. costumes and other equipment win a
view to organizing company Whrh
would give grand opera In Chicago ana
PhiladelPha, IT was made R sTu or ,he
should agree not 10 re-enter the grand
opera field IN New York for period OF
ten years. because II was manifest that
his Remittance would mean repetition
OF the previous losses to all concerned
MIR. IIammerstein recognized the fairness
OF this position in the public statement
which he made at the time' IN whlcn ne
said
AE a result OF lOui Nfdls VtPti
Mr. Hammerstein finds that the pro-
duction OF opera on the scale on
which It has been his ambition TO
produce Il has become increasingly
difficult year by year. The exactionB
Of the artists. musicians and others
brought about by the rivalry between
the two opera houses have grown Al
most beyond control and have been the
occasion OF such advancing prices
that notwithsta landing the generous
patronage accorded by the public and
the liberal prices which have been
willingly paid. each of the houses has
been face to face with deficiency -.
Mr.. Hammersten Is satisfied that II
is I'm the interest OF the opera going
public that these exactions shall be
kept within bounds unless We are to be
way to accomplish that purpose In To
have one opera house instead OF two
AS the Metropolitan company has
what amounts to subsidy through
its stockholders. II can perhaps better
fulfil the public need.
Plan for Opera in English.
The directors OF the Metropolitan Opera
Company hope that the time II not far
distant when grand opera can be given
IN English either at the metropolitan or
equipped for the purpose. Indeed, for
some months negotiations have been In
progress looking toward the production
or grand opera IN English AT the Metro
politan on a basis which would avoid con-
frict with the present season OF opera I'm
italian, French and German. But the
directors are convinced that at the pres
ent time the public would not adequately
support both the Metropolitan company
and such an enterprise as Mr.. Hammer
stein has in view
Even with Its enormous success OF last
year, the Metropolitan company made
practically no profit and better financial
results are not expected for the current
year. Accordingly. any considerable d.
version OF patronage TO another opera
house would inevitably mean correspond
ing losses to the Metropolitan Opera Com
pany. and that would in time entail re-
duction in expenses and in the scale OF
the productions. The directors, there
fore, feel that for the present the cause
which they have at heart can best be pro-
NOTED by not granting Mr. Hammer
STEMS request.
Mr.. Hammerstein last night issued a
statement in which he said that pro-
vided he received the support Of the
newspapers and public he would give
grand opera I'm English in New York