New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-04-28
Will Be Permanent Only When
Produced in Style of Sue
CeSSfuI Establishments.
MUST HAVE BEST SINGERS
Outlook Promising for Produc-
ton of More than One Eng
lish Opera at Metropol-
itan Each Season.

fcW days ago lldl q dcleSdte 10 inc con-
,ention Of the Federation Of Women $
llrtca; clubs had told the ladies of a
large achievement OF the Society for the
Promotion of Grand opera in English in
securing performances in the vernaculs~
At the Metropolitan Opera House. This
sili he news to Mr.. Gatu-Cssazza. as
well a. 10 the professional observers of
oporstic affairs in the metropolis who
have been taught TO believe that the pol
lev eXcmplifed in tho production Of
The Pipe Of Desire" Mona" and "Cy-
rsno" had been adopted. promulgated
and nut into effect before the Society
for the Promotion OF Grand Opera in
English had been orCanizcd. But If any
OF the members of the society find salts
faction in claiming for il achievements
with which il had as little to do as If
had with the war IN the Balkan PENN
suIa tho harmless pleasure need not hc
denied them The facts 10 he borne in
mind ave that opcrs i'm English. or IA @
rssl opera. a. its advocates in Great
Britain prefer to call it. Will be cstab-
lshed on the plane which will guarantee
something like permanency as soon rs
maintained by the establishments which
have achieved SUCCESS. and not before.
Protestations. proclamations and pro-
nuncismentos that opera in the vernac-
ular can be made as attractive as 'pera
in foreign toSue without enlisting the
help Of equally good singers are the
meres. waste OF breath. And until Eng
Hsh and American singers are not only
a. capable and gifted but also as nu-
mcrous as the foremost representatives
Of tho art the world over, it is not likely
that opera Of the type given al the Met
tfopohtan will be produced by artists
who are 10 the inSual manner born.
Moreover. unless there is change such
as the world has never seen in the crea-
ton OF opera singers the requisite kind
cannot be expected in large numbers
and if not The gifted few will probably
follow the example of their predecessors
who are now with US and seek employ
ment in the great institutions which are
able TO pay the large honoraria which
make opera. and always have made II, an
extremely expensive luxury.
SINGERS All Too Human"
There ought to be no delusion on this in
the public mind Opera singers arc not
only as human as tradespeople in their
desire to get money-they are what the
German philosophers call all too hu-
man" The public creates an abnormal
vanity and conceit n them and this can
only be fed by money. 1t is device
which has been resorted 10 by operate
managers as long as there has been
opera 10 get rid Of a troublesome singer
nv offering rival larger honorarium
than the troublesome singer has demand
ed or received. In fixing the reward
which singers receive managers are
guided by the Jaw Of supply and de-
mand. Mr. Grau was always willing 10
confess this. while protesting against
what he considered the eXorbitant de-
mands Of his artists and yielding TO
them. Caruso who fills the house
every time he sings. no matter what the
price of seats. is a better investment at
s9,5oc night than tenor at $500 A
night whose drawing power is not
great enough 20 enable the manager TO
present an opera without loss
This condition OF affairs cannot be
changed by talk. Opera has always been
thing Of fad and fashion, luxury in
all places capable Of commanding the SER
vices OF the worlds few. II has been
supported on these lines in New York
for three-quarters Of a century and there
are no signs that a change is impending
either in the nature of singers or Of the
public Those who like 10 press the fiat
tering JUNCTION to their souls that the man
agement of the Metropolitan Opera House
has the power 10 lessen the cost OF the
luxury by refusing TO pay the exorbitant
sums which a few singers command do
not know that these few are not Deepen
dent upon New York. Singers receive
even larger sums in Buenos Ayres for
long engagements. and when Signor Ca
russo chooses 10 make tour as star"
in Germany not only does he receive
larger honorarium for each performances
but the German people. whom the mass
OF Americans considered providentaliy
blest in the matter of opera prices. are
compelled TO pay not relatively but act
uallv more to hear him than the patrons
Of the Metropolitan Opera House
The Use Of English Words.
H. then, there can De no TeuuNlpH' ." AL
as present lights lead US. In the cost OF
first class opera as we now have IT, how
are we 10 hope for equally good opera IN
a language which the greatest OF the ar
lists are unwilling TO use? And IL we are
10 have inferior opera will there be COM
pensation for the difference in the fact
that the English language Will take the
place Of Italian, German and french
viii the satisfaction Of understanding
some OF the words Of an opera Offset the
loss of sensuous pleasure which PETER
singing in a foreign language would nave
given? The lesson of the past Is tnat Only
the old-fashioned English operas-the pal
lad operas Of a century or more ago. anu
the works OF Balfe, Wallace ana then
artistic confreres-have been UNDERSTOOD
One reason for this was that the music
Of these operas was written Tor Enghsh
words; another that the compositions OF
the period gave predominance TO Inc
words and their melodies instead or piac-
ing the centre of gravity in the instru-
ments and the harmonic integumeht
which are nowadays depended upon 10
supply dramatic expression The taste OF
to-day has been formed by wagner ana
Puccni: can there be a reversion 10 the
taste Of an earlier period?
The operas which meet that taste are
the works OF foreign composers. Some OF
them submit 10 translation with a mod'-
1h