New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-11-25
WHY NOT $40 FOR
ROSENKAVALIER?
Just as Much Reason for
II as for the SO That
Is Asked.
NO QUESTION OF
ART INVOLVED
Strauss Wrote for Money, and,
He Admitted, the More
the Better.


There was what seemed to be a some
what incomplete announcement in yes
terday's newspapers about the first nov
city to be produced at the Metropolitan
Opera House on December I. The opera
is a new one. and because 1t is by Rich
ard Strauss. and the subject. as might
have been guessed had not industrious
publicity agents been engaged for two
piquant to say the least, the occasion
has been put oueside the regular subscrip-
ton and the prices of admission raised to
the standard Of $40 for an orchestra chair
Those who know the plot OF Der Ro-
senkavaier' are probably wondering why
the cost of an orchestra ticket was
not fixed at twice the sum. Modern pru-
riency ought to be more attractive than
ancient necrophilism, and If the first
glimpse at the delectable "SalOme" was
worth SO in the holidaytde. then COM
edy which deals with a passion more
general, If not more ancient, but which
finds equally frank expression in the new
lyric play. ought to be worth more to the
public which the Metropolitan Opera
House. as an agency of education and re-
fnement, Is striving to uplift II we We're
inclined to 90 into the question analyti-
cally we should say that an opera which
begins with the lover kissing the hand
Of his lady love. extended from the cur
tains of her bed, while the birds are
twittering their matin song, would be
worth not two-thirds more than the regu-
lar price Of admission, but at least
three times more, If the beginning of the
dramatic action coald have only been
made coincident with the beginning of the
instrumental music.
There is no question of art involved here;
only a question OF financial emolument
Herr Strauss. is, as the world knows
what the Germans call Pantoffelheld-
the hero Of his wife's slipper-though his
dramatic poses grow naugbtler and
naughtier from day TO day for business
reasons. When he was I'm New York
ilt Stlu ~ bilf "a 10 h'FN i''''N'H''''
that he would polish stoves If only the
occupation could be made remunerative
enough. and there need be no surprise
that he was willing To humOr the deca-
dent taste Of the German stage in his
"ROsenkavalier." inasmuch as by doing
so he was able TO command larger
ROYALTIES and enforce more rigorous de-
H.. RI ~
fore for its production.
The conditions explain i'm part the
action Of the Metropolitan Opera Com
pany in giving the opera first as a repre-
scutatiou outside Of the regular subscrip-
ton and I'm cNactirg an abnormal fee
from its patrons for the privilege OF
hearing il. They are fortunate, In way,
so FAR as they may enable the Metropoli-
tan management to establish new and
better relationships with their regular
patrons Though the statement was not
altogether explicit 1t may be said that
the business manager Of the Metropolitan
Opera Company has invited all the sub
scribers 20 the companys performances
10 deal i'm this case with the management
direct. irrespective Of the agency through
which the subscriptions have been made
heretofore II may also be said that the
one great lesson Of the Tyson scandal
has been taken 10 heart and that the
opera compauys subscribers are not
likely again to be left at the mercy Of
SPECTATORS. responsible or irresponsible.
We are careless folk. and do not like
TO bear grudges long; so IT would not be
strange If certain recent dOings, which
look much as II they were begrimed with
moral obliquity I'm several directions
would be forgiven and forgotten But no
doubt care will be taken that they shall
not occur again. Perhaps the manage
ment Of the Opera Company will see its
way to the proclamation of promise to
that effect. and eventually. also. TO one
that the public shall be put at least upon
a level with the professional trader in
tickets.
Miss Maggie Teyte gave song recital
I'm Aeolian Hall yesterday afternoon. II
contained so much that was bewlderlnS
to an observer OF this young artists ca
rrer that there is no desire TO enter into
a discussion of its features. "A strange
change has come over this young woman
her tastes, her style, her ideals, her
voice and It's use. Two years ago II was
IMPOSSIBLE to think or speak of her eX-
cept in terms of art. \ year ago she be-
gan to exploit herself and composers
whom she professed to have discovered.
though they were known before she was
born Yesterday. e> cept for few mo-
ments. shs seemed to be eager only TO
catch the ear OF the groundlings.