New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-10-04
HAMMERSTE|N THROWS
HIS BATON IN RING
ImpreSario Announces That He
Will Open New House Late
in November.
WILL INVADE TWO FIELDS
Plan Includes ALI Year Opera in
English at Popular Prices
and French and Italian
Performances.

Oscar Hammerstein threw down his
gauntlet last night to both the Metro
politan and Century Opera companies.
He announced that he would give at
his new Lexington Avenue Opera
House both opera in English at popular
prices and opera in French and Italian
at prices ranging from s. to 81.
His English performances are to take
place Tuesday and Thursday evenings
and Wednesday afternoons. The even
ing prices will range from S2 10 25
cents and the Wednesday matinee from
81 to % cents. His s. French and
Italian performances will be given
Monday. Wednesday and Friday even
ings and Saturday afternoons. In ad-
dtion, there will be on Saturday even
ings popular priced performances in
French and Italian.
The season. according TO Mr.. Ham
morstein. will open either November IL
oi "A with Il performance Of Romeo
ct Juliette" in French, with Blanca Bel
lncioni as Juliette. The first popular
priced English performance will be
"Othello," with William Castleman as
Othello and possibly Maurice Renaud
as Iago Mr.. Hammerstein further an
nounced chat the English performances
will run throughout the year, thus Civ
ing New York a continuous round Of
opera in English at popular prices.
To Return to Old Plan.
1.-The attitude OF the press toward the
Century Opera Company has made 1t
evident that there is a deep seated
feeling In the community for opera in
English" said Mr.. Hammerstein last
night. Il intend, therefore, TO return
partially to my original plan. inter-
rupted by the institution OF the Cen
tury, and to give such opera. My Eng
lish performances will run spring, sum-
mer, winter and autumn. My new op-
era house is on the East Side, and 1
have watched the crowds at the Cen
tury and found that they come largely
from that section.
THE Metropolitan by setting up an
opposition house has now set up two.
We shall see what we shall see. My
new house is fast approaching COM
petion. and | shall open on November
II or "A
When Milton and Sargent Aborn. the
directors Of the Century Opera Com
pany, were told Of Mr.. Hammerstein's
plans they said that the Century would
continue as it had begun.
our season so far has been an i'm
mense success" said Sargent Aborn.
I'VE have the largest audience tonight
that the theatre has ever held, and /
think that despite Mr.. Hammersteins
opposition our success will continue.
We hold the exclusive English rights
TO the works OF Massenet, Charpentier,
saint-Saens and Puccini so we do not
see how Mr.. Hammersten can give any
Of these operas in English"
Mr.. Hammerstein's formal announce
mont of his new plan is, in part, as fol-
lows:
European celebrities. such as Mines
Barrientos, Chenal. Fer, Bellincioni and
Messrs. Renaud Venzant, Marvini. AL
lard and Pagnelli, and thirty others
will appear
THE orchestra Of seventy-fve, under
the conductorship Of Baroni, Messon.
Merola and EURO. will be heard at the
in English. in conjunc-
ton with a chorus Of one hundred and
twenty five.
"The English singing forces. consist
ing Of Orville Harold. Edward Johnson,
Marcus Kellerman, Henry Weldon,
Mark Fellows, Henry Diaz, Mabel Sea-
mon. Alice Gentle, Frieda Baker. Marie
Billing, Jenny Armstrong. Augusta
Doria and Nina Morgana, have been
enlarged, and now that the
for opera in English are
Continued on third page. nfth column