Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-04-18

does metropolitan opera For an
other season, al least. It's famous
"Farrar roles will he sung by Farrar
The loser In the affair IS the Mctropoli-
tan Opera Company It's flnanccrs who
had committed themselves 10 the policy o.
arbitrarily placing limit on fees paid tp
favori;c tenors ana sopranos, have been
outwltted by Madame Butterfly So FAR
rs Geraldine Farrar IS concerned. that
policy IS suspended for the coming season.
and probably for the following season
70 secure Geraldine Farrar-whom IL
must have or risk facing defcit--t.le
Metropolitan Opera management durin:
the coming season will pay 10 Director
Ellis, OF the Boston Symphony Orchestra
larger fee for each of her performances
than il would have had to pay under -
direct renewal Of her contract. The Farrar
fee per performance under this seasons
contract $1,000. She felt that her
drawing power warranted an increase for
neHt season 10 $1,000, but she would have
accepted Sl,:oo. Now Director Ellis will
collect 81 800 or $1,000 for each OF her
metropolitan Opera performances.
The subscription sale announcements for
the coming season need to offer forty
"Farrar nights" as her drawing power is
nearly or quite rs great rs Carusos
Which means that the Metropolitan man
aScmcnt pays total If $4,000 more he
cause OF en- opera stars superior business
ability.
But. according to the carefully prepared
table printed further on, the Metropolitan
Opera Company will still gain by keeping
Farrar something like SiSj 600 on the sea
son which would not come in at subscrlp-
ton sale and box Office without her name
on the bills.
For n good many seasons IL had been
the custom OF the Metropolitan director
toward the end OF January 10 approach his
principal artists about renewals Of con-
tracts. Last January director Gatti
Casazza, intent upon crushing fancy fee"
asrirat tons. decided 10 act on he principle
customary with large employers IN other
!ines-if yoL want 10 keep down an en-
ploye's salary, don't go TO him to renew
the contract: let him get anxious and
come to you
But Geraldine f'arrar didn't get anxious
in Just that way. AS MIR. Gatt didn't
come around, rs usual. she went to ri
rector Ellis OF the Boston Symphony
Orchestra, who quite willingly made con
tract with her for the coming season. As
related above, she made no mistake. There
j. new opera organization in Chicago
That needs her badly There will be opera
in Boston. Besides Farrar is very strong
on Mr. Ellis's concer, list.
Now comes in tho little joker about
Farrar for the metropolitan season after
next Mr.. Ellis has to have some profit on
his Farrar contract-probably $500 per-
formance-whch hardly can be concealed
from Mr. Gatti." So when he hands Miss
Farrar Il contract Tor the season of 1916.
1917 naming $1,1H0 as the fee. ii will he
her cue to reply:
why, Mr. Gatti, last season YOU paid
Mr.. Ellis $4,000!
The metropolitan Opera management is
natural endeavors OF its principal tenors
and sopranos to exact payment for their
services beyond a certain limit These
efforts do not concern CaruSo-at least ut
prcsent-for he is in a class by himself.
Caruso is the only living tenor who re.
cciyes the same fixed fee per performance
wherever he appears-in America or In
Europe. Two years ago that fee was
$500 This year it is $1,000
For soprano the high salary mark was
reached when I.uisa Tetrazzin received
$l.Sco for each performance. During the
last two years Geraldine Farrar has led
Inc sopranos. From $1,000, in 1918, she
has been advanced to $1,000 Her draw