New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-10

willingly or unwillingly by the immi,,
grants or invaders, may bear gool
fruit. Let us consider the opera, wnlcn
wide fallacy would have us think IS
an educational institution OF gerat puls-
sance As n matter of fact, the opera
Is not a great teacher OF anything. ~
il not the highest form Of musical art,
but it is the most popular. and from
the popular point OF view II ought 70
benefit from the new state OF things
| mean the institution itself, not the
individuals who make their living out
OF il. The war has placed the managers
in the position of being able TO lessen
the demands made upon them hitherto
by the singers These demands have
grown 10 be exorbitant. and II the
managers are willing TO share the good
which will result from their reduction
with the public the opera may be pat
on a saner and a larger foundation than
it has occupied heretofore. 1t IS no
secret TO persons familiar with the
workings Of the Metropolitan Opera
that the conditions were strained 10
the utmost two years ago. The out
break of the war made the giving 81
opera at the Metropolitan predetermined
for a space and put a quietus on Il in
Boston, Philadelphia and Chicago. IL
it is continued il will doubtless be IN
der conditions more favorable 70 the
management than those which have
prevailed Of late years. So far as the
remuneration Of singers is concerned
the law of supply and demand will re-
main operative, though with some
change. Abnormal fees for few o.
the principal singers were a conse-
qucnce of the abnormal demands OF the
public The clamor for few excep-
bad 70 ho
the demands Of the possessors Of those
voices grew until state Of affairs came
into existence which in a short time
would have become uncomfortable. That
state underwent some change last
season; il will undergo more and il
may be that before the conditions n
European opera houses are restored to
their old status the question of whether
or not America can support not one
but several operate institutions will
have been answered in the Affirmative.
Another change which is already
fcrcshadowed cannot be contemplated
with the same satisfaction. One Of the
evils Of foreign musical instruction, an
evil that permeates other fields besides
the operate, has been the Turing OF
American students TO Europe by the
promise of engagements. or dcbuts at
least, in foreign institutions the OPP
era houses of Italy IN particular The
worthiessness, as a rule, of these op-
portunities have frequently been set
forth by the honest and intelligent
writers on musical affairs for the Amer
lean newspapers. To the dishonest
traffckers in them, agents snd teach
ers, these opportunities, which have
cost many parent large sums OF
money that could be i'll afforded ard
many an operate aspirant d.sappoidt-
ment ard even shame, the war has
interposed an obstacle which We may
expect to see them attempt t. overcome
by the organization Of opera companies
with high sounding names or this side
of the ocean. They will be helped by
some of the many singers brought home
from the petty theatres Of the Con-
tinent, who will be expected by their
parents and backers to show = return
for the time ard money spent abroad;
but the only outcome of this movement
is likely to be diaillus,onment or all
sides and an increase IN the number of
unfit teachers Of high prc.ensions. II
the humbug Of foreign dehgts and pur'
chased puifery is thoroughly exposed in
consequence, however, 1t will De one