New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-06

thought that Philadelphia was in need
of opera the company went to that city
and gave a season of week or fort
night, suspending operations here
meanwhile. The obvious explanation
of the present abnormal activity is, OF
course, that the size of the company
makes such activity necessary from a
financial point of view. But this is
not an artistic, but commercial. propo-
sition. and it is the commercial aspect
of the case which is clogging progress
in art.
The public can be made amenablc to
system which will be for the good
Of opera. SO far as the element which
provides regular sustenance to the
Metropolitan is concerned-the box
holders and general subscribers-it
never asks what it Is 10 expect when
it fills the Golfers of the company
weeks before the season begins. 1t
buys the privilege of being in the
social swim. of going 70 the opera at
regular periods. and that sutfices it.
We do not believe that the offer of
novelties influences the subscription in
the least. The cry for novelties, like
the smoke OF torment, goes up perpetu-
ally to the operate manager; but it
comes chiefly from the newspapers.
For many years during Mr.. Graus
administration of the Metropolitan
Opera House The Tlibune's music re-
viewer, who is writing this argument,
sat Immediately behind the manager
and almost nightly exchanged a word
of greeting and handclasp with him.
| In all the lean years through which
Mr.. Grau guided the enterprise only
once did he utter a word of complaint
either against the criticisms of the
newspapers or the attitude of the pub
lie. He was a genial stole, and no one
begrudged him his success when it
came. Once, however (t was in the
season of 100000, on the first even
ing of Rcyer's "Salammbo," he appeared
in his place earlier than usual, and as
he extended his gloved hand his eyes
took a survey of the audience. He had
expended some 100000 or more on the
production, and the public had met his
enterprise by sending half house.
CHANGING from gallery to parquet he
Il ln1 Of in
the tone of his voice: Encouraging,
isn't it? Some say the people want
novelties" "Salammbo" was not a
wise choice; neither was "Messaline,"
which Mr.. Grau also brought forward;
but they were no more doomed to an
early death than a dozen of the nov
elites selected by Mr.. GATH COR Mr..
Dippel when he was associated with
Mr.. GATH. 1t was inevitable that
works like lie WILL" "Tiefland," ia
Wally," "Gcrmania," "Stradella."
"Ariane ct Barbe Bleu," "Lobetanz,"
"Versegelt," Madeleine" julien"
"Goyescas" and lies Pecheurs de
Perlcs" should die a-borning. The two
novelties which made the most spec
tacular failure in Mr.. Grau's final
lustrum were given because of the
managers desire to give recognition to
modern French works.
NEED OF MORE FRENCH OPERAS
This introduces subject which will
unquestionably occupy considerable at
tention on the part of Mr.. Gatti and
the directors of the Metropolitan
Opera Company when the plans for
next season are made. For fourteen
years-that is. ever since the begin
ming Of the Conried regime French
opera has had scant attention at the
Metropolitan Mr.. Hammerstein saw
this weak spot in the armor OF his ad-
versary when he developed his system
at the Manhattan Opera House. The
directors of the Metropolitan were
thrown into panic-needless for
Mr.. Hammerstein never got the sris-
tocratic and fashionable backing which
has been the breath of life to opera
the world over ever since its inven-
ton 300 years ago. But Mr.. Hammer
stems rivalry took on threatening
look when ne launched a distinctively
French campaign. Now the Metropol-
itan directors have received warning
that the Chicago Opera Company,
when it comes TO New York for a sea-
son of four weeks next January, will
follow the strategy which Mr.. Campo
mini practised when he was in COM
mand Of Mr.. Hammerstein's forces. It's
repertcry will be largely French. The
appeal Of such repsrtory will be In.
tensihed by the feelings aroused by
the war with Germany, for it is pos
sible to permit the sympathies aroused
by patriotic affiliations to sway ones
| choice, if not ones predictions. in
art. 1t will not be an evidence Of
Chauvinism IL the people ask to see a
larger representation of French works