The Washington times., 1918-04-18
HAS
SERIOUS PROBLEM
WHENARTISTFALS

Perhaps the most exciting and
strenuous experience due to an artist
disappointing an audience fel 10 the
lot OF the late Maurice Grsu, though,
az was his wont, he finally proved
equal TO an emergency unparalleled In
the history of American opera. II
happened fourteen years ago during
the height OF the Grau regime when
the de ResEkes, NelbS- Calve. and
Eames were carrying musical New
York literally off its fact. It was the
period Of the .so-ealled Ideal Cast
ana the .numbeF Of star8 available to
the impresario was so large that any
thing untowArd seemed Yell-nigh i'm
possible.
aida" was the opera on this par
ticular evening. Nordica and Homer.
the two de Reszkea and Plancon were
in the cast and the remarkable part Of
tho troublous affair is that all OF the
stars appeared en- time with nothing
to indicate the least sign of impending
calamity. The housssWas sold out and
my brother Maurice was sitting in his
customary seat in the orchestra
proudly casting his eye over the.
crowded auditorium. At the end of the
first act Louise Homer became sSud.
denly and seriously Ili--happening be-
tween the acts ~ Il were. The audi
ence was kept in ignorance, but back
on the stage all was excitement. De-
spite all the stars In the organization
there Waa no one to help the I'M
presario In this emergency. Although
90 perfech was the system to cope
with such incidents that almost au-I
tomatically with HofiSr's forced retire
ment from the cast. the entire staff OF
the impresGrio was fready for action
and the operatic chessboard, studied
already by Mr.. Grau revealed that In
all New York there was but one artist
who could save the night-EuEenia
Nsntelli.
Where is NGntsU!?' asked Grau OF
Edgar Strakoseh, who was the one to
act in such matters.
II don't know" responded stra.
kosch.
why don't you know" demanded
the impresario; ask Ruben, quick"
II was now 9:16 .. m. 1 was sitting
on a camp stool in the foyer Of the
opera house. Noticing l. II. Ruben
going from one person to another ex-
citedly 1 yentured to ask what was
the matter. HOh, Robert, do YOU
know where Mantelli livsHY' asked
Ruben.
"of course do. She Is singing this
week in Brooklyn in vaudeville"
(WheTe had placed her at 81 900 4
week, yet my brother did not know
this nor did any Of the staff.)
For Heavens sake ket TO her and
have her come to the opera house
quick" pleaded Ruben.
Consulting my .timebook ] found
$50. sang two arias and, barring ac-
etdent, was, due at the Hotel MarI-
borough around 9:25, While some
one 'phoned to Brooklyn to ascertain
IL Mantelli had left the vaudeville
theAter, hurried to the Hotel AarI-
borough. but two blocks away. The
tenson was nerve-rackinR. What IL
Mantelli did not come straight to her
hotel on this momentous occasion?
When I think Of the golden oppor-
tunity that here presented itself and
how under far less serious condi-
tons the husbands and Representatives
OF prima donnas have held up i'm
presarios-not always without justi-
fication-it is only fair that even at
this late day that some tribute be
paid to the artist and her husband,
who, though utterly exhausted-hav-
ing already sung twice that day in
Brooklyn-<entered the same carriage
that had brought them hither from
Brooklyn and proceeded to the stage
entrance Of the opera house where
my brother was waiting, still pacing
the floor. As Mantelli entered my
brother greeted her as impresarios
only may greet. He began to plead.
but instead of a lot OF dIckerinE, and
to the Joy OF all who were trembling
about them, MantelIi, as II to silence
him, said, "There Is no tine to be
lost, presume. Have you a costume
ready for pe, and will you-make an
announcement and ask indulgence OF
the Gudiencef" .-- ---L .-..