The Washington times., 1918-01-10
HOW OFFENBACH
FAILED TO PLEASE
AUDIENCE NU. S.

1t was in the centennial year Of
1875 when, ia the city of Brotherly
1--we. ther. was celebrated the one
hundredth anniversary Of the nations
Independence that the late Marie
Aimee, then hailed as the queen IF
Opera Bouffe." was emboldened to
undertake an enterprise wherein the
sole incentive was the hope that her
dear Paris, the city of her birth anl
the only one whose public she had
failed to conquer, would be compelled
to recognize her as a factor in its
artistic existence.
Aimee came hither from the French
capital but few years before under
engagement to the festive Col. James
Fisk. Jr.. who was conducting the
palatial Grand avenue as toy"
with which to entertain his inti-
mates. Hailed as the French Ho-
garth in petticoats," the diva scored
sensational hit as La PerichoIe in
Offenbach's operetta OF that name.
For more than two decades Aimee
was the idol of the American public
from coast to coast. At Intervals in
her career she would go t. Paris.
bent upon the conquest OF her own
countrymen. but the Parisians would
have her not. The fortune that was
hers had been made in America. and
It was to this country that tine de-
termined diva turned in the effort
to obtain Partisan recognition.
Plan Was Clever.
Aimee's plan was indeed ingenious.
II Paris would rot accept her A. an
exponent of the Offenbachian roles
she would command the interest Of
public and press at all hazards-caI-
ing to her aid the late Maurice Grau.
under whose direction she was then
appearing. Aimee rcevaled her bold
scheme, which was nothing less than
to entice the great Offenbach him
self to these shores.
An offer of 81, 900 night was
cabled to the father OF opera bouifc.
with an agreement to deposit $50, 900
In the Bank Of France as security for
thirty nights Offenbach accepted
and was engaged to conduct an or.
chestrs Of 100 musicians a ,hc Madi.
son Square Garden. then known as
Gilmore's Garden and utilized for
promenade concerts.
Offenbach Fails.
At the first performanrc-Or
bach, baton In hand. began 10 conduct
v.
/ had witnessed the American drbuf
OF Johann Strauss. the waltz King.
and Of Julien of jubilee fame. both
distinctly noted as conductors Yet
Ohenbach was superior To either in
those niCet!es and shading which he
alone impaired q" his enhancing
music. II was commonly agreed
among musicians. including the mem
bers Of the orchestra, that Omcuba, n
was the greatest conductor of his
own works this country had ever
known.
But that tremendous audience tha;
had paid fahunus prices for the privi-
lege Of welcoming a celebrity was
plainly disappointed. What cared
this public whether Omenba-l was
revealing to 81 new bcauil.. in the
scores that II had ravcd over fur
years? The people cam" To See Of
fenbach dance: expected thaf he
would set the musicians and oven the
audience to dancing. The ,,rv at
mosphere reflected failure.
Spectacular Figure.
Yet there h. stood as spectacular a
figure as one could well imaEino con-
Quoting lik" true artist the mrlp-
dious scores over which the nation
had gone mad. aud when. at tn. end
of the first part or Tn- rrutsrnm.
"Orphee," with its familiar 'can can"
music was played a. never before,
that audience OF 10000 dwindl.d TO
less than one-third Of the number. The
great Offenbach had come, was seen,
but did not ggnuuer