New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-10-20
The Century Theatre Enterprise
TRANSACTIONS a Vexing
Problem

men, "Boheme,' Romeo and Juliet"
/ "Rigoletto," "Cavalleria Rusticana,"
"Manon," "The Secret Of Suzanne -
"Pagiiacci," "Tiehand," martha" and
"Natoma." There were signs Of disaf-
lection in March, 1914, when Alfred
Szendrei, conductor of the company, in
q letter to the newspapers, declared
that the orchestra and chorus were in
competent, the rchearsals insufficient
in number, and that he. had been
which he had conducted. To this the
general managers retorted that Mr.
/ Szendrei was disaffected because he
had not been reengaged for the next
season. A week later the Messrs. Aborn
announced that despite rumors TO the
contrary English operas would be given
at the Century Theatre in 1914, 15' but
Tor only twenty weeks instead Of thir-
ty-five. In May they proclaimed that
! the exclusive use of English, which had
become the rule after the early weeks,
would be abandoned and all operas be
sung in the original languages. The
policy Of devoting an entire week to n
single opera was also Abandoned A
few weeks of the season 19i4-'15 suf-
feed to disclose that financial losses
much greater than those made in the
first season confronted the company.
The receipts at the box office showed a
falling off Of 20 per cent. The man
ayers advised that the company be
transferred to Chicago. where they
thought financial and social conditions
had been less affected by the war than
il New York This was done, but the
change resulted in no betterment of
the company's affairs. Mir. Kahn with
drew from the directorate, though he
still offered generous financial support
to the undertaking on conditions look
ing to a more permanent foundation;
but after six weeks in the Northern
metropolis the season was sumnarilv
closed and the company disbanded
Through the courtesy of Mr.. Baird /
am able to present some figures from
the report Of certified accountants
touching the first season which may be
OF value to future experimenters in the
field OF popular opera. The average
weekly receipts were $l1,961fo: the
average weekly expenditures 1885. so.
making a net loss for the season of
s53,766.71. In the first sixteen weeks
there was an actual profit of 5000 .o9:
In the last fifteen weeks a loss Of s79.-
TEES. This would seem to me~to in
dictate total loss of s70,91O.1S instead
OF $53, 76671, as basis on the difference
between the average weekly receipts
and expenditures. 1.-THE COMPANY" saws
Mr.. Baird, suffered its first big loss in
the fourteenth week with the production
OF The Bohemian Girl The directors
were strongly opposed to producing
that opera, but the management urged
that 1t was 'surefire' opera on the
road and they took full responsibilities
for including it in the repertory." The
next large loss occurred in the seven
teenth week when Louise" vas the re-
peated bill. At the first eight per-
formances of the opera the company
made profit Of s1S4.sS; at the second
the company incurred loss Of
s4,5So.7s. an every instance of
repetition says Mr.. Baird, "the COM
pany suffered big loss. The repeti-
ton of several operas that had ALREADY
been produced at eight performances
earlier in the season lost the company