New-York tribune., 1918-11-10

iaGGlsh. In the five years Of the Con-
ried regime there we're only ffty-scver
representations in French, and of the
six French operas performed only one
was new to the public. This was Ber-
lioz's "Damnation dc Faust" which had
its hrst American representation at the
metropolitan on December z, 1906. In
Signor Gatti's first year the only
French operas in The list were "Car-
men, "Faust" and "Manon," which,
combined, had nineteen representa-
tions; in the second the operas were
"Manon," Faust" Era Davolo' and
"Werther," and the representations
there were only thirteen representa-
tions, though two novelties, "Armide"
,, and "Ariane ct Barbe-Bleue," were
conserted with the old favoritcs,
Faust" and Romeo ct Juliette.' To
supply the demand which Mr.. Hammer
stein had ingeniously fostered, resort
was had in this year to periodical visits
from the Philadelphi phia-Chicago COM
bination, organized out of the singers
who had been Mr.. Hammerstein's.
am not quite certain but that the Chi
cago enterprise had its inception, Cor if
not it's inception, at least its deter
minative impetus) in one of Mr. Ham
merstein's projects Of universal con-
quest, the spirit of which also animated
I the Metropolitan company in the period
of great rivalry.
After the season of 19O8-'O9, which
Mr.. Hammerstein looked upon as
season of prosperity, be decided to
build an opera house in Chicago. Mr.
Rabnoff, afterward connected with
! company that borrowed Boston's name.
took hand in the enterprise, which
was conducted with the utmost pos
| sible secrecy. He bought an option on
site for the building in North Clark
Street FOR $4,000. employed a lawyer
to look after his legal interests and
firm of architects to make the designs
The Auditorium Theatre was under
lease at the time to Messrs. Klaw e.
Erlanger. who were giving cheap vaude-
vile performances at such loss that
they offered to transfer the lease, which
had eight years to run, to Hammer
stein for nothing, but he refused it,
bent upon carrying out his North Clark
Street project. Meanwhile the Chicago
project of Mr.. Dippel, warmly espoused
by Mr.. Clarence Mackay. took form, and
4, Er1a &c L.t~
lease to the Chicago Grand Opera Com
pany, getting, it is said, 100000 for
what had been offered as gift to MIR.
Hsmmerstein. Official announcement
of the organization of the Chicago
Grand Opera Company WAS made on
December 9, 1909. 1t had the financial
backing of fourteen wealthy men, three
of thcmMr. Vanderbilt, Mr.. Kahn and
Mr.. Mackay--from New York. They
were not in the directorate, but were
represented by Mr.. Dippel. After com
pleting the season Of ten weeks in Chi
cago in 1910 the company went to Phil
adelphia, its name undergoing change
in transit, and gave the projected sea-
son there, coming to New York and
playing at the Metropolitan on eleven
successive Tuesday nights and one Sat-
urday night, beginning on January ID,
1911. Out of twelve performances
eight were devoted to French operas,
two wholly to English, one to double
bill of English and an Italian para
| phrase Of a German opera, and one to
a combination Of the last with French
work. The English opera was "Na-
toma," by Joseph D. Redding and Vic
tor Herbert; the German work was
{ Wo]f-Ferrari's "Susannens Geheim-
| Mss" which, first announced in French
as "Lc Secret de Susanna" WAS given
IN Italian as al Segrctc di Susanna"
| The French operas in the list were