New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-12-08


able home than it does not to enjoy
the most modest theatrical entertain
ments-barring the moving picture
shows. When the Academy of Music
was new, in 1864, Max Maretzek rented
the house for a space to Mr.. Hackett,
then manager of an opera company
headed by Nine. Grisi and Signor Mario,
two of the most refulgent stars that
ever blazed in the operate armament.
Counting on their power of attraction,
coupled with that of the new house,
Mr.. Hackett charged SO for the par
quet Orchestral stalls, and from SIC
to $40 for the boxes. These prices the
public thought exorbitant, and showed
its resentment by staying away from
the performance on the first night
Maretzek, who made record of the fact
said that the audience numbered only
1900 Hackett promptly reduced his
prices one-half for the second night,
and this price was still further re-
duced 30 81, and kept there till Mr..
Maretzek plucked up enough courage
to raise it to s1.50. This was the price,
| believe, when the high cost of living
during the Civil War affected also the
cost of going to the opera; but it re-
NAMED at IS until the advent of the
Metropolitan Opera, House, | believe.
If it was advanced to s. for the first
season of Italian opera, about which
l have no time to inquire at this junct-
ure, it was reduced to 81, and remained
there throughout the German regime;
that is, from 1Ss4-'85 to 1S9O-'91. On
the return of Messrs. Abbey and Grau
and during the successive administra-
tions from that time down to 1911, the
standard price was IS, with $3.50 as
the unit at the popular Saturday nights
The Cost of Five Seasons
l am publishing herewith tabulated
statements touching the cost of giving
opera at the Metropolitan Opera House
during five seasons, from which twill be
possible to see to some extent in which
departments the cost of giving opera
has grown abnormal and enormous.
Comparisons between the different
years cannot be made definitely except
as regards certain details, for the rea
son that the operate seasons differed
in length, and in the years of Mr..
Grau's management (1902-'03) and Mr..
Conried's (1904-'05) the cost of giving
opera outside of New York is included.
1t is equally impossible accurately to
appraise past and present artistic re-
suits, for the reason that while the
German seasons developed standard
list Of operas which has remained cur
rent for twenty-five years the list has
been at least temporarily disarranged
by a change Of policy caused by the
war.
Assuming, however, that German
operas will some day be restored to the
Metropolitan repertory in all their
puissance, it remains significant re-
Election that during the seven years
when the owners of the opera house
gave opera on their own account as
to the Metropolitan list as during the
combined consulships Of Conried and
Gatti. am emitting works familiar to
the public before the Metropolitan
Opera House was opened, and which
might appear in both lists, but as to
the quality of new works compare
"Fidelio," "Die Meistersinger," "Tris-
tan und Isolde" "Das Rheingold," "Die
Walkure," "siegfried," "Gotterdam-
merung,' and "Konigin Won Saba" Of
the Stanton list, with "Francesca da
Rimini," "HRnsel und Gretel," "Konigs-
kinder" Madame Sans-Gene," "Prince
Igor" Boris Godounoff," "Rosenkava-