New-York tribune., 1918-10-20
ENGLISH OPERA AT THE METROPOLITAN

matter much. Municipal opera on the
European continent is opcra under the
supervision of municipal government
and enjoying its financial support. As
n rule, 80 far as my knowledge goes,
the theatre is owned by the city, and
though its management may be placed
in the hands Of lessees the economic as
we'll rs the artistic administration is
watched over by an officer Of the city
government. In this sense ~ munich cipal
opera is rs inoouceivablc in the United
States as n municipal playhouse. The
proposition Of the committee embraced
those features: fund of S450,0O0 was
TO be raised for the purpose of pro-
ducing opera at popular prices for three
years. subscriptions to this fund being
payable IN instalments covering the
period; for the first year $52.76l was
required for the purchase Of scenery.
costumes, etc. the cost Of producing
opera was estimated at $I4,500 per
week, or $232 900 for two seasons of
eight weeks each, which was all that
was contemplated at the time; esti-
mating the receipts ut two thirds of
the capacity of the house they would
amount to $199,547. leaving deficit of
$50 ,io3; this deficit would be dimin-
lshed from wear to year, and at the end
OF the fourth year be wiped out; the
management of the enterprise was to
be placed in the hands OF director,
American or foreign, who was to be
given freedom of action in the selection
OF rcpertory and artists but was to
carry out the policy OF the board of di-
rcctors cas- outlined from time to time
and be responsible to it; the rcpcr,orv
was, TO be cosmopolitan-Eng
French, German and Italian-but no
experiments were to be made with nov
'cltics; the Metropolitan Opera Com
pany was to furnish propcrtics. cos.
tunes, scenery, etc, at Il nominal
rental, the use of these by both COM
pnnies being feasible because the first
popular season of work was to beojn
about September I, 1919. and thare
would thus be no conflict with the
metropolitan season, at the beginning of
which members Of the companv ;ncl,d-
ing chorus and ballet, were 20 be frco
10 accept engagements elsewhere: at
the conclusion OF the Metropoliten sna-
son l913-1i the popular season WAS to
he resumed for another period of cieht
weeks. In this last feature the plan
was httlc else than a parallel with the
experiment made in October. 1900
when s1r. Henry W. Savage and Mr.
Hrau formed Il partnership for season
Of English opera at the Metrono1j.an
lhis oId experiment had the merit of
beng really intelligent and dignificd
effort to hahilitatc not only opera suno
IN the vernacular but opera comnosed
IN English. The company was an OK
ceIient one, Mr.. Savage was an exnc.
rlenced and enterprising manager and
the repertory Of the season given under
MS JOINT management with Mr. Gran
from OCTOBER to December 1900, bv the !
Metropolltan English Grand Oncra
company, as it was called. while it con
tanned operettas (amone them some IF
hilbert d Sullivan's) and some specitij- !
cally English works (Goring Thomas,s
Esmoralda" being one) was otherwise
quite as pretentious as the repertorv
OF 'he REGULAR company which followed /
II, save that 1t omitted the later dramas
oi wagner. Its list of singers was
mace up to Il considerable extent Of
af''sts who had gained routine in tbo
Carl Rosa Company in London and else
"hcre IN Europe. Yet the season was I
,css successful than the seasons which
Mf' Savage had been accustomed to pi,o
"I .ne theatres, probably, as + suggest
'd IN my "Chaptcrs Of Opera" bccanso
OF ,hc arr OF aristocracy which il wore
W''nou' benz able to assume the socjol
Importance which belonged only to tho