New-York tribune., 1918-10-20

! Dippel Mr.. Mailer and I have dis
cussed this recently and We believe
that such n course would be an i'm
! provement. One Of the results would
be the encouragement OF native sing
ers" On November 90 Of the same
year Signor Gatti proposed to the di-
rectors that prize be offered by the
company for nm onera in English. Ac-
tion was at once taken on the rroposi-
iion, which the general manager said
had been prompted by n number of
commcndatory letters which had fol-
lowed the announcement Of his purpose
to produce "The Pine of Desire" For
NAL announcement OF the metropolitan
contest was made on Dccember Is, 1908
! he prize was to be $4,000; the COM
poser must be a native Of the United
States. though the place Of his resi-
dcnce was lmmaterial; the opera must
be original and never have been per-
formed or published in whole or part
prior to the making Of the award: it
must be what is commonly known as
grand opera" and not require more
than three and one-Quar hours in
performance; the lbretto must be in
English and might be based upon any
drama, novel or other literary COM
position. bu. if so must be Il new
adaptation; the contest was to close on
September l5, 1910, after which date no
manuscripts were to be received: il
book and score were productions of
different persons both names were 20
be submitted with means for identify
ing the respective labor OF the authors,
together with an agreement between
them as to the division Of The prize if
Won; the jury was to be appointed by
the directors OF the METROPOLITAN COM
pany and an agreement Of two-thirds
Of the members was to be necessary to
an award. The usual methods for pre-
serving anonymity we're prescribed and
the jury empowered. should il deem it
oNpedient, to reopen the contest and
receive additional scores "lor a period
Of eighteen months after the contest
shall have been reoponed." The Metro
politan Opera Company pledged itself
to produce the successful opera during
the season following the award and re-
served Tor Itself and its affiliated the
atrcs exclusive performing rights in
the United States. Canada, Cuba and
Mexico for a period Of five years, with i.
H,tt nv,t 90 y.
pensation TO the authors, and the same
rights for five succeeding years on the
payment OF royalties OF sTo for each
act but not more than $3.50 for the en-
to itself and its Affiliations performing
rights on fixed terms OF royalty pay
ments on the operas Enich might be
submitted other than Chat winning the
prize. The other conditions of the con-
test were immaterial. About three
months before the expiration Of the
two years term the report became Cur
rent that the directors intended to cX-
tend the period of competition for a
year, and there was a decided furry Of
protest and indignation among the COM
posers who had submitted scores and
their friends. Mr.. Kahn. questioned by
newspaper reporters, admitted that
such action had been taken. This was
plainly outside the province Of the COM
pany, and WAS denied by an official
statement put forth on September u,
1910, which characterized the report as
an "crroneous impression" which
seemed to prevail and stated that the
contest would be closed on September
Is. The jury selected by the directors
III December Wa composed Of Alfred
Hertz, one OF the conductors Of the
metropolitan company; Walter Dam
rosch George ". Chadwick and Charles
| Martin LoeHler. who set about the cx-
animation OF the scores submitted in
competition to the number Of thirty,
and on May ., 1911, announced the
award Of the prize to an opera entitled
"Mona,' OF which the music had been
written by Horatio w. Parker and the
lbretto by Brian Hooker The former.
then and still professor Of music at
Yale University, had long been known
as composer in the United States as
we'll as England. where performances
OF his oratorio "fIora Novissima" in
1899 at the Three Choirs Festival in
Worcester and later at the Chester Fes-
trivial and of "A Wanderers Psalm" at
the Hereford Festival won him such
reputc that in 1902 he was honored bv
Cambridge University with the degree
Of Doctor Of Music Mr.. Hooker, a
Yale graduate in 1904, was instructor
Of rhetoric in the university from 1906
to 1909. A consideration of the merits
and demerits of their opera may be de-
ferred until the story of the season in
which it was performed is told
Interest in English opera grew apacc
after the award Of the Metropolitan
company's prize. Straightway there
was a great ado in the newspapers
about English opera and operas in Eng
ish. And a certain man named Tito
Ricordi. speaking down Boston-way.
where balcful prophecies were rife
touching the future of the local COM
pany, proclaimed that the burden rest
ing on the country was paucty of
opera, not the surfeit that seemed to be
indicated by the disastrous season
throuOh which Now Eovl l,,I but ro