New-York tribune., 1919-10-26
By II. {. Krehbiel


writer in the editorial columns of
The Tribune has forcibly and Apostle
ly drawn line between performances
Of opera IN German as art and per
formances for propaganda. In this he
is at one with this newspapers musi-
cal reviewer who has been a consistent
champion OF the principles of German
opera for more than a generation. The
reasons which appeared sound to him
when the musical public of New York
was divided in controversy between the
principles represented by Mr.. Henry E.
Abbey IN 1891 and the management
which had been in control of the per-
formances at the Metropolitan Opera
House for seven years, appear to him
70 be sound to-day, in so far as they
make for permanency and seriousness
IN artistic culture. Those principles,
however, are not at stake in the con-
Aict which has surrounded the Lexing-
ION Theater with riot and bloodshed.
.tt Us take retrospective glance at
Few incidents in the history of the Met
fopoltan Opera House, for they may
possibly help TO an understanding of
some things which have been lost sight
oi IN the present unfortunate excite
ment.
After the first season at the institu-
ton which supplanted the Academy of
Music as the home of opera, a season
which ended III disaster for Mr.. Abbey,
the owners Of the building found them
selves compelled to turn to German
opera, proposed to them by DR.. Leopold
psmrosch, and there followed seven
years of German regime which has
ever since remained memorable be-
cause OF its educational effect upon the
New YORK public. The repertory dur
ing this period was not exclusively
derman but the language used in the
performances was. It's results were
not due 10 the language, but to the in
.roductlon of new principles which
FOUND eyemplihcation in the later
dramas OF Wagner. The spirit pervad-
ing these dramas and the sincerity
OIL the performers in it's exposition
created public taste which, after an
'nserregnum Of short time, compelled
'ne managers Of the Opera House to
make their repertory cosmopolitan-or
Almost so. After an overwhelmingly
convincing demonstration made by a
caring rivalry conducted by Mr.. Walter
pamrosch, Mr.. Grau found it necessary
20 place not only German, but French
yvpefa' also, on an equal footing with
Italian.
The Early Regime
The earlier German regime was
brought to conclusion because. de-
sp'le It's popular appeal and its artistic
.'uits, 1t was not TO the taste Of the
majority Of the stockholders of the
opera House Company-the represen-
.s'iyes OF society and fashion who sat
~ 'ne double row OF boxes. To them
Vpeta was not art but an occasion for
sociai dlsplay. The conduct Of some Of
.Aem curing the performances became
sach scandal IN the last months of
1ee herman season that the board of
+I'ieceofs found It necessary to rebuke
IN -, publlciy IN order to preserve the
pu"'ic patronage which threatened to
,p@nuoh the institution after il became
ssn9"h tnat the Opera House Company
say saa leased the building TO Abbey,
,,sshoehei and Grau for the season
col ". Not only that. AS the sea
=. .vn Grew 70 an end Mr. Edmund G..
.Ia'a"ton, "no, az the representative Of
ne opera House Company, was dircc-
s 'I 81 INC performing company, sacri-
s.so no less than five novelties which
ss.. 80 Deen promised they we're Marsch
80 80, iemp.cr und gudin." "Esclar
,aonie'" ~ i" "Lc Roi d'YS,'' "The Tanning
y. " 1ae Shrew" and THE Merry Wives
indsor" three German works and
~ fenchJ in order to devote nearly
a, u ane performances 70 the later works
n, '. ~Hner. When the financial results
-. we Aye German scaeons were tabu-
IL" ~ Ine 1ribune's reviewer il wag
ns"seIed tnat the operas Of the Wag-
fsrsan fs11a iist mad yielded an average Of
so.'oS more than the operas by other
csnni.posers, although in one season
v'aIhafH Queen Of Shcba" had had
- @tisssn,sational success and Beethoven's
.rro1e'io' In another.
.. Nsss are incontroyertible historical
M "hicn ought TO be kept in rnind
ss...s,1,. rss,s. Abbey. Schoeffel and Grnu,
ss.'Miilng ~ sacrifice the public
gaS.yhaxe which had been developed
~ Ihe Iefnan regime, at the outset
ths second italian period (tne frat
r.is'o coinpr!gcd but single season.
d. concession TO 1t which was 10
nfpsloun and half-hcarted that Mr..
sns "'oseh soon saw his opportunity
e, ,.u entered tho field With German
>ss,rsipany. He achieved "a phenomenal
1.csss, ,.s. Which persuaded Mr.. Crau "a
h.. vsiman opera on worthy foot
~ nho permanent ons 80 lonx an
~. ",ap had artists Ike Nine. Ter
tsa~f 9afne. Eames, Nine. Nordica and
IL. Drgthers do Rcszke TO SUPPORT
Their greatness conquered even
- spfs3udices Of ths boxholdsrs who