Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-08-02
|HAMMERSTE|N, NOTED
IMPRESAR|O, IS DEAD
Theatrical Genius Who Started
Efe as Cigarmaker, Ex-
pires at II
BUILT METROPOLITAN HERE

New York, Aug. Oscar Hammer
stein, who began his career as n cigar
maker and became the most talked of
grand opera impresario, theatrical pro-
ducer and theatre builder in the world.
died last night at : 80 o'clock in the
Lenox Hill Hospital.
8 The end came after he had been un-
conscious since last Tuesday afternoon,
although there was a period of few
hours on Wednesday when he cCgained
consciousness sufficiently to recognize
members of his family. At his bedside
when he died were his wife. who had
stayed in the same room with him for
more than twenty four hours, hoping
there would be return of consciousness
before he died, and his son and daughter,
Arthur and Stella. Other relatives were
sent for and reached the hospital soon
after the end.
Mr.. Hanmerstcn's widow, formerly
Mrs. Mary Emma Swift. was his sec
ond wife. The first was divorced in
1912 and died soon afterward.
Mr.. Hammerstein had suffered from
diabetes for many years and during the
last Few months this had been compli-
Gated by other ailments. His right side
was paralyzed some time ago. and last
that his physicians ordered him sent to
hospital for treatment. When he
. sank unconscious last Tuesday his
physicians felt that he could not re
cover.
MIR. Hammerstcin s body was taken
to the Campbell undertaking parlor.
1910 Broadway, whore it will lie in
state until Monday. The funeral will be
held Monday afternoon from the Camp
bell funeral church, and intermcnt will
be In Woodlawn Cemetery.
Born in Berlin in 1917. Oscar Ham
merstein emigrated to America in 1861.
After reaching this country. his creative
genius was given full play.
His achievements include the con
struction of kitchen sink Of his own
design, the invention of cigar making
machine and some forty odd other me
chanical devices, the intricacics of the
newspaper business, the writing ot
plays, even the composing of an opera
and the building of amusement places
IN this country and in Europe.
oscar for more than q score of wears
scintiliated as an operatic impresario
and 1t is in this role that he is most
familiar to Philadelphians. The splpn-
did opera house which he caused to bf
erected at Broad and Poplar street.
In 1905, stands as local monument tc
his boundless energy, and is only one
OF many similar enterprises with which
the name of HammerStein is associated
in New York, in London and elsewhere
Music lovers in this city and in east.
ern Pennsylvania will not soon forget
the seasons of grand opera provided
during Mr.. Hammerstein's brief ten
ancy of the Broad street structure
which he called the philadelphia Operf
House, in compliment, as he grace
fully explained, to the civic spirit whicl
encouraged his enterprise. For the frs
time in its history Philadelphia heart
grand opera north of Market street. ;
Local Triumph and Eclipse
Daring the Hammerstein regime
the glory that was the Academy's.' ;
at Broad and Locust streets, was trans
ferred to the new house, and predictions
that the musical and social elements o
this community could not be lured from
ancient traditions, were disproved b.
the swift and decided popularity o
'Hammerstein' So as the great play
house was known quite as generally a
by its official title. This notwithstand
ing its projectors modest denial c
desire to have the house called by hi
own name.
When Mr.. Hammerstein. on a No
yember night in 1908, addressed a gres
audience. including the wealth and fash
ion of Philadelphia, in his magniticer
temple of art. his voice vibrated wit
the pride he felt in his achievemel
here. His promises to give Philadelph
grand opera of the highest type we
admirably fulfilled. Never before hG
this city had anything approaching
sumptuousness the Hammerstein PR
sentations of the most famous works
the worlds great composers.
Music" Mr.. HammerstNin sal
''was always my one grand passion.
u Opera for the Masses
at is my fondest wish to give opel
of highly artistic character at pric
which the general public can afford.
I could establish a permanent home f
popular opera, cunning the whole ye
round. | would feel that I was re
philanthropist. Opera for the peoI
does not mean continued repctitions
'Rigoletto' or other operas of the f
miliar repertoire. The public will a.
preciate new things if they are good.
do not intend to follow the conve
tioDal methods. I am looking ever
where for talent and novelties. ha
in mind many things not yet done
America"
Artists of unsurpassed celebrity q
peared nightly at the Philadelphia Ope
House. The roster of the Hammerst,
"songbirds" became familiar by tn
frequent appearance here, and some
the modern operas had their prem
under Impresario Hammerstein
Broad and Poplar streets.
The expense of these productions v
enormous, and, despite the genert
patronage of the Philadelphia pub
Mr.. Hammerstein, in 1910, retired fir
his arduous competition with the Met
politan Opera Company, in which
had been engaged here and in his MI
haitian Opera House in New York.
Announcement Of the sale Of his Phi