New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-12-07

sides were covered with the deep
green screen. The curtain was a
tapestry woven Of strands of smilax
dotted with hundreds Of green and
white electric lights. Bunches of
azaleas and marguerites relieved the
covering of the box and balcony fronts
and white lamps shone through the
screen. The great chandelier in the
center Of the ceiling and its compan-
ions shed their light through radiating
festoons Of smilax, from which gilt
Tered myriad of incandescent bulbs.
The royal box was formed by removing
the partitions separating five boxes
opposite the stage in the middle Of the
lower tier. The front, besides it's garb
OF green, was decorated with American
Beauty roses. Across the top was
stretched a canopy of crimson velvet
and white satin. Tapesty hangings cut
or the corridor behind the royal box
from the vulgar feet of the democratic
masses. A standard of the flags of the
United States and Germany marked the
keystone of the proscenium arch.
The Roster of Grau's Singers
Mr.. Grau wanted to give his patrons
the worth of their money and possibly
show a German emperor's brother what
an operate institution could do. In
fragments of German, French and Ital-
ian opera he presented all of the prin-
cipal members of his company This
was the scheme: The first act of
"Lohengrin," with Mines. Gadski
and Schumann-Heink and Messrs. Dip
pei, Bispham, Muhlmann and Edouard
de Reszke in the cast; Nine Calve,
Messrs. Alvary, Gilbert, Reiss and
Scott and others in the second act of
Carmen; Nine. Emma Eames, Nine.
Louise Homer and Campanari, Gourmet
and De march, in the third act of
Aida; Fraulein Ternina, Mynheer Van
Dyck, Blass, Van Rooy and others in
the second act of "Tannhauser"; Mar
celia Sembrich, M. Salignac, M. Gilbert
and others in the first act of "Traviata";
Mile. Breval and Alvarez in a scene
from "Ae Cid" s.
This was a much too generous dish
to set before kings brother, but we
have enumerated it's ingredients partly
IN order to remind the opera-goers of
to-day Of what Mr.. Grau offered their
predecessors less than twenty years
ago. Sembrich, Eames, Calve, Ternina,
Lreva. Homer, Schumann-H eink-a
somewhat formidable list of women
singers compared with that of to-day,
isn't it? The dish was indeed too
generous for Prince Henry, who grew
weary and withdrew before the end of
the act from "Tannhauser." The stage
was set for the first act of "Traviata"
when word reached Nine. Sembrich in
her dressingroom that Violetta's "Sem-
pre- liberia would not fall into royal
ears. The audience had had enough
of music and, there being no royal
OF
out of the house Down cnrac the
prima donna's little foot She would not
sing. "Strike the scene!" ordered Mr..
Graus associate, and the international
incident was closed without discussion.
Mr.. Sanger was as convinced as Nine,
Sembrich of the futility of going on
with the show.
Prince of Wales and Choir Reforms
The visits Of Prince Henry of Prus-
STA, King Albert Of Belgium and the
Prince Of Wales left no sign upon the
musical culture of New York. In this
respect they differed from that of
Prince Edwards grandfather fifty-nine
years ago. 1t was due to that visit that
vested or surpliced choirs were intro
duced In New York. We had the story
from the lips of one of the choristers
long years ago when gathering material
AoH a uiStorlcal essay winch was PRINT
ed In "Harper's Magazine" for June.
1888 We have probably told it in The
Tribune since then, but it will be a
repetition; especially since the move
ment to put warbling boys with trans
figuring gowns in the places of adult
singers-which was new then-has
taken possession not only Of the Epis
copal churches, but also of those of
other denominations, to the almost
total exclusion of the old quartets and
mixed adult choruses
Sixty years ago Trinity had no
vested choir, though for the last
two decades before DR.. Edward Hodges,
an English cathedral musician, was
organist of the church. 1t may be
that early in the nineteenth century
patriotic feelings left by che War
of the Revolution had something
to do with a still existing prejudice
against English customs even in re-
ligious worship. Later, it is certain,
opposition to the Tractarian movement
exerted strongly restrictive influ-
ence. Trinity had always been
little behind the skirmish line
in the battle between high church
and low church, but there was a
strong influence there favorable |
to the introduction Of 4 surplicsd choir |