El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1920-09-22

r-TCFPT In the biggest cities where theatrical companies
u have long and continuous runs and where the Transient
population Is large enough keep the houses running Win
out taking home population into account at an theaters
for the spoken drama opera houses OF concert hans are
not apt to be paying propositions There Is no induce
for investors erect such places Of public
TIE tendency IN cities Is toward the abandonment OF
thaters and opera houses when not transformed INTO nov
ing picture houses In some Of the largest cte thslsIs
5 oDgrs houses Of long standing being sold FOR com
ercsl business purposes and either torn down OF rebuilt
Some Of the great cities not much better of for opera
houses and theatrs for travelling companies than we are
But that does absoVe from trying to meet the need
81 Paso has three distinct problems as 70 houses Ior
public entertainments We have Liberty nan tor laIge
public gatherings meetings. eAnioltlols lsotl1sss
and so on There need for permanent EXPOSITION has on
IsrFer scale. But speaking now Of musical anu
dramatic entertainments Fl Paso has no suitable pace IoI
Liberty han can perhaps be made over at prohbitive
expense TO provide for opera companies bringing then own
scenery There not much hope Of securing any other nan
large enough for grand opera. Even good theatsr would
not necessarily be suitable for grand OPERA as stage re
quirements and seeing and hearing requirements are az
ferent Opera permits OF long perspecllFes ana
gpecal attention to acoustics and specially large and
specially constructed stage Drama admits Of mere com
pact seating arrangement and the stage requirements are
perhaps not SO extensive OF complicated
concert hall is IN class BY itself hal IoT Husl4i
concerts should be specially constructed for that purpose
Acoustic qualities must be ezsptonaAy Perisc1 ssans
arrangements nay be very different RON llsalsI' anu
particularly should all outside sounds be excluded
Nobody going to build suitable concert hall as pm
vate investment commercial venture. Il must come as
public enterprise or as philanthropie undertaking The
concert hu should be convenient TO transportation Ines
but It is not necessary that it be Immediately main
business street Indeed would be better to have It Oh
the main traffic ways as To promote quiet But It should
be fairly close the business center
Such hall might be used for church services OF Tor lee
lures but it ought to be built specially for musical concerts
and everything else subordinated TO that end
The permanent theaer for 81 Paso IS likewise an enter
prise that does not appeal to private investors Il IS q
legitimate field for municipal public Investment When II
Paso gets theae It ought be planned according 10 the
best modern practice in America and Europe The house
should made thoroughly attractive and every repusVe
feature eliminated It ought to be such happy and con-
Portable place that people Just couldn't stay away
E Pas0s permanent amusement problem can be solved
in lust eas way That by Organizing and supporting our
own amusements- We cannot depend exclusively On road
attractions ard hope to satisfy ourselves OF our
visitors
We must have first class stock company, rather
two stock companies one for drama, one for opera
We must have q permanent symphony orchestra
With these as a foundation FL Paso could command
much more outside talent singiy and IN companies than
FL Paso could just as ven as not organize establish,
and provide her OPERA drama, and concert music
instrumental and vocal
E Paso could make herself practically independent Of
aoad attractions but certainly this city would welcome
any that were good and worth while, and might Just
az vel have decent place to put them II when they
cone and might vel accustom our people 70 the
habit Of going % good entertainments Tor habit Is every
thing The hatual playgoe opera goe concert goe IS
the one who keeps things going not the occasional one, the
stray who Just happens
such home organizations could be supported BY regular
annual subscriptions and season tickets enough sold to pay
We have the talent, OF can command it for money.
Money IS not all either Il B the spirit Of the town that
counts nest IF we encourage good stock players and
oueatic singers and orchestra TO here ana
live here By reason Of the public support o1ferea We can
build up self entertaining system to any extent We
Terlr