New-York tribune., 1920-02-29
By II. E. Krehbiel


With last nights performance at the
Lexington Theater the Chicago Opera
Company Cor Association, which seems
to be its legal title) concluded its
third season in New York. In the
essential elements of its personnel and
the character of it's performances the
organize ton Is much older than three
years. 1t dates back, indeed, to the
early days of the Hammerstein regime
at the Manhattan. That regime, after
Mary Garden and the Introduction Of a
predominantly French repertory, was
continued when the rivalry between
Hammerstein and the Metropolitan
Opera Company gave way first to an af-
fliation between the New York and Chi
cago organizations, then to truce,
during which the latter gave few Of
it's characteristic representations at
the Metropolitan Opera House and
finally to what is now undisguised riv
airy during nearly one-quarter Of the
New York company's regular season.
To what extent that rivalry affects
the local institution financially we have
no disposition to discuss, since we
seek to concern ourselves only with
the doings of the companies in the
artistic field AS little are we dis
posed to inquire into the effect which
the annual coming of the visitors has
upon Its financial status. The visits
are said to be essential to the ex-
istence of the Chicago company, be-
cause it's home city cannot maintain
a season long enough to enable it to
engage the artists and other forces
necessary to give the company being.
The shortest time practicable for con-
tractual purposes is twenty weeks.
Half of that period being all that
Chicago can afford, the remainder
must be devoted to other cities; and
New York Is relied upon to consume
oue-half of the time remaining after
tho metropolis Of the Middle West has
been satisfied or sated. It Is not con-
tended by anybody. SO far as we know,
that New York's operate needs, in re-
spect to quantity at least. are not fully
supplied by the Metropolitan company,
and. this being so. the wisdom of the
policy Of the managers Of the Chicago
organization is frequently questioned
Visitors Depend on q Few Stars
The raison d6tre has been weakened
by its departure from the repertory
which distinguished it when 1t was first
in rivalry as well when it was in
quasi collaboration with the local
establishment, and to maintain it at
homo as we'll as here dependence has
had to be placed upon few singers of
unusual gifts and popularity, such as
Nine. Galli-Curci, Rosa Raisa, Mary
Garden and, this year, Alessandro
Bonci and Titta Rufso. Except Miss
Garden, however, these artists seem
unable, or unwilling, to introduce new
and vitalizing elements into the roper
tory, with the result that there does
not appear to have been any substan-
sial growth in the public patronage.
1t was the want of this growth. with
'"'~n A~SW AoEA cannot become
strong prop OF the enterprise, which
led the management into an errant
course toward tho end of the season
Just ended On one subscription night.
whom 1t seemed likely that there would
be u particularly numerous Attendance.
the representation was sold to the pro-
moters OF charity and the prices of
admission incontinently raised. The
seme thing was done on two occasions
which were not in the subscription. and
In these cases criticism Is not peril
nent- II the conduct OF the managers
was pardousble when benevolent OBJ
Ject was sought to be attained, it was
scarcely So when on the last subscrip-
ton night the management did the
ssms thing, apparently for the reason
that It WAS believed that purient
popular curiosity to see a proaigate and
indecent exhibition would bring
crowd into the theater despite an in
crease In the price Of tickets. These
actions. we are inclined to believe, will
react detrimentally to the company if
u should visit New York again next
esaaon- But there is no telling: |
emueemant seekers are singularly pa
taqAt undeS impositiona
The season, which began on January