Evening star., 1921-04-24
The San Carlo Trail.

"TT's long, long trail a-winding''
from New York to San Francisco.
particularly when the route runs as
far south as New-Orleans and north
to the snowy bulwarks of the Cana
dian Rockies
But this is the trail the San Carlo
Grand Opera Company has worn in
its transcontinental tours during the
last nine years. When it arrives in
Washington tomorrow for its en-
gagement at Polls this week it will
nave covered nearly twenty thousand
miles since it left New York last Oc-
tober. Throughout this tour the COM
pany. and Fortune Gallo. its founder
and impresario. have been receiving
the recognition from the press and
public which his resourcefulness and
perseverance have merited. for the
San Carlo company has made place
for itself that is unique in the amuse-
ment worth.
No other impresario has ever sue
ceeded in producing grand opera in
America without calling on subscrib-
erS to make good an annual dencit.
The secret of Gallo's success is no
secret a all. he says. Il merely give
the most popular of the operas at
popular prices"
But it should be added that he
WOFkS eighteen nOuTS Ol tIle L" eHtS-
four: knows this country like book:
has unlimited patience and resource
fulness. and can exercise the most
mellowing tact with an obstreperous
star when tact is needed. His busi-
ness sagacity is illustrated by the
route the company has Travelled dur
ing the current season. season re-
marka BILE for road company failures.
When he faced the problem of book
ing the opera company the outlook was
ominus. The high cost of opera has
scared higher than anything else on
the list. His company would cost
nearly three tmies as much as it did
three years ago. And yet his slogan
is popular opera at popular prices,
so he couldn't double his prices.
For once Gallo was worried. Then
he began to study the map. He knows
most of this country as we'll as the
inside of his pocket. but his eye trav-
eled over the middle west through
Kansas to California-the land OF
corn and wine. until the prevalent
drouth turned the grapes to raIsins:
But how could he offset the expense
of the long jump from. St Louis to
San Franciscoo This was the prob
lem. and Gallo was trying to find the
answer. by studying the map: His
rowing eye wandered across & fexas, ha
booming oil and cotton. The cotton
slump had not yet arrived. Yes, Texas
had money in every pocket!
Gallo got busy. He booked his COM
rany through the principal Texas
cities. playing them largely in their
municipal auditoriums. which seat
from 5000 to 10000 persons. He
played TO full houses everywhere. and
the San Carlo company reached Cali
fornia at Christmas time with prof
it on the season already assured.
This may have been the last visit
of the San Carlo singers to the wild
west for some time, for railroad tar
ifs have become so steep that Gallo
fears he cannot make the grade. The
cost Of trundling his songbirds across
the continent by special train is stag
gering Furthermore. the company
has established itself in the affections
of the larger cities along the Allan
tic seaboard.
They began their season this year
by giving thirty-six performances in
the Manhattan Opera House. in New
York, and broke all attendance rec
ords for that big auditorium. The
prospect is that the San Carlo COM
pany will be booked there for three
months next season: then make a tour
embracing Philadelphia. Baltimore.
Washington and Boston. /