New-York tribune., 1921-05-01

the Metropolitan company has given 212
performances of grand opera In New
York. Brooklyn, Philadelphia and At
lanta without injury TO their pocket
books (as we believe), while the guar
antors Of the Philharmonic, Symphony
and National Symphony orchestras
have given about the same number Of
concerts and had to make good de-
fiiciency Of half million dollars.
Tho season of opera was, therefore,
satisfactory to tho operating company.
Also, we opine, to tho owners OF the
opera house and that numerous ele-
mcnt in the city's population to whom
the opera is fashionable diversion,
attendance on which is badge Of so
cial distinction or stepping stone to
it's achievement. II they felt kesner
twinge of disappointment at the loss Of
feature which has heretofore con-
tributed to the brilliancy Of the season
than the stockholders Of the opera com
pany, 1t was not wholly intolerable, for
the institution at least survived. The
way to boxes and stalls was still open.
There remains that factor In the gen
eral public for whom we have already
expressed sympathy and commisera-
tion. 1t is the element composed of
men and women who love the lyric
drama and believe that the Metropoli-
tan Opera ought to become truly
American institution, deep-rooted and
| strong -stemmed enough to withstand
the tickle and frivolous winds Of fad
and fashion--to become an influence in
the promotion of aesthetic culture.
These lovers of art for arts sake, devo-
| tees Of beauty for the sake Of beauty
and the intellectual and moral minis
trations which beauty can bring, have
watched the activities Of the great lyric
theater from year to year in the eager
hope OF seeing in them evidences Of
growth toward their ideal.
How large is the number Of these
men and women? We do not know and
we feel no inclination to estimate their
proportion to the people already de-
scribed for the reason that the operatic
conditions which have prevailed in New
York (and elsewhere) for nearly CEN
tury (barring a short period in the his
tory Of the Metropolitan Opera House)
have disclosed that they are practically
impotent as compared with the seekers
after fashionable diversion. Soma def
erence is paid to them, but only outside
Of the subscription performances. In
respect to these things they are consid-
cred but very slightly, If at all, in the
construction Of the seasons repertoires.
These have been based for years-let
us say for two decades at least-upon
the attitude Of the boxholders and sub
scribers toward a few popular idols. We
have had new operas and revivals of
old operas In plenty, but in too many
cases the revivals, at least, were made
Cor, with proper difidence, let us say.
seem to have been made) for the sake
Of singer-Mr. Caruso or Miss Farrar
rather than to- give freshness and sta
bility to the repertory.
This is an old complaint, which we
have uttered many times in the past.
We do not wish to urge it again, least
of all in the face of some of Mr..
Gatti's revivals this year. The peni-
tential season is over and we do not
want any part of these reflections to
sound like the first lesson at mathis
on Maundy Thursday: "Here beginneth
tho Lamentation Of jeremiah, the
Prophet" OF that We have INDUCED
our I'LL. The management's errors Of
judgment havs been many and most Of
them have been Amazing and iner-
plieabls On artistic groundss but
against such failures a. ''Ls Pachsuns
Dc Perlas.s "vranessea d Rimini,.
@Lcdeletta," "saint Elisabeth I'll
Tsbarso,s ~Sues Angelica. sAThs Leg
end,s sLa Rsins Fiametta,* sThs
Temple Dancer" ~Italiana In Algeri"
and "Ths Polish Jew" to ecnAns our
selves 70 the last few years), ve have
had such hns new works ~ sBoris
Godounow," "L'Amors dei tse Re-" "Ls
Cog dor" (though robbed Of It's dra-
matte effectiveness BY It's transforma-
tion into q bastard ,ballet) and "1l
segreto di Susanna" together with
splendid reyivals Of "Le Prophetic" and
"La Juive."
Wagner In the vernacular
No; we do not wish 20 croak the
Quomodo ("How doth the city sit soli-.
tary!"), yet we cannot raise "Te
Deum laudamus" with the unction we
should like-not even, over the restora-
tion to the list Of "Parsifal," "Tristan
und Isolde" and "Lohengrin." When
i the war broke out in 1914 we dreamed
. dream of universal spiritual re-
generation to follow the divine phle-
botomy which the world seemed to
/ need. When this nation was drawn
into the maelstrom we dreamed of an
artistic regeneration of the opera, the
! burgeoning Of principles which would
develop permanency and nationalism.
The German language had to go by
the board, but not necessarily German