Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-03-29

? the elite and others in the Metropolis
from z q. m. until p. m. With an hour
out Cor lunch. and then journeyed to the
Metropolitan Opera house and paid 500
for the privilege OF standing up at the
back of the stalls for another three and
a half hours. TO raise the $50 Toney
went without cigarettes aud tobacco for
three weeks.
To stand In the same place or tbs anne
carpet to hear the same opera four years
ago, Toney paid $3.50, and a decade back
the admission charge was only 81. Stiil
TOney has a sense Of humor.
Il remember when l first heard grand
opera IN New York" he said. Then
we who loved opera for the music had to
put UP with CnrUso, Eames. Patti.
Hempel, Schumann Heink and such Ike,
while now we have 20 pay the advanced
prices 10 hear great artists like CALI
Curci, Ponselle, Criml, De Luca and
Kingston"
The other day Toney had a letter from
his cousin IN Italy. who told II hearing
Butterfly" for one lire, or about 6 cents
in American money. During pre-war
days one could hear grand opera at 4
minimum price Ia most any large city OF
Germany for what was then the equIva-
lent in American money Of 1914 cents.
IN London, at the Albert Memorial Hall,
where the best concerts are given. a res
e~ryation is made IN the top gallery for
the free admission Of about four hundred
persons, which happens to be the exact
standing capacity back Of the stalls
ia the Metropolitan Opera House, Of this
city.
True enough, Toney IS only a barber.
But at this very moment there IS in New
York another barber, Louis Giunrlda,
who also IS a wonderful tenor singer.
GiuTrlda-remember the name. It may
De In ~everybody's mouth some day-once
shaved Caruso, and Caruso. after hear
Ing GiuIrida sing, thought enough OF
his voice to obtain n teacher for him.
lie. too. must pay $3.50 to stand up at
the back. There are hundreds OF strug.
cling music students aad music lovers
artists Ia e~mbryo-who are never able TO
hear the great singers. And yet we have
wonder expressed at Americans going
abroad for their musical education.
That there be no mistake about the
high cost Of grand opera" from the
standpoint of those who count their pom.
niles, I inquired at the Metropolitan
how much 1t would cost to stand up At
an evenings performance.
1T VIII cost $3.50 70 come in at the
rear OF the orchestra was the reply
ut tho box office, cor II the person don't
mind. he or she can go into the top
gallery and stand up there at the back
for $40. Tho seats in the top gallery
range from S16J to $500"
At a recent performance I observed
that a large percentage Of the boxes In
the Golden Horseshoe" were empty /;
yes, empty.
Employees bands constitute the direct
outcome Of an unsatished popular desire
for good music. and each year the mum
Der Of such organizations nave increased
In the big town. For the Entertainment
II the 80 700 employees Of the city Of
New York there are three excellent bands
One is made up Of members OF the police
department, another Of members of the
fire department, and the third with mem
bers of the street cleaning department,
Some Of the railroads have gone IN
for this thing. One band of the Erie
general offices and OF the Lackawanna
Railway Eoboken Band. The employees
Of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Com
pany nave a band Of their own, likewise
the employees OF Colgate & Co. r. Hoe
& Co, the Atlantic and Pacific Ten Com
pany and the Second Avenue Railway
Company. Then the postmen have n
corking band composed of letter carriers
and mail %sorters, and in z. f. Alhee VIC
have the founder and hacker OF the
Keith's Boys Band.