The New York herald., 1922-01-24
MCCORMICK OPERA
GIFTS $S,226,OOO
Miss Garden Acknowledges
ChicagO's Debt to Two
BenefactOrs.
SAYS FUTURE is ASSURED
S340.0O0 of Needed $500. 900
for Next Season in Sight,
Director Declares.
SAYS FUTURE is ASSURED

While the Manhattan Opera House
revcrberated yesterday with the clatter
of preparations for the first performance
of her company there last night. Miss
Mary Garden said she knew nothing
about the florid details OF the tempera-
mental storm that has been swfrlins
about her and expressed amazenent
when collection OF newspaper clippings
was placed before her.
Il will welcome back Lucien Muratore
TO us next year." she said. "He is n
splendid artist and am delighted to
sing with him, but / do not know h'n
cut OF opera. I have no personal rela-
tions with the members of our company.
That never would do. I play no favor
ties. only know how Mr.. Muratofe
looks from what see OF him on the
stage, and so it is with Others"
''Mr. Muratore will continue to sing
through the New York season." con-
tinued Miss Garden. 'Sos that's tnat.
Giorgio Polacco will conduct to-night's
performance and will conduct certain of
our other performances in New York.
He is an excellent conductor. He did
not conduct that much discussed per-
he was scheduled to conduct a perform
ance of Tristan and Isolde the same
day. SO that will dispose of the Polacco
incident
Now, what next? All yes. I read
Muratore says Polacco called Mary Gar
den Floating Frog I suppose that
simile is used because am just able TO
keep my head above water and then
make an awful noise.
Chicago Opera for West.
Now let's get serious. have some
really important things to say about the
Chicago company.
II love Chicago and all she does, be-
cause love the tinge of adventure you
find there and in the West. Chicago is
loyal to her opera company. Those
splendid Chicago people have subscribed
up to the present time $4,000 toward
the 100000 necessary to assure opera
for next year in Chicago. The rest is In
sight. So things will go on. Moreover.
those subscribers have promised to re-
peat their annual subscriptions for hv,
additional years. That will assure 10
the Chicago Opera Company working
basis of s2,500.oO0 for five years That
fund viii not be touched unless il Is
absolutely necessary, and by prospects
/ think the fund will remain intact.
I'm five years time the Chicago com
pany will be as solid through the West
with Chicago as its capital as Is the
Metropolitan in New York. Why should
We come to New York any longer TO
invade a field that has been dominated
forty years by the Metropolitan? Why
should this be done at a great loss
while the West is calling for US with
guarantees?
80 we will not come to New York
in the future. Why should we when In
San Francisco last year We took in
net OF S225,000 In two weeks and in four
OF those performances I sang TO n box
office profit of $4,000. In Pittsburgh
we took in In the few performances there
last year S2S 900 over the city's guar
antee. The West wants us. and our
Eastern limit In future years will be
Pittsburgh. We will sing three weeks in
San Francisco this year.
Every one of the fifty-six boxes In
our Chicago theater has been subscribed
for for the season Of 1929 and a large
part of the orchestra as we'll So there
you have our prospect.
McCormfcLs Contribute S3,22G,OOO
Chicago owes a lasting debt Of graft
tide to Harold T.. Mccormick and Mrs.
1911 they have paid into the Chica go
Opera Company to keep it going a total
OF $S,226.0O0. They are typical of Chi
cago loyalty toward its opera company
In the future they will give just what
other subscribers give, that is $1,000
each.
$50 you see the Chicago Opera Com
pany has come to stay, with the great
West as it's field''
"And you will continue as its general
Director" Miss Garden was asked.
II have been elected general director
of the company. My contract and those
Of other persons to be associated with
the company in the future will be signed
ten days hencs."
Miss Garden also said that IL Miss
Geraldine Farrar would like to sing
That's with the Chicago company Miss
Garden will be only too glad to resign
her famed role In favor OF the other
American diva. who is about to sever
her relations with the Metropolitan.