Evening star., 1936-01-05
Fifty Years Ago
i'm The Star

"The experiment of grand opera under
permanent home auspices. which Is now
interesting New York" :"
Grand opera saws The Star Of Janu-
in America ary 5, 1886, bids falr
to develop prosperous
". Last evening the opera OF The
Tanning Of the Shrew was rendered at
the New York Academy Of Music by the
American Opera Co, and the verdict Of
the critics this morning is very favorable.
It cannot be said that the opera was
exactly domestic in author text or per-
formers. but it may lead TO productions
that smack more strongly OF our SOIL.
Theodore Thomas, who conducted, Is
good American citizen by adoption and
many of the performers may call them
selves Americans, under the liberal 1nvi-
tation this country extends to the capable
and we'll intentioned natives OF all lands
to find home among us.
The promoters Of the new enterprise
base their claim to support on patriotic
grounds. They cite the example Of the
far smaller communities in Europe which
support native schools OF lyric art ana
render the masterpieces OF composers
with fidelity. But in most If not all OF
these cases local talent finds its lnspira-
ton in national music. And, IN ike
manner. if we are to have successful
opera it must depend upon the develop
ment of national composers. Even IN
England, where there is very large and
wealthy musical public, there is not only
no school of opera. but scarcely any opera
at all. Last season in London was almost
barren of the ordinary attraction OF i'm
ported opera of either the Italian or
German school This langnshing con-
dition of the art is due unquestionably TO
the absence of English operate COM
posers of the first rank. For, while Covent
Garden and Drury Lane are deserted
and the high priced exotics of song are
silent. the national music and wit OF
Gilbert and Sullivan crowd their snug
little theater in the Strand from one
years end to another. And nowhere
do miscellaneous concerts, especially OF
a sedate and semi-religiouS character,
flourish more than in England. In a
word, then. if the American school of
opera wishes to intrench itself in ma
tional favor it must not be content with
rendering foreign operas by the aid OF
foreign artists, but must develop native
composers who will have the same hold
on the popular heart that Verdi has in
Italy or Gounod in France"
-
"The people of Washington are to be
congratulated" says The Star of January
8. 1886. "on the fact
washington that the Senate has at
Street Cars. last found out that the
Federal Capital has
about the worst street railroad service OF
any considerable city in the country. 1t
is to be hoped that yesterdays debate
will not prove to be merely flash in the
pan. but will lead to practical reforms.
What is particularly needed is the adop-
ton by all the existing companies OF
the modern fiat rail, which does not
wrench carriage wheels and destroy the
streets. There should also be better cars
and more of them. And the time sched-
ules should be shortened and otherwise
better arranged for the convenience OF
the public. In the City of Mexico all
the funerals are conducted by horse car
and a stranger might think that here,
too, the street cars were used principally
in this solemn office.
"The leading lines in this city are
immensely profitable and they can we'll
afford to conduct their business in accord
with modern principles And If they are
too penurious to do so voluntarily the
District committees in Congress have a
duty in the premises which members
should not shirk."