Year: 1871

The Decay Of italian Opcra-Tho keas0n
and the Remedy.


Italian opera may be almost regarded as one
of the ''lost arts" in this community. 1t is 80
long since we have heard it in its purity that
1t remains with us only in the misty but golden
memories of Grisi and Mario, Of Alboni and
Sontag, of Lind and Bishop, and the other
great artists who gave high European tone
to opera In this country nearly quarter of
century ago. But, in proportion as we have
advanced in the Other branches OF art, as our
theatres became more numerous, our dramatic
writers more fruitful our scenic effects more
elaborate, and our theatrical audiences larger,
perhaps, than any city in the world, Italian
opera, the highest branch of all, has fallen into
American people do not appreciate that high
toned class of amusement? Is ii because they
are not willing to pay for it.? Not at all
because there is no community on either Con-
tinent that entertains keener sense of appre-
citation of all that is really good in art than
the people Of our own city, and assuredly
there are none so lavish in their expen-
diture upon everything that deserves a
generous recognition as well as good many
things that do not They spend money libe-
rally upon tasteful equipages on horses of the
finest blood. They spare nothing in the deco
ration of the public parks and the construc-
ton Of grand drives and boulevards. They
do not stint their purses even in patronizing
opera 6onbes and Black Crooks. Therefore the
decay of Italian opera is not attributable either
to parsimony or want of taste on the part of the
people. The cause is very simple. Italian
opera is an expensive luxury. 1t costs q
| large amount of money, as well as of labor and
enterprise on the part of the manager, to pro-
duce it properly. This fact is recognized in


Europe, and hence in Paris and other great
capitals the opera receives subsidy from the
government. In New York it is directly the
reverse. Here a heavy tax is laid upon Italian


opera by about two hundred citizens who hold
stock in the Academy and monopolize the
best seats IN fhe house. The fegait Of this
selfish policy of course is that every manager,
from the incipient struggles of Ullman down
to the present time, who undertook to give
| opera in the Academy of Music, came to grief,
and many of them to financial ruin.


| We cannot expect European managers
to surrender the douceur they receive from
their own governments, which secures them a
fair margin of profit. to come over three thou
sand miles of ocean only to lose the money
they have made at home. Yet this has been
tho oyrar,, .,,, ,rho -
his fortunes with the stockholders of the
Academy. Now we believe that there is a
remedy for this, and it is not at all out of
reach. We have very little doubt that large
| number of the probably, if they
were canvassed, two-thirds of them-would be
found willing to reinquish their claim to the
choice seats, or at least consent to some COM
| mutation or arrangement whereby Italian
opera can be restored in this city. We think
also that many Of the stockholders compre-
hend the idea that such contributions as they
| have made, or are making, in the loss of
| interest on their Investment, are contributions


to art for which they are amply repaid by the


consciousness that they are doing the duty OF
good and intelligent citizens Besides, they
must be consoled by the fact that, although
they receive no dividends, owing partially to
their own selfish policy, the original stock has


actually doubled in value through the increase


in the value Of property generally.


| There never was a more Opportune time for


reviving Italian opera in New York than the
present. The war in Europe has thrown


hundreds of excellent artists out Of employ


ment. They would, no doubt, be willing to


make favorable terms with any manager pro-
posing an engagement in the United States


But what manager would be rash enough to


venture upon such an enterprise, with past
| experience before him, unless he had sure


guarantee that the stockholders Of the


Academy would so far modify their claims
upon the house as to give him a fair chance to


make the undertaking proftable2 Thus, we


perceive that the public is actually dependent


upon the liberality of the two hundred stock


holders as to whether we shall have Italian
opera or not. The public have begun to look


upon this Academy business as very gross


monopoly; in fact, as public wrong,


because, unfortunately, we have no other


opera house to rely upon 1t is not too late


for the stockholders to exhibit little mag


nanimity, and, as we have said already, we


believe that many, if not majority of them,


are quite ready to do 80. We hope, there


fore, that they will not let the opportunity


pass unheeded.


| The Infamous Coal Conspiracy.