Year: 1873

1


Duty OF Managers and or the Pub
| lie.


The progress Of the Italian opera season
affords us much ground for encouragement
and some reasons for complaint. During the
last fortnight we had two companies singing
at different houses on the same night The
result was, perhaps to do injury to each other
and to operate music; but these companies
give us an opportunity for comparing the two
systems Of producing opera-by brilliant
''star" and wretched cast, and by an evenly
balanced, meritorious and almost perfect COM
bination. Mr.. Maretzek clung to the former
plan, and he never gave us more than two ar
| fists in any one opera. For instance, he pro-
duced I'll Poliuto" with Tamberlik and Lucca,
LA Sonnambula' with Di Murska, and
''Lucia di Lammermoor' with Tamberlk and
Di Murska. These performances only served
to advertise the few great artists he is able to
present but at the very moment when the
public was ready to respond and he should
have been able to present Di Murska
in ''The Magic Flute" Lucca in ''Der Frei-
schiitz, and Tamberlik in civilian Tell" and
''Le Prophetic, he announced the sudden
termination of his season, did his great
tenor the injustice of not allowing him to be
heard in New York in those roles which are
really in Tamberliks repertoire, and succeeded
only in giving Di Murska single oppor-
tunity to display her exceptional gifts as ''The
Queen of Night" in Mozarts fairy work.
The production of ''The Magic Flute" was the
only real effort of Mr.. Maretzek to produce
opera; and simply because it was not work
worn threadbare by constant repetition and
presented some promise in certain parts Of
the cast it drew together an audience unex-
ampled in numbers and enthusiasm. There
is lesson in this which must not be over
looked in the future, since it proves that good
artists can bring together vast multitude to
hear works not too often rendered in New
York, even though the operatic management
is burdened by the feeble system to which Mr.
Maretzek clings.


In the magnificent company at the Academy
we have an excellent illustration of the newer
and better system Of presenting Italian opera
the system upon which we shall have to
depend if we wish to make it permanent in
stitution in New York. Every work, SO far,
produced at the Academy of Music this season
has been presented with a strong and efficient
cast an excellent chorus and well balanced
orchestra. With the production Of "Don
Giovanni on Wednesday evening the height
of general excellence will be reached for we
believe this great work will be given as it was
never given before in this city. But so far
Mr.. Strakosch has only accomplished two
things-the successful and almost separate
the fact that they are capable of performing
the most difficult works. He has produced no
new works, and with the exception Of
''Ernani' has not gone out Of the
beaten track in the presentation Of old
ones That most of these works are favorites
is no excuse for their constant repetition.
Even an anchorite desires some variety in
his food. Our managers have constant proofs
that the music-loving public also desire
variety. A work which has the slightest
claim to novelty is sure to draw full house.
''The Magic Flute on Thursday night filled
the Grand Opera House to overfowing, while
the repetition Of the ssSonnambula" on the
following evening betrayed a beggarly array
Of empty benches. Every seat at the Acad-
emy was filed on Friday night to hear
''Ernani," and the pleasure of Maurers
triumph was greatly enhanced by the fact that
it was not achieved in one of the threadbare
roles Of the New York repertoire. 1t is not to
be expected that Italian opera can be sup
ported in this city with the production not
only of the same works year after year, but
with two or three repetitions of each every
season. Mr. Strakosch started well in giving
us most of the old favorites in rapid success
sion. 1t is only now that he is beginning to
repeat them that we begin to complain.
We want novelties, if they are only
novelties like "Ernani," and he will
consult his own interests if he gives
US new works as we'll as old. "Aida" and
'Lohengrin" are both promised for this sea-
son. When will the promise be redeemed?
We hope speedily, because it is Of vital i'm
portance to this city that the opera season at
the Academy shall be o great success. Feeble
management destroyed the Maretzek season
at the Grand Opera House, and the promise
of three weeks of opera was only partially re-
deemed. Only like feebleness can destroy
the Strakosch season at the Academy. The
company at the latter house is the best which
has been heard in New York for years. It's
representations afford us examples of that
perfection in ensemble, chorus and orchestra,
for which the HERALD has long contended.
II, besides all these. the works produced meet
the wants and wishes Of the public the season
will become the most brilliant, in every way,
which the New World has ever known.


Great as is the work depending upon the
manager the duty Of the public, if possible,
is even greater. Mr.. Strakosch has demon