Hall of song: The 'Met,' 1883-1966; 1909 Through 1913

The following program was produced for national educational radio under a grant from the National Home Library Foundation by W. B U R Boston. Boston University radio presents Hall of song the story of the Metropolitan Opera from 1893 to 1966. You're the fool. You are. Will. It really. Your hosts are miles Kasten Deek music critic of The New York World Journal Tribune. And Milton Cross.

For New York City. Nineteen hundred nine was to be the last season during which two resident opera companies would be performing simultaneously. Oddly enough the two companies now had three houses to play in since the new theater under construction since 907 had finally been completed. Despite the fact that it was new the house had a very definite drawback socially speaking it was on what was then the wrong side of town. Being located at sixty first Street and Central Park West all of that problem might have been overcome with time. The third also had some bad acoustical problems which were a major cause of its abandonment. Oscar Hammerstein who had made a profit of two hundred and twenty nine thousand dollars the previous year while got his Azza had lost only a little less than that same amount let off the 909 season with another French novelty mess Nazeer already odd starting lean a couple Yadi who had been with the

Metropolitan during the 19 6 19 7 seasons. On Nov. 8 the Met began its Brooklyn season with menorah featuring Geraldine Ferraro who then Gotti said some of his singers to Boston for the opening of the new opera house there things finally got underway at 39 street on November 15th with a new production of logic on the imported from Milan Tuscany conducted and the cast included Caruso as required destine and a motto for those who still remembered this ensemble couldn't help but invite comparison to the one that last performed the opera 1983. On that occasion there were Nielsen first Marty and Del Panther and I doubt that any in the 1900s mourn the passing of those souvenir dough travois. New York Opera became a three ring circus the next evening when the new theater opened with massive names better and the cast including Farah and Elmo Gluck just to keep his hand in

Hammerstein premiered his own season of Opera Comique that same night with the madam and go to do theatre suffered from a by now chronic New York ailment. To many boxes this plus an attempt to provide as much room as possible for the general public. Created another story and that was altogether too big for effective presentation of the drama opera buffo disappointment with the new Opera House didn't last long though. For the next night at the familiar metropolitan their sleighs Act was introduced as a tell all in a performance with album Scotty but not even this event could capture the undivided attention of the press because Hammerstein was simultaneously mounting the American premiere of mass and they suffer with the inevitable Mary God the impresario of the Manhattan Opera also made things uncomfortable for the Metropolitan through his frequent presentations of Luisa Tetrazzini and the great color to your role. This he knew was the Mets weak spot in a season without aims and Samberg and with no qualified replacement for them. In

fact Gotti was suffering from a shortage of Soprano's generally. And January 14th the certain Jane Noria made her debut in Faust and provoked the sun's critic to report that her performance assisted in lowering the standard of the prima donna to a point never known in metropolitan history. This was another occasion on which counties amounted to a question because I happen to be the wife of his secretary. On a brighter note Toscanini finally had the opportunity to conduct dress down again a standard cast Gadsby Bourrienne Homer and tomato seem to take fire from the maestro direction of the 1990s and offered a number of novelty peak Stradella both of which were dominated by slaves act and trench it is game on again. While things were going well for Gotti it was hard to figure out just what was happening at the Manhattan opera. Business appeared to be good and yet Hermiston was forever going before the curtain to tell his audiences that he would start

programs of vaudeville if business didn't get better. But other times he would complain that opera singers were now so much in demand that the impresario was forced to go to them instead of vice versa. Among his other statements was a tongue in cheek remark that he was about to give up his own operation and produce French operas for the Met. In spite of everything lol Hammerstein continued on his merry way then presented among other things the long awaited premiere of Strauss's Electra. Meanwhile the Metropolitan's managerial problems were resolved and under US deposed resigned on April 1st to become general manager of the Chicago grand opera shortly after this it was announced that Hammerstein had sold out the Manhattan opera for one million two hundred thousand dollars and the money had of course been raised in paid out by the Metropolitan. Another part of the deal was that Hemet Stein was not to produce any opera in New York for 10

years. Oddly discouraged though Hammerstein let it be known almost immediately that he was taking whatever was left after payment of his debts and use it to build a theatre on the king's way in London. In May auto call and decided that it was time for the Metropolitan to be displayed in Europe and so arranged a Paris tour as was the case with the Mets most recent visit to that city. The reaction of the press and the public wasn't overwhelmingly enthusiastic with Hammerstein out of business and they pull out of the Metropolitan get he had more than his usual amount of freedom and ease during the 1010 season. His first book was to extend the company's activities to 20 weeks and then announced plans to make the metropolitan a prime center of the world's opera activity. This was the year after the first world premieres in the history of the house. The first was the girl of the Golden West and there was great excitement about the house and Chaney attended all the

rehearsals which were being supervised by David Belasco upon whose plays the opera was based. The second work to have its very first performance at the Met was Humber dinks Koenig's kynde an opera in which Geraldine Ferraro found one of her most familiar pots. She also figured in the other novelty of the season Duke us had with him a stein and garden out of the picture get it tried said Miller son and also with Farah. But the result wasn't entirely satisfactory. Nellie Melba return for a performance of Traviata and this turned out to be her last metropolitan appearance. It was also on that night that John McCormick made a rather spectacular debut as Rodolfo although he later developed into a fine artist at the season's clothes. The sad news reached America the dust off Mala had died in Vienna and New York more on the passing of the conductor who in only a few years had made an immortal contribution to the Metropolitan's history starting with the season of

911. Get it took steps to replenish the store up Soprano's. But not before we introduced a dynamic new contralto the introduction came through the opening night don't you know when the familiar cast of Caruso Destin a model and it was all demanded by the imposing presence of Margaret. It soon became evident that Metz and I was a complete artist of the same stature as those from the Damrosch era like Mary and bronze. In fact you couldn't really say in which category she fell because the dozen leading roles she sang in their first season or a strange mixture of Soprano and contralto parts including RCL Brunhilda franca and country this last role was one of her particularly fine interpretations as can be heard in her version of sawdust cant. Sure.

Sure. Sure. On December 27 came the long delayed arrival of Louisa to many in the audience knew that the reason for the delay was another result of the characteristic short sightedness of Heinrich Comrie. He had obtained an optional hurt services back in 1006 but let it sit in his desk until it expired at which point she was stopped up by Hammerstein her stay at the Metropolitan was a short one this season only and the standees queued up at 1:00 in the

afternoon for her final performance. When the doors open at seven o'clock two thousand people had to be turned away. He continued to expand the repertory that year and presented the Metropolitan and the curio great interest was the Mets first by an American composer Horatio Parker's Mona. But all the goodwill created by its having been a prophet couldn't establish it in the repertory. When the 1912 season opened with this goal there was another star added to the growing pile of galaxy you create. And I.

Was. Meant. US was. God. Was. Yet. To go and.

Go in the. Us. OK yes. Bahrain was one of those very special people who won a place in the heart of the Metropolitans

audiences had nothing to do with her singing. This is in no way to minimize her vocal artistry which was of the finest caliber but is simply to say that her warm personality and true devotion to the Metropolitan made Barri love by her calling down our audiences in a way that is rare in the operatic world. I'm gonna sang at the Met from 1920 until 1934 and still recalls the chong of that remarkable singer and personality. I met in Milano at La Scala where I made my debut because they had lost their bird in trade and from 4:00 in the afternoon of the day before the very next night under state affair and I sang the good and I didn't nobody but bodie was in the wings and giving me all kinds of encouraging signs because the treaty in she created less calibers in the middle of the stage so I had to go up before. So there she was that was my first introduction to board it. So after that I mean she came to a tool

for the Metropolitan. The following season then I met her then I did the doll in Tales of Hoffmann when I was a person I did and she was adorable she came to my room and wished me all kinds of things. She acted really like a sister me board it was the epitome of a prima donna. I mean she had everything I was concerned. She was I don't know and I think she became an idol in New York. And then they kept her on the board and they did appreciate her almost as much as I did. I thought she was just beautiful in everything she did. She had and voice acting ability was the most natural kind. I would say perfect. I have never found anyone and I'm sorry if I have to say this now it just proves how I am. She first my idol and she was I think in the minds of many many people strangely enough already had not been

chosen for the opening of the 912 she's not all that Ana was to have gone to Frida Hippel but simple sudden indisposition before embarking for America gave the opportunity to Boree who at that time was a list celebrated artist Hempel Vanny arrived in December and made her debut as Marguerite in the Huguenot here in the German version of that opera. She was joined by one of her Republican colleagues her yard Logar in the second act do it. Was was

was was. Yes.

The 1912 season demonstrated considerable in the repertory. There was

a new production of The Magic Flute highlighted by the performances and Rhys. The low light of the evening was another of those fledgling Sopranos Gaddy pushed into the limelight from time to time. This one was Ethel park and Craig Beale heralded her debut as the arrival of the store while Henderson hailed the illness that had prevented her debut the previous season as a gift of the gods. Often box Tales of Hoffmann took its place in the repertory and did Darrius good enough with DiDio Homa Althaus and Ruthy. When the premier was over again he declared I consider Borys the most important performance I have given at the Metropolitan and there was little chance to doubt his statement for a present of the opera for the next 17 consecutive seasons. On February 27 get they again attempted to lodge an American opera in the repertory. This time Miss Joyce was the damn Russia Cyrano de

Bergerac. But it like Parker's lasted no longer than the season of its premiere. One of the principal objections to Cyrano was its length. WJ Henderson wrote the opera's libretto and it was reported that he asked them how long the opera was to run. Oh said the composer. About four or four and a half hours cried Henderson. Well said Damn Raj take mice to sing. But Walter interrupted him. You're not Richard Wagner. The season was abundant with that composer's works too. Since May 1913 marked the centenary of his birth the complete Ring was performed and also Tristan to sing Lohengrin and Parsifal. One of the year's biggest disappointment was the news that at the very height of his career would not return to the Met. His last performance was a Tello and the son observed he was in his best voice and exerted himself to

leave a fine memory. He certainly succeeded. That memory was preserved for about 12 years because again he would never again present the

opera during his regime. A powerful if silent tribute to one who had sung the role so well. Now after five seasons at the Metropolitan The company was beginning to take shape as Gandhi imagined it should. There were still a few more years to wait until it was under full sail but at least the keel had been laid well next week we'll hear all about the juggling of Stingers and finances it takes to keep an opera company running. Lots of funny things happen when you fumble the balls. Then one of the men who can tell about these mishaps best is just separate Bumble shek who was a conductor and musical secretary of the met during most of Godey's reign. He'll be with us here next week. And this is Milton Cross on behalf of miles custom Jake hoping that you will too. Boston University Radio has presented Hall of song the story

of the Metropolitan Opera from 1883 to 966. The series is created and produced by Richard Calhoun a grant from the National Home Library Foundation has made possible the production of these programs for national educational radio. This is the national educational radio network.