Article on Italian Opera in New York and Pike's New Opera House

“About the middle of next month the grandest and most elaborately finished opera house on the American Continent will be thrown open to the public in this city. Mr. Pike, whose name it bears, has spared no expense or trouble in completing this lyric temple and making it worthy of the metropolis. The first season of opera in the new establishment will also be interesting. Madame La Grange returns to the scene of her early triumphs, and her brilliant voice and superb acting, which have already made a hit in Chicago and Boston, will soon grace the opera house of the metropolis. Brignoli is the tenor of the troupe which, under the management of Strakosch, will take possession of the new temple of the muses next month. We shall then have two opera houses in this city, and the Academy may derive some benefit from its younger competitor. There will be a great rivalry between both establishments, and the consequent public excitement will give the fourteenth street house a chance of retrieving its shattered fortunes.  Pike’s opera house will have one material advantage in being under the management of one man and free from the narrow-minded policy of a corporation. There is one very singular feature about Italian opera in this city. We send over prime donne to Europe who become attractions at the leading opera houses. Patti and Harrisio [Harrison] in Paris, Vanzani in Milan, and Signorina Kellogi [Kellogg] and Morenzi [Morensi] in London (we must Italianize all when they cross the Atlantic), are the features of the present season. We have consequently drained the metropolis of artistes of the prima donna calibre [sic], and Signorina Hauckio [Hauck] is the only Juliet available for Gounod’s opera at the Academy. The opening of the grand opera house on Eighth avenue with such artistes as La Grance and Brignoli will undoubtedly have the effect of stirring up an excitement and rousing our impresarii to redoubled exertions on behalf of Italian opera. Then our first class artistes will be encouraged to remain in their native country and not be compelled to seek engagements in other lands. It may be very gratifying for them to achieve triumphs in every part of Europe, but we prefer to keep a few of them here to ourselves. The competition between both opera houses in this city must have the same beneficial effect on Italian opera that the inauguration of the rival establishments of Gye and Mapleson did in London. There competition brought the opera to its present high standard. All lovers of the lyric drama will hope for the same results here.”