Article on poor attendance and receipts at musical events in in New York City

“Failure of Musical Enterprises.—Jerome Hopkins, good authority in such matters, in an article on music, concerts, opera, etc., makes the following allusion to the disasters that have befallen operatic and kindred managers during the past season. He says: ‘Opera directed by Maretzek during the past season in New York failed. Directed by Max Strakosch, it failed. Directed by Lagrange and Brignoli, it failed. Directed by Pike, Maretzek, and Harrison combined, it failed. Italian opera failed here directed by Mora. English opera failed under Braine and Draper. German opera failed here under even the great Grover. Sixty thousand dollars are locked up in the Saratoga Opera House—dollars which the Lelands would not object to see ‘eliminated’ (as chemists say), but they never will—and the first lessee of that house lost $5,000 in one month by it. The grand old Philharmonic (the musical pillars of Hercules of this country) did so badly in 1867-’8, that it was only saved from utter ruin last season by the heroic efforts of a new president, an outsider, and he not even a Dutchman. (Mirabile dictu.) I mean the accomplished Dr. R. Ogden Doremus, who, in his musical tastes, reminds one of the great French toxicologist, Orfila. The Brooklyn Philharmonic was only able to give the allotted number of concerts by calling largely upon the reserve fund of the association, in spite of the ecclesiastical habit of choking tickets down peoples’ throats, which for so many years distinguished that society. At one of the concerts Wehli, the pianist, at Niblo’s some time ago, but $3 were taken at the door. At another, at the Olympic Theatre, only thirty-five persons were present. Mr. Theodore Thomas lost heavily by his magnificent symphony soirees last season at Steinway Hall. Mason and Thomas, the devoted interpreters of classic chamber music, have not made their concert expenses for several years. Money was latterly lost even by the Steinway Hall Sunday evening concerts. Leopold de Meyer, at his concert in Newark, took in but $8 at the door! The last concert of the Mendelssohn Society in this city realized but $175, when $200 had to be paid to but one of the solo singers alone! (My authority is the president of the society). The Mendelssohn Society of New Haven made just one dollar and sixty-seven cents (see published reports), in 1867. I might give other instances, all authenticated, but I apprehend that these are sufficient to prove that the public success or appreciation of music in New York, at least is nothing to boast about.’ Mr. Hopkins is right. And yet to judge from the puffs in the daily papers, we might believe that every musical enterprise was a success, instead of a failure.”