“The depression from which every class of business is suffering in a greater or less degree, has not been without its dispiriting effects on our musical and dramatic amusements. This is the more to be regretted from the fact that no season for many years opened with such encouraging prospects of general excellence as the present one. With two operatic companies of unusual completeness and extraordinary special attractions, the most generous patronage from the public was demanded for their support. That one impresario came to grief, and failed to fulfill all his promises to the public, can be attributed to no want of energy or sincerity of purpose on his part. Nor, again, are the music-loving people of this City to be held accountable for the disaster. Managerial difficulties are as easily traceable to the panic which began in Wall street a few months ago, as are the misfortunes of bankrupt tradesmen and insolvent bankers. Prudent heads of families—and we have such in New-York—generally and reasonably think that the economy cannot be better practiced than in the curtailment of luxuries and the cutting down of superfluities. Hence our opera-houses and theatres have had to struggle against influences more disheartening than any we can remember in many years. To their credit be it said, the efforts of the managers of all our places of amusement now open, as well as those unfortunately closed, have been of the most courageous and liberal nature. The extraordinary completeness of Mr. Strakosch's operatic [sic] performances have drawn the people almost in spite of themselves; and now that brighter times seem at hand, we expect to see the Academy of Music filled each remaining night of the season.
The class of performances at each house has steadily improved since the beginning of the season. To assure ourselves of this fact, we have only to glance down our advertising columns and compare the managerial offerings of this week with those presented to us two months ago. [Goes on about the quality of the performances at Booth’s Theatre, Wallack’s Theatre, the Union Square Theatre, Daly’s houses, and Wood’s Museum. No mention of music.]
It will thus be seen that our amusements have rarely, if ever, been more generally attractive. We may congratulate Mr. Theodore Thomas upon the fact that his season of symphony concerts will begin at a time when the public is ready in heart and pocket for them.”
