Article on German Opera in New York

“We are sorry to hear that the experiment of giving German Opera in our Academy of Music has proved a failure. The manager has offered sufficient inducements; but the public would not respond to his call, and it is asserted there is now every possibility that Maretzek will be offered the Opera House, and that his season will commence in January instead of February.

 

New York is the only city in this country that will liberally patronize Italian Opera. In Boston or Philadelphia the operatic seasons must be short, as the patronage of the public will not hold out. Here, a good troupe, producing the best operas, with all the accessories to render the performances on par with those in European capitals, will surely meet with encouragement. But we cannot patronize both German and Italian Opera. What we may do in that line when General Grant has conquered a peace and been elected President we are not prepared to say; but, until the General has done this, all that New York can accomplish is to liberally support Italian Opera.

 

We would advise Mr. Anschutz to make a tour through the Western cities, where, with his talented troupe, he may surely play short and successful seasons of German Opera. There are many thousands of Germans residing in St. Louis, Cincinnati and Chicago, who would perforce patronize German Opera in the absence of the more attractive Italian music.”