7
MUSICAL COURIER
June 2 2, 1922
A CARICATURE OF MARETZEK,
which appeared some time in the seventies.
A m o d i o weighed about
three hundred pounds and upon the arrival of the company in Havana had gone into a public conveyance called a volante, the bottom of which gave way under the strain of his weight. This incident earned him the name of “E nino gordo” (the fat baby), as he was called thereafter in Havana. The second evening, “Lucia di Lam-mermoor” did not fare so well. There were disturbances in the house, and when Edgardo -began to sing his duet with Ashton, the Caballeros, who had bought a hundred or more crying dolls, made a demonstration with them. The officers, sent by the magistrate to keep order, looked about but could not find the guilty parties. The1 mad scene followed and was applauded, but when Edgardo came out to sing his death scene the audience tip-toed out of the theater leaving the tenor alone with the orchestra. At the close of the performance Maretzek was informed that Captain-General Concha desired to see him the next morning. When he apeared before ■the Captain-General, who was a lover of opera, the latter told him that he had heard of Maretzek’s intention of returning to New York because of the disturbances of the previous evening. He persuaded Maretzek to continue, and, through the press, informed -the public that in case of further disorder the company would return to New York and they would be the losers. The rest of the season was carried through with great success and among the operas given there were “I Puritani” and “Masaniello.”
Patti’s Debut.
On November 24, 1859, Adelina Patti, who had made her first appearance in public in February, 1852, in Triplet Hall, at a concert of Michael Hauser, assisted by Parodi and Badiali, under Maretzek’s direction, appeared for the first time on the operatic stage as Lucia in "Lucia di Lammermoor.” At the time of their first meeting (Continued on page 47)
dred, he told the Board of Directors to send him the lease which he agreed upon or dispose of the Academy by the end of that week. The lease as desired was not granted and he became the target of many vicious attacks, made by. the Board of Directors, which were published in the newspapers. They even went further by not allowing any lessee to engage him in any capacity nor Was he ever to be permitted to enter the theater except as a paying auditor. Hearing this, Maretzek resolved. that immediately after his Boston season and previous to leaving for Havana, he would enter the Academy and conduct, notwithstanding the decision of the Board of. Directors. Through the aid of his old stand-bys, the masses, with whom he was always popular, he did enter the Academy, take the place of the other conductor and conducted on the opening night, December 10, 1856, “II Trovatore,” which was given with Mme. La Grange, whose husband Mr. Stankowitch had, through Maretzek, assumed the management in his stead. The popular demand for Maretzek was so great that the directors reversed their decision, leaving everything in a satisfactory state.
Opera in Havana.
About the end of December, 1856, Maretzek left for Havana with a company consisting of Mme. La Grange, Miss Phillips, Mme. Bertucca-Maretzek, Miss Siedenberg, Brignoli, Ceresa, Amodio, Taffanelli, Coletti, and others, and a ready repertory of all the old standard operas and half a dozen new ones besides. The first performance at the Tacon Theater was “II Trovatore.” All the cast, except Amodio, were received coldly by the audience, but he, to quote Maretzek, “became the spoiled fat baby of the
H a v a n e s e.”
First
PORTRAIT OF MAX MARETZEK, about 1851
INTERIOR OF CASTLE GARDEN, at the time of Max Maretzek’s benefit.
THE GRAND OPERA HOUSE,
on northwest corner of Eighth avenue and Twenty-third street, opened January 9, 1868.
corps de ballet, military bands and 200 auxiliaries in the coronation scene. On this occasion roller skating and the electric light were introduced in America. The last two named novelties in the opera made a greater impression on the public than Meyerbeer’s music. Although the house was always crowded, the receipts did not cover the preliminary outlay for the production, as the price of admission was only $1. William Niblo, after witnessing the opera, advised Maretzek to give only the roller skating scene, and charge fifty cents admission and provide skates for the evening to any lady or gentleman who wished to try the new sport. Thirty years later skating rinks existed in most every town in the United States.
First Tenant of the Academy of Music.
The artistic success of “Le Prophete,” however, hastened the completion of the Academy of Music, of which Maretzek became the first tenant, in October, 1854. For the opening night he rented it to Hackett, who opened it on October 2 with Mario and Grisi in “Norma.” This first season at the Academy of Music was a failure, with a loss of $8,000. The board of directors, then looked around for a new tenant and found him in the person of Ole Bull, who engaged Maretzek as conductor. He opened February 15, 1855, with “Rigoletto,” and after four performances of that opera, and one of “La Favorita,” for the debut of Mme. Vestali, the Bull management proved unsuccessful financially. James Phalen, president of the Academy, with a Mr. Coit as partner and Maretzek as musical director, then opened on March 15, with Brignoli making his debut in New York in “Lucia di Lammermoor.” During this short season Amodio also made his first apear-ance in New York and it also saw the first production here of “II Trovatore,” on April 30, and of Rossini’s “William Tell.” They closed the season with a loss of over $20,000, and again offered it to the highest bidder, who was William H. Paine, a wealthy stockholder. The fall season was opened On October 1 with a formidable company consisting of Mme. La Grange, Mme.
Nantier Didier as contralto;
Brignoli and Salviani, tenors ; Amodio and Morelli, baritones, and Marini bass.
Paine closed his first season, which had run along smoothly, in January, 1856, and followed with a few representations in Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, then returned to New York and reopened the spring season March 12.
The principal feature of the season was the production of Arditi’s “La Spia.”
Mr. Paine, who had had to sell two houses to meet financial obligations incurred by his operatic enterprise, closed his season the following month, never to manage opera again.
The Academy was then leased by Maretzek, who opened the fall season on September 14 with “11 Trovatore,” and in quick succession produced for the first time in America “La Travi-ata,’ and The “Star of the North,” by Meyerbeer. Before signing the lease, however, he sent out a circular, telling under what conditions he would lease the house.
One of the requests was that the stockholders waive their right of admission to all performances which might take place on the off-nights of the opera. When he received the circular back, on the first night of “The Star of the North,” September 24, 1856, with the signatures of only eight consenting gentlemen, representing thirty-five shares out of two hun-