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Russian Company for Century Opera Metropolitan' Aims Legal Fusillade At 2 M US I CAL " A MER I C A - July 19, 1913 'LESCHET1ZKY PASSES THE EIQlf1y='THIRD MILESTONE METROPOLITAN' AIMS Famous Piano Pedagogue Observes Occasion in Vienna with S~pper LEGAL FUSILLADE AT­ to His Intimate Friends -His Energy Unimpaired by Age-Mo­ THE HA-MMERSTEINS dernity of His Teachings-Some [Continued from page 1] of His Illustrious Pupils--Debt returned to N ew York and made known to the Metropolitan directors his intention of , America Owes Him producing grand opera in English in this country. It understood from him that his By EDWIN Hy.GHES plan would be furtheree. if he could have N June 22, Leschetizky, the "grand an opera house in New York Ci ty as his O old man" of the piano, passed the center. Ina letter of November 29, 19I2, it is said, he requested a part.al release eighty-third milestone of his long and active from his agreement with the Metropolitan life. According to his ~ustom of recent Opera Company, which was refused in a years, he withdrew himself into seclusion letter from the Metropolitan Opera Com­ on the anniversary of his natal day in order pany of December IS, 1912. Immediately following its letter of re­ to escape the army of congratulators, but on fusal the Metropolitan Opera Company the evening foliowing an informal supper says that Hammerstein, in published inter­ was given at his villa in Karl Ludivigstrasse vi'ews, stated his intention of producing in Vi erma, at which a few of his most inti­ grand opera in English at popular prices, notwithstandi'ng his agreement with the mate friends were present. Those whose Metropolitan Opera Company. At that good luck it was to be invited rejoiced to time, it is maintained, he gave certain "al­ find the master of the house still in full leged reasons, causes, or subterfuges why possession of his ruddy good health, his the obligations not to give grand opera as­ sparkling wit, inimitable humor and the sumed by him and by his son, Arthur many other qualities which hilVe endeared . Hammerstein, were not binding upon' him to all who have come to know him them, all showing his bad faith and intent well. His constitution, according to 'his in ' the premises." physician, is one of those very rare ex­ Of the charge of Oscar Hammerstein amples of physical and mental' energy of that the season of opera at the Century f 'extraordinary potency; in fact, one has Theater was undertaken with the support ,quite come to look upon Leschetizky as a of the Metropolitan Opera Company to permanent institution for the dissemination make it more difficult for him to con­ of the secrets of modern piano-playing. duct his new opera house the complaint , It is quite characteristic of the master says that the City Club's plan was an­ that in spite of the fact that his life-span nounced long before Hammerstein made reaches back to the days of Beethoven, to public his proj ect. the very antiquities of piano-playing, and "Great and irreparable damage will en­ that he has seen the innovations of Schu­ sue to plaintiff," states the complaint, "if mann, Chopin and Liszt bud. flower and be­ defendants, or either of them, are per­ come pianistic classics, Leschetizky remains mitted to proceed in violation of their withal the most modern of all piano masters Theodore Leschetizky and Mme. Leschetizky agreement as above specified, and are per­ in his treatment of the instrument, the one mitted to give grand opera in the city of whose glance perhaps penetrates furthest owitsch, whose performance of nineteen incalculable. Not only has the playing New York." The Metropolitan then asks of all into the future position and import concertos in six evenings during the past of the many Le'schetizky pupils who have that the defendants be enjoined until April of piano playing in the art of music. season, from a musical standpoint, not to toured America from end to end been an 26, 1920, "either alone or as a member of The youth of his spirit is probably due mention the matters of memory and endur­ enormous influence in developing the taste any firm or partnership or in conjunction ,in a large measure to the fact that he is ance, has never been equalled in the annals of a vast body of concert goers toward with others, or as an officer, employee or always in contact with young people. The of piano playing; an Arthur Schnabel, a modern ideals in piano playing, but the in any other capacity from engaging in the pupils of three or four years go on their Mark Hambourg, to mention a few of the presence in nearly every American. hamlet business of 'Producing in N ew York, in way to be replaced by a constantly young Titans. of piano teachers of more or less close any language, grand opera, or any opera, stream of aspirants from all the four cor­ N on-believers are invited to compare artistic relationship to Leschetizky ideals operetta or comic opera that has ever been ners of the globe, so that while the subj ect these names with the pupils of other con­ has meant an influence in American musical produced at the Metropolitan Opera House matter remains the ' same, as all must strive temporary piano masters. It would be a life. or at the Manhattan Opera House." towards ' an understanding of the same simple matter to mention a score of At the lessons Leschetizky's vitality, his Bach, Beethnven, Schumann, Chopin, the others who are artists of established repu­ keenness of musical ' perception and his Light on Singers' Salaries student material is, always changing. This tation in Europe and America. Anyone untiring energy are as marked as when the An interesting exhibit in the case was is the salvation from monotony in all who is familiar with the Leschetizky class writer first worked with him, and those the list of singers at the time of the transfer teaching, the new faces, the different of the past five years has only to glance who have known him for an even longer from the Manhattan to Metropolitan and characters and the multitude of variety through the season's list of concerts in period of time marvel that he still retains the prices paid for them. Mme. Tetrazzini which they present. any of the European capitals to see in what his unequalled pedagogical ability unim­ was to receive $I,500 an appearance and to At times there comes from among the numbers these more recent pupils of Les­ paired as of yore. At a period in which be engaged for forty appearances. Mary green-eyed ones the question, "Why has chetizky are winning laurels before the men in most of the walks of life, those of Garden got $IApG and was engaged for T eschetizky not produced a second Pade­ public. They are not all of them Pade­ them who have been spared eighty odd twenty appearances. Maurice Renaud, rewski ?" There never will be a second rewskis, Gabrilowitsches or Essipoffs, but years. are content to enj oy the quiet con­ who had been engaged by Oscar Hammer­ Paderewski produced by Lescheti:.:ky or by there are individuals among them, and they templation of past achievements, Leschetiz­ stein for forty appearances at $I,OOO, was anyone else anymore than there will ever are many of them young enough to give ky is ,a living, moving factor in the world engaged by the Metropolitan and the Chi­ be a second Leschetizky, or a second any­ hope for their development into pianistic of art" a personality of such amazing cago-Philadelphia companies for twenty­ one else with such a remarkable combina­ personalties equally interesting as some of strength and such a broad vision of life four appearances. tion of genius and personality. Since their predecessors. and art that the musical world may well Varied were the royalties asked for the Paderewski's time, however, there have The debt which the progress of piano wish him many more years of his present use of the operas. For "Salome," for in­ come from Leschetizky an Ossip Gabril- playing ill America owes to Leschetizky is power and activity. ' stance, $500 for each performance was asked on condition that at least six be given each year. It cost $Soo every time ing countries are extremely productive of concerts, respectively. Mr. Volpe's skilled "Elektra" was sung, and it had to be given sopranos, contraltos, baritones and bassos, oboist, C. Addimando, offers a Donizetti six times a year. The operas of the Mas­ RUSSIAN COMPANY they bring forth few operatic tenors. Fantasie, "Lincla," at the Saturday mati­ senet repertoire cost $IOO for every repre­ Mr. Dippel replied by suggesting that nee, and the favorite "My Heart at Thy sentation and a retainer of $600 paid for Mr. Aborn look up Kingston while in Sweet Voice," from "Samson et Dalila," each opera in advance. For "Pelleas et FOR CENTURY OPERA London. As , a consequence of that hear­ was heard on July 13 as a trumpet solo Melisande" a fee of $400 was· paid in ad­ ing, Mr. Kingston went to the "boat train" by B. Klatzkin. vance and $IOO extra for every representa­ this morning and contracts between him tion. "Samson et Dalilah" cost $IOO every Negotiating for Spring Season­ time it was performed. and the Century company were signed just Frohman to Produce Latest Oscar Aborn Signs Kingston, the before the train pulled out. The Welsh Oscar Hammerstein declared that de­ tenor has been loaned by Mr.
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