The Mapleson Memoirs, 1848-1888, vol II

THE MAPLESON MEMOIRS VOL. II.
1848-1888
IN TWO VOLUMES
WITH PORTRAIT OF THE AUTHOR
VOL II
COPYRIGHT, 1888, by JAMES H. MAPLESON
TROW'S PRINTING AND BOOKBINDING COMPANY, NEW YORK.

MY CONNECTION SEVERED—MUSICAL PROTECTION UNION—AMERICAN ORCHESTRAS—RIVAL OPERA-HOUSES—OPERATIC TRIAL BY JURY—ST. CECILIA'S DAY—THE FEAST OF FATHER FLATTERY.
SHORTLY after my return to London I had various meetings with the Directors of the Royal Italian Opera Company, Limited, when, to my astonishment, they informed me they would not ratify the contract I had made with Mdme. Patti. In fact, they repudiated the engagement altogether, although it had been concluded by me conjointly with Mr. Ernest Gye, the General Manager of the Company. I was therefore left with about £15,000 worth of authorized contracts which the Company had made with other artists, in addition to Mdme. Patti's contract for 250,000 dollars (£50,000).
I represented to the Directors that the only way to get out of the difficulty was to release me entirely from all connection with the Company, as I could then carry out the contracts I had made in the name of myself and of their representative with Mdme. Patti and with several other artists.