IV
Chicago, in spite of—or perhaps because of—its phenomenally rapid growth, has only recently become an operatic city of any importance. But one must not conclude that opera was unknown there before the unlucky Mr. Hammerstein was compelled to forego the organization which his genius had created and which formed the nucleus of the Chicago Opera Company. Chicago, indeed, became acquainted with opera while yet it was a city only in futuro, and it continued to enjoy opera with more or less regularity during all the succeeding years, though it lacked a permanent organization of its own until fate and Mr. Hammerstein conspired to supply one.
The beginning of grand opera in Chicago has been traced by Mr. Karleton Hackett, and his record of it furnishes interesting and rather amusing reading.[52] Chicago in 1850 had a population of about 28,000 people and a theatre built and managed by J. B. Rice. Mr. Rice was enterprising and an important result of his enterprise is noticed in the Chicago 'Journal' of July 27, 1850, as follows: 'Mr. Rice, ever ready to minister to the tastes of the public, has effected an engagement with an opera troupe of acknowledged reputation who will make their first appearance on Monday evening.
Among them are Mr. Manners and Miss Brienti, names already familiar to many of our readers. This is a new feat in theatrical entertainments and one which should meet with distinguished favor.'
Two nights later La Sonnambula formally introduced Chicago to the 'new feat in theatrical entertainments.' As an example of musical criticism in its simplest terms we quote the following from the 'Journal': 'An excellent house welcomed the Opera Troupe to the Chicago boards last evening and La Somnambula (!) was performed as announced. Whatever may be the taste of the theatre-going public in this city with regard to Operas, all must conceed (!) that the music was of a high order, and executed with admirable grace and skill. Miss Brienti's face is eloquent in her favor, to begin with, and her voice, now as soft as a vesper bell, now wild and shrill as a clarion, doubles and completes the charm. Messrs. Manvers and Quibel both possess voices of tone, power and cultivation, and with Miss Brienti and Miss Mathews make melody and harmony that Apollo would not hesitate to accompany upon his ocean-tuned harp.'
The second performance of La Sonnambula was interrupted by a fire which burned down Mr. Rice's theatre. The enterprising manager, however, erected a 'new and splendid establishment' which was opened early in 1851. Two years later Signor Poliani, 'acting in the name and on behalf of Mme. de Vries and Signor L. Arditi,' announced performances at the Chicago Theatre of 'the opera in three acts, Lucia di Lammermoor, the chef d'œuvre of Donizetti, and the grand masterpiece of Bellini, Norma.' In addition to Mme. de Vries and Signori Pezzolini, Toffanelli and Colletti, there was 'a very effective chorus of ladies and gentlemen—the best in the United States of America and desirable even in Europe.' The orchestra, furthermore, was 'composed of solo performers, and all professors of the highest standing—over 40 in number, the whole under the magic direction of the most distinguished master and composer, Sig. L. Arditi, of European fame and well known as one of the greatest living composers.' One is not surprised to learn that this marvellous company made a great hit and remained in Chicago long enough to give La Sonnambula. It was succeeded by a troupe of 'acting monkeys, dogs, and goats.'
In 1858 Chicago had its next operatic treat when the New Orleans English Opera Company—which assuredly did not come from New Orleans—gave a season of two weeks, presenting La Sonnambula, 'Daughter of the Regiment,' Auber's 'Crown Diamonds,' and Fra Diavolo, 'The Barber of Seville,' 'The Bohemian Girl,' 'Cinderella,' Der Freischütz, and Il Trovatore. The tenor rôles were sung by a lady. In the same year Carl Formes, whose reputation had outlived his voice, appeared with a strong company which carried no less than three conductors—the same being Carl Anschütz, Carl Bergmann, and Theodore Thomas. Maurice Strakosch with Amalia Patti, Brignoli, and the others of his troupe visited Chicago in 1859, giving Il Trovatore, Martha, Norma, La Sonnambula, La Favorita, and Don Giovanni—the last-named with a 'cast which has never been excelled in any opera house in Europe, New York, Boston, or Philadelphia.'
From this time forward Chicago was supplied with opera almost exclusively from New York and was included in the itinerary of the tour with which nearly every New York company began or finished its season. The visits of the New York companies to Chicago varied in length from a week to four weeks. After Mr. Hammerstein sold out to the Metropolitan interests his forces formed the nucleus of a newly organized Chicago-Philadelphia Opera Company, which, under the management of Mr. Andreas Dippel and subsequently of Mr. Cleofonte Campanini, has since given Chicago regular seasons of opera rivalling in the standard of their achievement those given at the Metropolitan in New York.
The Chicago-Philadelphia company has divided its season between the two cities after which it is named, besides making post-season trips to a number of Western cities. During the few years of its existence it has placed to its credit a number of notable achievements, including the first performances in America of Jean Nougues' Quo Vadis?; Ermano Wolf-Ferrari's Il Segreto di Susanna and Le Giojie della Madonna; Victor Herbert's Natoma; Goldmark's 'Cricket on the Hearth' (in English), Massenet's Cendrillon and Don Quichotte, and Franchetti's Cristoforo Colombo. Its regular repertory has been mainly that which prevailed at the Manhattan Opera House under Hammerstein. The same is true of most of its singers. Among the more notable additions to its list of artists have been Jeanne Korolewicz, Maggie Teyte, Caroline White, Lillian Grenville, Mario Guardabassi and Tito Ruffo, and it has also enjoyed frequent 'visits' from stars of the Metropolitan and Boston Opera Houses, with both of which it is closely affiliated.
Boston, like most other American cities, has been until recently in the position of depending chiefly on New York for its operatic fare. It was the latest of the large Eastern cities to become acquainted with grand opera, having been introduced to that form of entertainment by the Havana company of Señor Marty y Torrens in 1847. Satisfied apparently with what was supplied to it from New York, it initiated no noteworthy operatic enterprises of its own until 1909, when the Boston Opera House was built through the munificence of Mr. Eben D. Jordan. The artistic direction of the new enterprise was placed in the hands of Mr. Henry Russell, who for some years previously had toured the country successfully with his San Carlo Opera Company. Since then Boston has been an operatic city of importance. In addition to excellent performances of the regular French, Italian, and German repertory made familiar by the Metropolitan and Manhattan companies, it has heard the first performances in America of Debussy's L'Enfant Prodigue, Raoul Laparra's La Habañera, Frederick Converse's 'The Sacrifice,' Zan-donai's Conchita, Erlanger's Noël, Kienzl's Kuhreigen, Bizet's Djamileh, Louis Aubert's Forêt Bleue, and Henri Fevrier's Monna Vanna.
The Boston Opera Company is very closely affiliated with the Metropolitan and the principals of each are carried on the roster of the other. To a lesser extent there is a like exchange between the Boston and the Chicago-Philadelphia companies. Almong the more notable artists who have sung with the Boston company (excluding those belonging principally to the Metropolitan company) may be mentioned Carmen Mélis, Georgette Le Blanc-Maeterlinck, Leon Sibiriakoff, José Mardones, Florencio Constantino, Giovanni Zenatello, George Baklanoff, Lucien Muratore, Vanni Marcoux, and Eduardo Ferrari-Fontana.
It would be impossible, within the limits of a chapter, to follow operatic activities in other cities of the United States. Nearly every city of importance has received more or less regular visits from the big New York companies, from the Chicago-Philadelphia company, and from lesser enterprises organized for touring purposes. There would be little point in citing a list of these enterprises, but mention may be made of the opera companies promoted by Henry W. Savage and the Aborns, which have done for the smaller cities of the United States what the Carl Rosa and Moody-Manners companies have done for the principal cities of Great Britain.
In many of the more progressive musical cities—such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, and Cincinnati—the question of permanent operatic establishments has been strongly mooted, and undoubtedly the time is fast approaching when these and other cities will enjoy the advantages which now belong only to New York, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, and New Orleans.