MUSIC IN LONDON

Evening Star, Issue 19143, 9 January 1926, Page 15

MUSIC IN LONDON

THE COST OF OPERA The London Opera Syndicate, ■which now controls our destiny in the matter oi : Covcnt Garden opera, has issued its promised analysis of the financial results of this year’s season (writes the London correspondent of the Melbourne ‘ Age,’ Kovember 12), The roost cheerful feature of the document is found in the first sentences, where it is stated that the syndicate “ lias decided to give another season of international opera at Covcnt Garden next May and June, It is intended to include in the repertoire a complete cycle of the Ring, two or three of Mozart’s works, the (itcllo and Falstaff of Verdi, some French operas, and one or two complete novelties.’ The report then proceeds with the loss pleasant business of the financial deficit resulting f rom this year’s Reason. This is stated to have been “very considerable,” although tiio average bookings largely exceeded those of the previous season, the average improvement having been about JO per cent, for the German operas and 80 per cent, for the Italian. The average hooking was 78 per cent, of the maximum capacity of the theatre, whereas an average hooking of 94 per cent, of that maximum would have been necessary to cover expenses.

Tho report gives an interesting lahulat ion of the operas presented, in tlio order of (a) tlieir popularity, (h) Ifacir costliness, and (e) tlieir financial remits. Tho following is tlio order of popularity; - Tosca., Rnscnkavalior, Mcistcrsingor, Fedora, Tristan, Aida, Rigoletto, lamia, Lohengrin, Barbiere, Walkure, Butterfly, Flying .Dutchman, Tho order of costliness runs;—Rosenkavalicr, Mcistersingor, Walkure, Tristan, Lohengrin, Fedora, Aida, Tosca, Flying Dutchman, Lucia, Barhimi. Butterfly, Rigoletlo. And iho order of financial results .shows Tosca leading and the rest as follows: —Rigoletto, Butterfly, Lucia, Fedora, Alcistcrsinger, Uarbic.ro, Tristan, .Roscnfcavalior, Aida, Flying Dutchman, Lohengrin, Walk ore. The average hooking for tho German season was 7.', per cent, better than that lor tho Italian. Hut the average cost of the German productions was 20 per cent, higher. The total expenses of the season was spread as follows Soloists, 00 per cent.; orchestra, 2! per cent..; ehorns and ballot, 1-1 per cent.; stage staff, scenery, salaries, rent, and other incidentals and overhead osponses, ,‘is per (rent. The orchestra, tor the German season cost about 7”) per cent, more than that for the Italian season. the chorus 10 per cent, more., tho soloists very little more. The hookings resulted in ,5S per cent, of the theatre’s capacity for the boxes, 76 per cent, for the stalls, 92 per cent., for the balcony stalls, and 20 per cent, for the amphitheatre si,ails. And the report'concludes whii the information that a complete season of works as expensive as the late Wagnerian operas and Rosonkavalier would show a loss if every available seat were sold every time—tho success of the grand opera syndicate from 189fi to 101 I having been due to the large subscription list, then available to Govern, Garden’s exchequer.

All this is of high interest io London music-lovers, for their sole chance of opera at the best levels is that of Govent Garden opera, on the scale of this year’s season. It may also be of interest to Australian opera-lovers. Certainly if. lets some 1 ierlnt, in upon opera, arrangements, which are of ton in the nature of a mystery in respect oi the particular operas produced, the caste of artists engaged, tho calibre, of the orchestra, and other details of opera production which sometimes puzzle the operagner, who would like to hear bettor operas, better easts, and larger orchestras than those which are vouchsafed him. Only, as far as Australian opera is concerned, the financial, results we know are very different from those suffered by tho Coven 1- Garden management. By way of explanation of the financial success of an Australian season of opera wc are usually bidden to congratulate ourselves on tho great audience available to opera in Australia, a form of musical- art which therefore pays handsomely us against the financial uncertainty of a season, say, at Covent Garden. But even a casual study of the report of the Covent Garden syndicate will show t-but this factor is not the only one which affects the result. There is, for one thing, the much greater expense of German_ opera as compared with Italian, especially when German opera is presented with such casts and sucli an orchestra as Covcnt .Garden gave us this year. It is .no

wonder that Rosonkavalier _ and Die lUcistersingor bead the list in respect of cost of production, for iho east ot tho first-named included Lotto Lehmann, Fjlizahoth and Richard Mayr, all stars of the firai magnitude, and tho Wagner opera, not only hud two of those throe, but Schorr aim and a. long list of well-known German artists, while both productions were glorified by an orchestra 01. 1.00 players, with the not inexpensive Bruno Walter in charge thereof. These two operas rank second and third respectively in point of popularity (Toscvs pride _ol place, both in popularity and financial result, was, of course, duo to tho sensational Jeriiza and to tho fact that as regards cost, ol production it ranks eighth in a. list of thirteen), but Dio McLsiorsirigor comes sixth and. Rcseoka.va.Hcr ninth in flic order of financial results by reason, obviously, of the cost of their production. As to popularity, they crowded the theatre whenever they were sung—-and. in tliat regal'd it would bo to know how many morn people, precisely* attended iho performances of c La Tosca ■ than seemed to cram Covent Garden to the roof whenever * Rosonkavalier J . was given. The costliness of iho season is emphasised by the statement inat an average hooking of 94 per rent, of Covent Garden’s capacity would Isro lioen necessary to cover expenses; At. the prevailing prices, and in view of the theatre’s size, 91 per cent, of capacity every night is a largo proposition. .It was the bonking for tho boxes (53 per cent, of capacity) winch, apparently disappointed expectations, for 76 per cent., of iho stalls, 02 per emit, of ihe balmily stalls, and 96 per cent, of tho amphitheatre stalls—-every night represents many people and much money. Put with per rent, the boxes obviously were not pulling their

weight. Nevertheless, it is the wealthy operagoers who are our host friends in the matter. For (here is to he a Coven* Garden season next year, despite the very considerable loss on this year’s sere-on. In other words, that loss is being made, and the risks attaching to next year are to he .shouldered hy opera eni husiasts aide and willing to spend money in the cause. Chaliapin, as to whom it is good news that he has signed a contract for an Australian tour next year, lias crowded the Albert Hall at his one recital, and a few days later sang through the wireless at n fee. it is stated, of a thousand, guineas. XTe remains the most masterful singer of our time, tho voice, if not unite at its best of a dozen yeyu's ago. still a great voice, and the variety of its power of interpretation of songs—in whirl) regard, of course, Chaliapin himself, apart from his voice, is important—nothing short of marvellous. Ho will, it is certain, make las customary sensation in Australia.