The Season 1883–1884 at the Academy of Music
Lillian Nordica's American Début
German Opera Introduced at the Metropolitan Opera House
Parlous State of Italian Opera in London and on the Continent
Dr. Leopold Damrosch and His Enterprise
The German Singers
Amalia Materna
Marianne Brandt
Marie Schroeder-Hanfstängl
Anton Schott, the Military Tenor
Von Bülow's Characterization: "A Tenor is a Disease"
CHAPTER XI
GERMAN OPERA AT THE METROPOLITAN
First German Season
Death Struggles of Italian Opera at the Academy
Adelina Patti and Her Art
Features of the German Performances
"Tannhäuser"
Marianne Brandt in Beethoven's Opera
"Der Freischütz"
"Masaniello"
Materna in "Die Walküre"
Death of Dr. Damrosch
CHAPTER XII
END OF ITALIAN OPERA AT THE ACADEMY
The Season 1885–1886
End of the Mapleson Régime at the Academy of Music
Alma Fohström
The American Opera Company
German Opera in the Bowery
A Tenor Who Wanted to be Manager of the Metropolitan Opera House
The Coming of Anton Seidl
His Early Career
Lilli Lehmann
A Broken Contract
Unselfish Devotion to Artistic Ideals
Max Alvary
Emil Fischer
CHAPTER XIII
WAGNER HOLDS THE METROPOLITAN
Second and Third German Seasons
The Period 1885–1888
More about Lilli Lehmann
Goldmark's "Queen of Sheba"
First Performance of Wagner's "Meistersinger"
Patti in Concert and Opera
A Flash in the Pan at the Academy of Music
The Transformed American Opera Company
Production of Rubinstein's "Nero"
An Imperial Operatic Figure
First American Performance of "Tristan und Isolde"
Albert Niemann and His Characteristics
His Impersonation of Siegmund
Anecdotes
A Triumph for "Fidelio"
CHAPTER XIV
WAGNERIAN HIGH TIDE
Wagnerian High Tide at the Metropolitan Opera House
1887–1890
Italian Low Water Elsewhere
Rising of the Opposition
Wagner's "Siegfried"
Its Unconventionality
"Götterdämmerung"
"Der Trompeter von Säkkingen"
"Euryanthe"
"Ferdinand Cortez"
"Der Barbier von Bagdad"
Italo Campanini and Verdi's "Otello"
Patti and Italian Opera at the Metropolitan Opera House
CHAPTER XV
END OF THE GERMAN PERIOD
End of the German Period
1890–1891
Some Extraordinary Novelties
Franchetti's "Asrael"
"Der Vasall von Szigeth"
A Royal Composer, His Opera and His Distribution of Decorations
"Diana von Solange"
Financial Salvation through Wagner
Italian Opera Redivivus
Ill-mannered Box-holders
Wagnerian Statistics
CHAPTER XVI
ITALIAN OPERA AGAIN AT THE METROPOLITAN
The Season 1891–1892
Losses of the Stockholders of the Metropolitan Opera House Company
Return to Italian Opera
Mr. Abbey's Expectations
Sickness of Lilli Lehmann
The De Reszke Brothers and Lassalle
Emma Eames
Début of Marie Van Zandt
"Cavalleria Rusticana"
Fire Damages the Opera House
Reorganization of the Owning Company
CHAPTER XVII
THE ADVENT OF MELBA AND CALVÉ
An Interregnum
Changes in the Management
Rise and Fall of Abbey, Schoeffel, and Grau
Death of Henry E. Abbey
His Career
Season 1893–1894
Nellie Melba
Emma Calvé
Bourbonism of the Parisians
Massenet's "Werther"
1894–1895
A Breakdown on the Stage
"Elaine"
Sybil Sanderson and "Manon"
Shakespearian Operas
Verdi's "Falstaff"
CHAPTER XVIII
UPRISING IN FAVOR OF GERMAN OPERA
The Public Clamor for German Opera
Oscar Hammerstein and His First Manhattan Opera House
Rivalry between Anton Seidl and Walter Damrosch
The Latter's Career as Manager
Wagner Triumphant
German Opera Restored at the Metropolitan
"The Scarlet Letter"
"Mataswintha"
"Hänsel und Gretel" in English
Jean de Reszke and His Influence
Mapleson for the Last Time
"Andrea Chenier"
Madame Melba's Disastrous Essay with Wagner
"Le Cid"
Metropolitan Performances 1893–1897
CHAPTER XIX
BEGINNING