Bob’s
World of
J. Massenet

Reviews — The New York Times

From the New York Times January 22, 1909

MARY GARDEN BACK
IN MANHATTAN FOLD
Wins on All Her Protests and Is
Correspondingly Happy
Over It.
LINA CAVALIERI WITHDRAWS
Will Stick to Italian Roles - Sends a
Nice Letter to Say So, Though Quite
Too Ill to be interviewed.

     Mary Garden is again within Oscar Hammerstein’s operatic fold, and peace has settled once more over the Manhattan Opera House. The peace is the direct result of Mr. Hammerstein’s action in withdrawing “Thaïs,” in which he had announced that Miss Lina Cavalieri would make her d‚but, from the bill of the Manhattan Opera House for Saturday night of next week.
     Miss Cavalieri herself wrote to Mr. Cavalieri wrote to Mr. Hammerstein yesterday afternoon saying that she was willing to give up her part in the Massenet opera in the interests of harmony. This is her letter:
     My Dear Mr. Hammerstein: In view of the unexpected developments resulting from my brief engagement by you, I hasten to assure you that in no circumstances would I for one moment cause you the slightest embarrassment or give pain to a fellow artist. I beg therefore, to ask you to omit “Thaïs” from the list of operas which you have asked me to sing at the Manhattan and Philadelphia Opera Houses. Believe me very sincerely yours,
                                                                                    LINA CAVALIERI
                                                                                New York, Jan. 21, 1909.
     As soon as Mr. Hammerstein received this letter he sent a copy of it to Miss Garden, and at 9 o’clock last night her sister, Miss Agnes Garden, went to the Manhattan Opera House with a letter from her sister to Mr. Hammerstein.
     In the letter, the text of which Mr. Hammerstein did not make public, Miss Garden said that, inasmuch as “Thaïs” had been withdrawn and Miss Cavalieri had agreed to withdraw from the opera, she was perfectly willing to continue singing at the Manhattan Opera House. She added that she regretted the trouble which had arisen, but her friendly feeling toward Mr. Hammerstein had completely returned, and she would sing in “Thaïs” tonight, “Pelleas et Mélisande” on Saturday night, and in “Salomé” on Thursday night of next week.
     Miss Garden was reached by telephone last night at her home, 85 East Fifty-sixth Street.
     “Mr. Hammerstein and myself are now as good friends as ever,” she said. “I shall sing to-morrow night in ‘Thaïs,’ and in ‘Pelléas’ on Saturday night. I am delighted to know that Miss Cavalieri is to sing her Italian rôles. I never objected to her singing them, nor shall I. I am so glad that all has turned out so well.”
     Miss Cavalieri sent word that she was ill in her apartment in the Hotel Savoy, and therefore enable to express her sentiments in an interview.

Last updated December 29, 2006