Reviews — The New York Times

From the New York Times - January 24, 1909

HAMMERSTEIN HOLDS MEETING.
And After It Was All Over All Diffi-
rences Were Patched Up.

     “I shall call a meeting of my Board of Directors to settle this trouble between Miss Mary Garden and Miss Lina Cavalieri.”
     That is what Oscar Hammerstein is said to have remarked the other day, when the great prima donna war was at its height, when temperaments were being shaken to their foundations, and delicate nerves were jangled like a bunch of Messinas. And forthwith Oscar, true to his word, proceeded to call that meeting. “Meeting!” he called lustily. And he came running to himself from every side. Among the Directors present were:
     Mr. Hammerstein.
     Mr. Oscar Hammerstein.
     Oscar Hammerstein, Esq.
     The Head of the Philadelphia Opera House.
     The Head of Hammerstein’s Victoria.
     Oscar Hammerstein.
     O. Hammerstein.
     “Hammerstein,” began Mr. Oscar Hammerstein, addressing himself to Cavalieri’s champion, “I do not wish to reflect in any way on your judgement or on Miss Cavalieri, but, to put it mildly, rats!”
     “What do you mean?” said O. Hammerstein, glaring.
     “What I say,” rejoined Hammerstein.
     “Miss Mary Garden, as an exponent of the modern French school”
     But here Hammerstein jumped to his feet in several places, all interrupting the speaker. “Silence!” roared Hammerstein. But they wouldn’t stop. “Silence yourself!” they roared, shaking his fists. Two or three of him rushed at the speaker, but the latter stood his ground, back to back, and knocked over several assailants, hurting him severely. There was a lull.
     Mr. Hammerstein glared at Mr. Hammerstein.
     “Hammerstein,” said the latter, “you don’t know a `Thaïs’ when you see one. Cavalieri-”
     “Hammerstein, Hammerstein!” he began in fury. But Hammerstein interrupted him. “Hammerstein,” he said, “if you can’t-”
     Here O. Hammerstein, Oscar Hammerstein, and the Director of the Philadelphia Opera House stepped in, while the Head of Hammerstein’s Victoria called frantically for the police.
     When the latter came the fight was at its worst. They promptly arrested all the Hammersteins present, and took him to the police station, where he was arraigned on a charge of disorderly conduct, and sentenced, every one of them, to patch up the differences between himself and vacate their premises on West Thirty-fourth Street. “I’ll settle matters,” he said, glaring at himself, all of whom answered with glances equally malevolent.
     And patched up the differences were. Just how nobody knows. For Hammerstein won’t tell, nor will Hammerstein, for neither he nor Hammerstein himself is on speaking terms with Hammerstein or any of the other Directors.

Last updated December 29, 2006