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 OF THE GRAU PERIOD Beginning of the Grau Period Death of Maurice Grau His Managerial Career An Interregnum at the Metropolitan Opera House Filled by Damrosch and Ellis Death of Anton Seidl His Funeral Characteristic Traits "La Bohème" 1898-1899 "Ero e Leandro" and Its Composer CHAPTER XX NEW SINGERS AND OPERAS Closing Years of Mr. Grau's Régime Traits in the Manager's Character Débuts of Alvarez, Scotti, Louise Homer, Lucienne Bréval and Other Singers Ternina and "Tosca" Reyer's "Salammbô" Gala Performance for a Prussian Prince "Messaline" Paderewski's "Manru" "Der Wald" Performances in the Grau Period CHAPTER XXI HEINRICH CONRIED AND "PARSIFAL" Beginning of the Administration of Heinrich Conried Season 1903-1904 Mascagni's American Fiasco "Iris" and "Zanetto" Woful Consequences of Depreciating American Conditions Mr. Conried's Theatrical Career His Inheritance from Mr. Grau Signor Caruso The Company Recruited The "Parsifal" Craze CHAPTER XXII END OF CONRIED'S ADMINISTRATION Conried's Administration Concluded 1905-1908 Visits from Humperdinck and Puccini The California Earthquake Madame Sembrich's Generosity to the Suffering Musicians "Madama Butterfly" "Manon Lescaut" "Fedora" Production and Prohibition of "Salome" A Criticism of the Work "Adriana Lecouvreur" A Table of Performances CHAPTER XXIII HAMMERSTEIN AND HIS OPERA HOUSE