When individuality is allied to talent the world stands ready to recognize, applaud and recompense. But the welding process is not to be accomplished without faithful and constant effort. The results approximate genius so closely that the division between it and mere talent is more theoretical than absolute. All this applies to Henry L. R. De Koven, the composer, who is one of the younger, and, at the same time, one of the most successful of American musicians. Comic operas there are and comic operas there will be, but in most instances the end of their vogue marks also the end of their existence. In the case of Robin Hood, The Highwayman, and other of Mr. De Koven’s works, it is otherwise. Those named and others bid fair to remain popular beyond the limits of this generation. The composer was born at Littleton, Connecticut, April 5, 1861, his father being a clergyman. At first educated in public schools, he later went abroad, and was graduated from Oxford, England, in 1880. Like other successful composers, he gave indications of his love of music at an early age, and, during his college course, fostered his special gifts by constant study. After graduating, he studied still further under masters at Stuttgart, Florence, Paris and Vienna. On returning to this country he acted as musical critic on various publications coincidently with his work as a composer. Apart from his many operas he has written a number of songs. In 1884 he married Anna Farwell. MAURICE GRAU. Maurice Grau, who for many years was prominently identified with the exploiting of grand opera in this country, was born in Brünn, Austria, in 1849, and came to New York with his parents at the age of fifteen. He graduated from the Free Academy, New York, in 1867, attended the Columbia law school and later was for two years an employee of a law firm. Mr. Grau, however, was gifted with foresight. He saw that the citizens of this country, on recovering from the stress and strain of the Civil war, would not only be possessed of money with which to gratify their artistic instincts, but that these same instincts would come into active being. In other words, in his own way, Mr. Grau had faith in the recuperative powers of the United States. In 1872, therefore, he became manager for Aimée, the opera bouffe prima donna, and was also the manager of Rubenstein, pianist; Clara Louise Kellogg company, Salvini and other foreign musical and dramatic stars. Finally he became a member of the firm of Abbey, Schoeffel & Grau. Sarah Bernhardt, Patti, Henry Irving, Coquelin, Jane Hading, Maunet-Sully and Mlle. Rejane were exploited by the firm. Until 1902 he was managing director of the Maurice Grau opera company and lessee of the Metropolitan opera house, New York, in which capacity he annually produced for some years standard grand operas, the casts of which included the most famous singers of the present generation. He furthermore has acted as managing director of the Royal opera