It has seemed to me at times that Oscar Hammerstein was gifted with almost prophetic vision. He it was who imagined the glory of Times (erstwhile Longacre) Square. Theatre after theatre he fashioned in what was then a barren district--and presently the crowds and the hotels came. He foresaw that French opera, given in the French manner, would be successful again in New York, and he upset the calculations of all the wiseacres by making money even with _Pelléas et Mélisande_, that esoteric collaboration of Belgian and French art, which in the latter part of the season of 1907-8 attained a record of seven performances at the Manhattan Opera House, all to audiences as vast and as devoted as those which attend the sacred festivals of _Parsifal_ at Bayreuth. And he had announced for presentation during the season of 1908-9 (and again the following season) a Spanish opera called _La Dolores_. If he had carried out his intention (why it was abandoned I have never learned; the scenery and costumes were ready) he would have had another honour thrust upon him, that of having been beforehand in the production of modern Spanish opera in New York, an honour which, in the circumstances, must go to Mr. Gatti-Casazza. (Strictly speaking, _Goyescas_ was not the first Spanish opera to be given in New York, although it was the first to be produced at the Metropolitan Opera House. _Il Guarany_, by Antonio Carlos Gomez, a Portuguese born in Brazil, was performed by the "Milan Grand Opera Company" during a three weeks' season at the Star Theatre in the fall of 1884. An air from this opera is still in the répertoire of many sopranos. To go still farther back, two of Manuel García's operas, sung of course in Italian, _l'Amante Astuto_ and _La Figlia dell'Aria_, were performed at the Park Theatre in 1825 with María García--later to become the celebrated Mme. Malibran--in the principal rôles. More recently an itinerant Italian opéra-bouffe company, which gravitated from the Park Theatre--not the same edifice that harboured García's company!--to various playhouses on the Bowery, included three zarzuelas in its répertoire. One of these, the popular _La Gran Vía_, was announced for performance, but my records are dumb on the subject and I am not certain that it was actually given. There are probably other instances.) Mr. Hammerstein had previously produced two operas _about_ Spain when he opened his first Manhattan Opera House on the site now occupied by Macy's Department Store with Moszkowski's _Boabdil_, quickly followed by Beethoven's _Fidelio_. The malagueña from _Boabdil_ is still a favourite _morceau_ with restaurant orchestras, and I believe I have heard the entire ballet suite performed by the Chicago Orchestra under the direction of Theodore Thomas. New York's real occupation by the Spaniards, however, occurred after the close of Mr. Hammerstein's brilliant seasons, although the earlier vogue of Carmencita, whose