[Preface]
[Orville's
Worlds] [Family] [Young
Orville ] [To New York] [To
London, and back] [The Second Marriage,
1913 – 1917] [The Third Marriage,
Rehabilitation] [The Met Years,
Two careers 1920-1924] [Photogallery]
To
London, and Back
Oscar
Hammerstein sailed to London in early 1910 with his second fortune
and a new dream, strikingly akin to the old one. He intended
to build a new opera house and opera company, competing directly
with London’s venerable opera at Covent Garden. While friends
and associates suggested that this might be rash, he insisted
that his money, life, and passion were his to spend as he pleased.
A 26,000 square foot theatre was begun in Kingsway, between
Portugal and Batavia Streets, which likely cost over $500,000,
as it was London’s third largest opera house behind the Lyceum
and Palladium1. London theatre had never seen such
a massive project where one person controlled the building,
production company, cast, scene painters, orchestra, and every
detail. Hammerstein must be granted his ability to organize
and deliver, as this was a large and aggressive plan with much
to be accomplished in order to open by the end of 1911.
Hammerstein
reiterated during 1911 that Orville had studied in America,
primarily with Oscar Saenger in New York2. Hammerstein
was grooming an American image for several of his newly found
voices, and to some extent for his new opera. Architect’s renditions
of his London Opera House appeared in January, 1911, while Orville
was engaged in Naughty Marietta, along with brief statements
that the opera company would include Orville Harrold and Felice
Lyne3. Another of Hammerstein’s discoveries, Felice
was a twenty one year old from Kansas City, Missouri, possessing
an excellent soprano voice with an exciting mastery of runs
and trills. There was also American basso, Henry Weldon, who
was the son of a navy admiral. Two others from the old Manhattan
Opera were baritone, Maurice Renaud, and Italian soprano, Lina
Cavalieri, the latter of whom had performed at Covent Garden
several years previously. Hammerstein had obtained rights to
three French successes not yet heard in London, including Quo
Vadis, planned for opening night4.
Covent
Garden was perhaps vulnerable to such an attack, as it relied
as much on traditional support from London aristocracy as on
current talent and presentations. Melba and Caruso were popular
there, but were not there. Tetrazzini had thrilled London audiences,
but was not there either. However, British tradition and its
social caste system were there and impenetrable in pre-WWI days.
Sir Thomas Lipton could be self-made wealthy and be knighted
for indefatigably challenging New York to regain America’s Cup,
but British aristocrats would still not personally go yachting
with their “grocer”. And, although Hammerstein wore a top hat
among their top-hatted society, his was of a Parisian style,
while his grandiose hubris looked awfully American.
Orville
had been busy following the closing of Naughty Marietta
in 1911, first with a trip home through Muncie, where he performed
mid-May at his old Wysor Grand Opera House5. He then
traveled to Paris, where he may have made an operatic appearance,
as Oscar had announced the previous fall, and where Oscar apparently
had him study with a Frederick Boyer6. Orville arrived
in London just as activity was becoming hectic. Chorus singers
went on strike a few days before opening night, claiming that
they had been overworked. The London county council informed
Hammerstein that his new building did not conform to safety
regulations without certain alterations, required immediately.
They granted his occupancy license only hours before the opening
performance7.
Opening
night was November 13, 1911, with Maurice Renaud and Madame
Olchanski in Quo Vadis. It was described as “one of the
most gorgeously mounted operatic productions that ever graced
the British stage”, and was received with a “tumult of applause”
by an audience that glittered with the titled of a European
capital8. Orville followed two days later as Arnold
in William Tell, which served well to display his high
tenor voice. The opera was seldom heard because few tenors could
navigate the high C’s and D’s without distress and fatigue.
At the time, Hammerstein declared, “He is the first man in
twenty years who can sing that role. Caruso tried it, but had
to quit at the end of the first act. 8.5” Also
debuting in London that night, at the bottom of the playbill,
the role of Hedwige was sung by an aspiring soprano named Lydia
Locke9. From the scrapbook of Effie Kiger Harrold:
The
New York Times, November 16, 1911
HARROLD’S
LONDON DEBUT American Tenor Receives Ovation in “William
Tell” at Hammerstein’s ..let it be said at once that Harrold
sang magnificently the part of Arnold, receiving an ovation
at the end of the third act….He is certainly a heroic tenor
of rare force, with a voice of remarkably fine singing quality,
some of his upper notes being of extremely beautiful quality
and big volume. What is more, he knows how to act. His singing
roused the audience to great enthusiasm.
The
Standard, London, 1911
All
the flattering things we heard about Mr. Harrold’s voice were
abundantly justified.
The
Observer, London, 1911
Mr.
Harrold has a voice of real value, with an extraordinary range
and “staying power”. His fine ringing notes are intrinsically
well produced and he sings with fine artistic discipline. His
physique is unquestionably suited to Grand Opera and he is an
accomplished actor.
Within
days, Orville had cabled Effie, “Great success and will expect
you soon10.” Not only is it unlikely that Effie was
inclined to join him in London, but the trans-oceanic trip would
have been difficult and probably have kept her away over Christmas.
By the end of November, 1911, Orville’s photo had adorned the
cover of Musical Courier magazine, the photo carrying
a dedication “To my teacher, Oscar Saenger”, with a subtitle
“Orville Harrold, Tenor, Oscar Hammerstein’s Great London Success.”
Shortly
thereafter Orville and Felice Lyne starred in Rigoletto,
Felice’s London debut, in which she caused a sensation as Gilda.
Orville later explained that London was accustomed to stodgy
old productions featuring 200-pound Gilda’s, so that audiences
were captivated and thrilled by this fresh and exciting young
American11. Diminutive Miss Lyne had a remarkable
coloratura soprano voice, plus a sparkling and intelligent stage
presence, despite having relatively little theatrical experience
at that point.
Born
in Slater, Missouri in 1887, Felice Lyne (true name Felicie,
pronounced Faylicie) had spent her early years in Kansas City
and Allentown, Pennsylvania, where her parents were both osteopathic
doctors. She did not blossom early or publicly, but with family
support sought voice training in Allentown that elicited strong
recommendations to train abroad. Friends were thus surprised
when she left for Paris with her mother in 1906, diligently
studying singing and language there, with the sole aim of grand
opera. Hammerstein discovered her in Paris, quickly determining
to recruit her at nearly any cost. Many thought her slight stature
(92 pounds when Hammerstein signed her) suited to light opera
and opera comique, which she never considered, and she rejected
Hammerstein’s inducements in early 1910 because he had contracted
to remove himself from American grand opera. She refused his
ever-escalating offers until he divulged to her his plan for
grand opera in London. She then agreed to perform “Lizbeth”
in Hans the Flute Player for Hammerstein’s fall season
at his Manhattan Opera House, in preparation for England. She
afterward returned to Paris, sang at the Grand Casino at San
Sebastian, Spain, attracting the attention of the king and queen,
and then arrived in London, to appear with Orville in late 1911,
still accompanied by her mother 12.
The
New York Times, December 3, 1911
AMERICAN
STAR WON FAME IN A NIGHT Felice Lyne Draws the London
Crowds That Hammerstein Longed to See ……Felice Lyne, the young
American soprano whose Gilda in “Rigoletto” created such a furor
in Oscar Hammerstein’s London Opera House, has been the most
sought-after person in London during the week. …..The result
has been seen in the dailies and weeklies, which devote an almost
absurd amount of space to such subjects as what Miss Lyne eats,
what she doesn’t, and other similarly important and interesting
details.
Orville
remained popular, (“he enhances his already big reputation
every time he appears” 13), Rigoletto
continued to play, and Faust debuted with Orville singing
the title role. However, Quo Vadis did not continue to
draw, and William Tell was generally a bore (part of
the reason that it was not often produced), as some of the initial
public excitement began to wane. Felice and Orville starred
together in debuting Lucia di Lammermoor during December,
again with acclaim.
The
New York Times, December 13, 1911
Orville
Harrold and Felice Lyne Add to Their London Fame ….Hammerstein’s
production of “Lucia” at the London Opera House tonight, with
Orville Harrold and Felice Lyne in the leading roles, proved
a further step toward that conquest of the British metropolis
which the impresario has set out to accomplish. Harrold more
than confirmed the impression he had already created that he
is one of the greatest tenors of the age, while Miss Lyne’s
rendering of the mad scene simply brought down the house.
Hammerstein
then had his burgeoning American stars open in Tales of Hoffman,
as box office receipts were satisfactory and special train services
were arranged for operagoers from other English cities. There
were also some concerns. Orville lamented being handicapped
by performance rights prohibitions that prevented Hammerstein
from producing Tosca and La Boheme, which would
have nicely displayed to his voice, but looked forward to soon
appearing in La Traviata and La Favorita, which
would improve his opportunities14. Hammerstein himself
had concerns, for box office receipts continued but subscriptions
were not coming in, subscriptions being essential for the financial
survival of any opera company15. A disappointment
in that regard had been that the king had unexpectedly departed
for India the day before Hammerstein’s London opening, dragging
away many influential persons whom Hammerstein had hoped would
attract support16. He was looking for improvement
after the holidays, but spoke of not giving summer opera if
subscriptions were not forthcoming.
Hammerstein
opened La Traviata in January, 1912, headlining Orville
Harrold and Victoria Fer, plus Romeo & Juliet with
Orville and Felice Lyne. Oscar also introduced several new lead
singers in January, because Lina Cavalieri had prior engagements
in St. Petersburg and likewise Maurice Renaud in Boston17.
Orville thus finally got to sing La Favorita, opposite
Lydia Locke as Inez18, who had been elevated to replace
Lina Cavalieri. But attendance continued to flag, as Covent
Garden sought exciting tenors to compete with Orville, and Hammerstein
moved ahead with plans to present operas on which Covent Garden
claimed exclusive rights for London production19.
It
was perhaps more important and reassuring to Orville than to
Hammerstein that they were visited in January by Otto H. Kahn,
the wealthy board chairman of the New York Metropolitan Opera,
and a convivial companion in operatic passion despite their
recent New York City competition. He took in an afternoon performance
of Rigoletto, being impressed with Orville Harrold and
Felice Lyne. He encouraged Hammerstein, between acts, commenting
that Miss Lyne’s voice was remarkable, while only one singer
in the world (Caruso) could compete with Harrold20.
“If they don’t draw, nothing will” he continued, kiddingly telling
Hammerstein that he should turn them into stock, being as “I
know good security when I see it.”
Hammerstein
hung on for the remainder of the winter season, keeping London
guessing as to what he would do. When asked by a London reporter
how business was going, Oscar replied, “Business? Opera is not
a business, it’s a disease!”21. When another reporter
asked if there was money in opera, Oscar quipped, “Yeah, mine!”.
His self-deprecating wit never left him, no matter what the
travails, which continued unabated. The Duke of Fife died, putting
the court into mourning and curtailing social events such as
opera. Despite it all, Hammerstein decided on a twelve-week
summer opera season, beginning in late April. That proved to
fall about a week after the Titanic sank, a national
tragedy for England that stalled box office activity. Hammerstein’s
response was to organize a Titanic relief fund performance,
the first to occur in London theatres22.
On
April 29th, 1912 Orville, Felice Lyne, and others
sang before King George and Queen Mary at Hammerstein’s benefit
concert for the League of Mercy. The cast included Lydia Locke
(Talbot), purportedly the widow of English army officer, Reginald
Talbot23. She was a tall American soprano who had
been drawn to the opportunity of Hammerstein’s London Opera
House, and who was getting to know Orville well. As the king
and queen entered the benefit, Oscar greeted them by stepping
forward with his hand extended and exclaiming, “Glad to see
you, King!” To this startlingly casual breech of royal etiquette,
King George smoothly replied, “I am delighted to meet you, Mr.
Hammerstein”, followed by a similarly gracious exchange with
the queen24. According to Orville, Oscar could never
see the humor in this incident. To the extent that aristocrats
confidently understand their superiority, Orville perceived
Hammerstein to conduct himself as one, feeling equal to other
aristocrats. He had respectfully removed his top hat, but otherwise
viewed the king as a merely a younger gentleman who spoke better
English, but had less knowledge of opera25.
The
summer season was performed, if in slightly abbreviated fashion,
with a few of Hammerstein’s gambits to attract audiences. In
June, The Chimes of Normandy featured three new “wild
card” pieces composed by Hammerstein to enliven the show. They
had something of the desired musical effect, with a waltz sung
by Orville being particularly melodious and endearing, but much
of the other cast and presentation were unremarkable. The summer
season closed, scattering the cast into an unknown future.
On
Wednesday July 17, Orville sailed for New York aboard the Olympic26,
sister ship to the Titanic and later having the distinction
of ramming and sinking the Nantucket lightship while approaching
New York Harbor in 1933. He headed home to Indiana for the short
term, then to New York to begin various engagements for Hammerstein.
Through thirty-two weeks in London, he had sung 112 times, in
nine different roles, in French, Italian, and English, in a
beautiful opera house, having been treated well by Hammerstein
and by the British public and critics27, who dubbed
him an American Caruso. Orville Harrold had become a known and
respected opera performer. From Effie Harrold’s scrapbook:
Vanity
Fair, London, 1911
Mr.
Harrold as “Faust” was in splendid form. The more I hear of
this artist the more do I feel confirmed in my original opinion
that in Mr. Harrold is born one of the four greatest tenors
living. His wonderful gift of crescendo on the highest notes
is remarkable, but he does not substitute mere noise for artistry.
A beautiful tone always, whether it be loud or soft, seems to
be his aim. Mr. Harrold’s “Faust” is one of the best ever seen
in London.
For
“Lucia Di Lammermoor”, Evening News, London, 1912
Mr.
Orville Harrold, who took the part of Edgar, is one of Mr. Hammerstein’s
greatest finds. His voice is really remarkable and he sings
and acts with great sense of style. He is easily classed as
one of the greatest tenors of today.
Weekly
Times, London, 1912
The
new tenor, Orville Harrold, was the hero of the evening. His
singing of Una Furtiva Lagrima, from Donizetti’s sparkling Elisir
D’Amore was rapturously encored. The singer easily reached the
high D flat in the English ballad which he substituted, the
last verse of which he had to repeat.
From
Sunday night concert, The Standard, London, 1912
The
feature of the concert was Mr. Harrold’s wonderful reception
after his singing of the aria from “Aida”.
Upon
reaching New York in late July, 1912 Orville stated that Hammerstein
may quit London opera, as mass-support was not there at the
prices Oscar had to charge to cover his expenses28,
and the company might thus tour the United States. Orville then
spent August and September with his family in Muncie, giving
concerts in several towns around central Indiana29 that
were arranged by his old Muncie singing teacher, Harry Paris.
While growing up in Greencastle, Indiana, Harry had injured
his back in a diving accident, leaving him in pain throughout
much of his life. Despite this, he had been directing choruses
and had become entrepreneurial, arranging concerts and singing
engagements in the region. He paired Orville with a Muncie accompanying
pianist named Agnes Monroe, who deftly blended with the range
and moods of Orville’s selections. While many pieces were from
opera, there were popular songs that suited Orville’s voice,
including The Secret and Mother McCree, the latter
a 1910 Irish song by Chauncey Olcott, with lyrics by Rida Johnson
Young. Young also wrote the story and lyrics for Naughty
Marietta, including I’m Falling In Love With Someone,
which had become another popular Orville standard. It was common
for Orville to then to appear in costume as Canio from Pagliacci,
explaining the story and singing and acting the part for a bit
of opera experience. They developed a popular standard presentation,
and Harry Paris began acting as Hammerstein’s agent in arranging
Orville’s mid-western concert tours29.5, which conveniently
allowed Orville to frequent Indiana to see his parents and family.
Orville
had reached a pinnacle, whatever Hammerstein’s London fate,
from where his emotions had drifted from Effie since his London-opening
cablegram to her the previous November. They had consequently
separated before he returned to New York in September. This
unfortunate turn was understandable, and probably inevitable.
Effie knew that there had been other women in Orville’s life
away from Muncie, but she had accommodated their circumstances
apart. But Patti was now thirteen years old and could be headstrong
and argumentative. (Based on family accounts of later years,
which may have been tainted by events more specific to that
period.) She knew of her father conquering distant stages, and
that he had just returned from New York, Paris, and London,
places of notice on downtown perfume bottles. For the moment,
the glamour of her father’s life was certainly more apparent
than the cost. However the discussions transpired, Patti returned
to New York with Orville.
It
was unclear what awaited Orville, whose future depended on Hammerstein.
Orville was probably aware that Oscar had finally and fully
abandoned London opera in late August, embracing a new plan
to build a chain of twenty opera houses in significantly sized
American cities (the largest cities already had opera) that
would support a limited opera season plus other theatre activities
for the remainder of the year30. A traveling opera
company would appear for two weeks at each, in initial years,
then expand to a month-long season, finally becoming a permanent
opera company at each, as was then found in many towns of France
and Germany. Oscar had come to understand that one percent of
American homes had a (expensive) piano and wanted music, justifying
“the most stupendous undertaking I have ever attempted31.”
The plan relied on organizations in each town to incorporate
independently funded companies that would support their local
opera house and theatre activities. Because these were not Hammerstein’s
and were not in New York, opera franchises appeared exempt from
Oscar’s non-compete contract with the Met. On the other hand,
while individual theatres were independent, Oscar’s plan depended
on all of them, which likely contributed to its ultimate demise.
Under
the franchise plan, Oscar had contracted with eight of his London
performers, including Orville, Felice Lyne, and Henry Weldon,
stipulating that they were to appear in either opera or concerts,
in either London or touring in America32. While Orville
thus had some security, theatre remained a shifting lifestyle.
The franchise scheme ultimately faded, but Oscar’s contracts
with his performers did not. Having returned to Paris after
the London Opera, Felice Lyne and her mother reached New York
in mid-September, 1912, with plans to spend about six weeks
in her old hometown of Kansas City before returning to Europe.
Her comments to ship news reporters immediately antagonized
Hammerstein, with whom she had had several disputes. One comment
was that she had slapped Oscar in London, after he had grievously
insulted her33, to which he responded with a $100,000
libel suit34. He claimed that she had not even been
in the room when the event occurred, and that she was simply
seeking advertising at the expense of his reputation. Oscar
had actually been thumped on the head with a score from Faust35
(Rigolleto by another account), and Orville stated years
later that Felice’s mother had done the thumping36.
The incident had occurred when Felice had been practicing in
London, and refused to stop when Oscar had summoned her to work
on another piece. Oscar had become angry, Felice stomped out,
and her mother defended her honor. (Hammerstein’s account of
the incident agreed, in large, with Orville’s.)
A
more serious statement of Felice’s at the New York pier was
that she was under no contract regarding American appearances37,
and expected to do little singing while here. Hammerstein filed
suit in Kansas Federal Court during mid-October, 1912 after
Felice had netted about $3000 ($150,000 today) from a benefit
concert arranged by the Shriners at the Kansas City Convention
Hall. Oscar claimed half of the proceeds, based on his contract
with Miss Lyne, and sought an injunction either preventing future
American appearances or yielding half the proceeds38
Miss Lyne’s attorney claimed that the contract did not prevent
her American appearances, and both Hammerstein suits were ultimately
decided in favor of Miss Lyne. Meanwhile, concert promoters
had sought to have Felice Lyne’s London co-star, Orville Harrold,
perform with her at the concert, doubly popular in Kansas City
because of Orville’s Kansas background. Thwarting this, Oscar
had Orville appear, beginning October 7, at a music festival
in Toronto, Canada, also featuring Met soprano Alice Nielsen,
popular New York orchestra conductor, Nathan Franko (sometime
Met conductor 1899-1913), and others39. Felice returned
to Europe after spending a brief period in her other hometown,
Allentown, Pennsylvania, and in New York, continuing to give
concerts in these and other locations.
Keeping
Orville busy and profitable, Oscar next rented him to the Chicago
Opera Company, which was formed in 1910 after Hammerstein’s
Manhattan Opera had closed, and included such former Hammerstein
artists as Mary Garden, Armand Crabbé, and conductor Cleofonte Campanini. This likely served Orville well,
placing him near Indiana and allowing other regional engagements.
Orville once traveled overnight from Chicago to Lafayette, Indiana
for a 1912 concert arranged by Harry Paris under agreement with
Hammerstein40. The Chicago Opera Company also performed
periodically at the (now) Metropolitan Opera House in Philadelphia,
under the name Chicago-Philadelphia Opera Company. In late 1912
they had Orville appear there in Rigolleto, supporting
the American debut of famed Italian baritone, Titta Ruffo41.
As with Orville, Ruffo sang for some time with the Chicago Opera,
which was attracting notable European talent. While Chicago
had worked for Orville on his 1910 tour with Tetrazzini, he
does not seem to have connected well with the Chicago Opera
or audiences, so that this venue did not remain for long among
his standard engagements.
Completing
1912, the year of Hammerstein’s London Opera closing, Arthur
and Oscar Hammerstein had Orville perform a concert with Emma
Trentini between Christmas and New Years (Dec. 29) at the New
York Hippodrome, their first appearance together since Naughty
Marietta42. The Hippodrome was New York’s largest
theatre, capable of seating 5000, and the concert featured a
75-chair orchestra. Trentini was then appearing at the Lyric
Theatre in a Hammerstein production named The Firefly,
for which Victor Herbert was originally to have written the
score. Herbert had quit the project over a major dispute with
Trentini (operatic prima donnas had some tendency toward emotional
volatility), after which Arthur Hammerstein had recruited relatively
unknown Czech composer, Rudolf Friml, because of his classical
background. Composed in only a month, The Firefly launched
Friml into a career of light operettas that sustained him for
a quarter century.
Meanwhile,
Oscar had scaled down to a more modest plan, strikingly akin
to his old ones, to build a new opera house and opera company
presenting grand opera in English. Most of his endeavors aimed
at popularizing opera, and he drew more common audiences than
did traditional venues. (His passion apparently overlooked the
fact that this was functionally a philanthropy.) This new idea
was percolating in various circles, based on occasional English-scripted
operas already being presented by the traditional houses, and
second tier opera companies frequently performed opera in English.
The financial engine behind this venture was nearly a million
dollars Hammerstein raised by selling his vaudeville rights
in the Times Square area to B. F. Keith (the Keith organization
in RKO: Radio Keith Orpheum), included those to his lucrative
Victoria Theatre43. Under agreement of the owners’
association, Hammerstein owned vaudeville rights in the area
between 29th and 59th Streets, in the
heart of the New York performance district43.5.
With
his third fortune, Oscar began the massive Lexington Opera House
on the corner of Lexington Avenue and 51st Street,
although the specifically intended use may not have been immediately
made public. Construction advanced through 1913, toward an opening
in January of 1914. This was all too much for the Met, which
had paid dearly to be free of Mr. Hammerstein. The courts upheld
the Met’s injunction suit44, so that Oscar sold out
his interests in 1915 without ever having presented opera in
his new theatre.
Oscar
was down, but not without assets. He spent the mid-teen years
in his office over the Victoria Theatre, once again conceiving
cigar manufacturing machines such as had made in first fortune,
to be ready for opera at the expiration of his non-compete contract
with the Met45. Several years before his death, a
sore opened on his foot, which never healed. Orville was with
him on one occasion when they were visited by a well known musical
manager named Max Rabinoff, who replied enthusiastically when
Oscar asked if he were going to continue presenting opera. After
a brief moment Oscar said, “Max, keep on giving opera, and
in a few years your foot will be as bad as mine46!”
Oscar had seen the hopelessness of the game, as perhaps
his son, William, had also. Willie had reportedly originated
the “pie-in-your-face” routine while managing vaudeville at
the Victoria, but had forbidden his son, Oscar Hammerstein II,
from entering the theatre and music business. Insisting on a
regular paying profession, Willie had his son attend Columbia
University and then Columbia Law School. Only after Willie had
died did Oscar Hammerstein II drop out of law school and begin
seriously pursuing drama and music.
Orville
and Oscar had always remained cordial, despite some strident
disagreements. Shocked at Oscar’s deteriorating health during
mid-1919, Oscar took Orville’s hand and said, “Mike, we’ve
been good friends, but I guess this is about the last time we’ll
see each other. I’m alive from the neck up47!”
Orville remained convinced that Hammerstein was driven
purely by passion for grand opera, and that were personal aggrandizement
his motive, there would surely have been cheaper and more certain
methods of achieving it.
Oscar
Hammerstein died on August 1, 1919, having presented no more
operatic productions after his London invasion. Ultimately,
even his competitors had to grant him his accomplishments. An
Oscar Hammerstein Memorial Association held a presentation on
Sunday morning, March 28, 1920 at the 71st Regiment
Armory, followed by a memorial service at Oscar’s Manhattan
Opera House that afternoon. Among others, the organizing committee
included Met Board Chairman, Otto Kahn, Met director, Giulio
Gatti-Casazza, Met tenor, Enrico Caruso, Met sopranos, Geraldine
Farrar and Frances Alda, Mary Garden, the Hammerstein discovery
who was then directing presentations of the Chicago Opera Company,
and Orville Harrold, then a tenor at the Met48.
Orville’s
fondness for his patron is described in his memoir of Hammerstein49:
Some
singers declared that Hammerstein was impossible to deal with,
that he was egoistic, vindictive, insulting. Perhaps he was
the first, the third he might have been when he was angry, the
second he never was. He discovered me, he made me, and I never
had but one quarrel with him, and for this he apologized twenty-four
hours afterwards. I look back on him with gratitude, with admiration,
even with love. ….. Before he came opera had sunk into the plaything
of society; he opened the doors and let in the crowd.
While
the Met has far outlasted Hammerstein’s Manhattan Opera Company,
his opera houses, where Orville first performed grand opera,
have outlasted theirs and are entering their second century
of life. The original Metropolitan Opera House, built at 39th
St. and Broadway in 1883, was demolished in 1967, when the Met
moved to the new Lincoln Center at old Lincoln Square. Hammerstein’s
Manhattan Opera House on West 34th Street went through
various ownerships, as a large Masonic Temple among other things,
to become today’s Manhattan Performance center. It houses numerous
performing and recording studios, as well as the Hammerstein
Ballroom, the main performance stage. His Philadelphia Opera
House was operated by the Met until 1920 and is still known
as the Metropolitan Opera House, also having seen such later
uses as cinema and sports, and is now on the National Register
of Historic Places. Through some strange twist, in separate
purchases, Hammerstein’s two opera houses are now owned by churches.
As
1912 closed on Orville, amid a late flurry of concerts and engagements
through Indiana, Chicago, Philadelphia, and New York, it is
easy to lose track of daughter, Patti. She was probably in New
York to start school during the fall, where she was enrolled
in an academy on the Hudson River50 to study voice51.
This was certainly a boarding school, given Orville’s absences,
and it is difficult to understand just how he envisioned his
new family situation to work. Orville likely inherited a relatively
unstructured view of parenting, and some form of this arrangement
apparently went on for much of the following year. Patti would
have had general access to Orville’s lifestyle, which would
have been among New York theatre and music personalities. She
would also have become aware of his personal life and relationships
as she had never previously known them. It all was most certainly
an eye-opener for the young Indiana girl.
Fame and operatic success had finally arrived for Orville. His
voice was as good as early mentors had hoped, and he had demonstrated
personal dedication and attributes to achieve acclaim with it.
The solitary trek from his boyhood mid-west had paid returns,
but at a cost to his family and to his home connections. Effie
still loved Orville, but had also built a social existence in
her life without him. The future was in new directions, and
theatre continued to be a life of constant change.
1. Hammerstein Ready To Build In London, New York Times, October 15,
1910, describing start of London construction, and 1911 plans
for Orville in Paris & London, also Hammerstein’s London
Opera House, New York Times, January 24, 1911
2. Orville Harrold Studied Here, New York Times, November
15, 1911
3. Hammerstein’s London Opera House, New York Times,
January 24, 1911
4. ibid.
5. The Hoosier Hot Shots, Dick Stodghill (D. Stodghill,
Chagrin Falls, Ohio, 2007) pg. 26
6. From Plow-Boy to Parsifal, Orville Harrold (Etude
Magazine, New York, July, 1922) pg. 444, corroborated by New
York Times, January 28, 1914
7. Lina Cavalieri, Paul Fryer & Olga Usova (McFarland
& Co., Jefferson, North Carolina, 2004) pg. 132
8. ibid.
8.5 Orville Harrold’s Voice Takes All London By Storm,
New York American, November 16, 1911, pg 4
9. Concert program, from the scrapbook of Lydia Locke,
provided by Nancy A. Locke
10. Orville Harrold’s Career Reviewed, Muncie Sunday
Star, November 26, 1911, from the scrapbook of Effie Kiger Harrold
11. My Memories of Oscar Hammerstein, Orville Harrold
(Theatre Magazine Company, New York, April, 1923) pg. 64
12. Young American Singer Who Has Captured London, New
York Times, Dec. 3, 1911
13. American Star Won Fame In A Night, New York Times,
December 3, 1911, separate article from above
14. Americans’ Success In London Opera, New York Times,
December 17, 1911
15. ibid.
16. Ready For London Opera, New York Times, April 21,
1912
17. Hammerstein After Caruso, New York Times, January
7, 1912
18. Review from unnamed English newspaper, provided
by Nancy A. Locke
19. Hammerstein Faces Covent Garden Suit, New York Times,
February 4, 1912
20. Hammerstein Has London Guessing, New York Times,
January 21, 1912
21. My Memories of Oscar Hammerstein, Orville Harrold,
pg. 66
22. Ready For London Opera, New York Times, April 21,
1912
23. Birmingham Daily Mail, April, 1912, provided by
Nancy A. Locke, March 12, 2010
24. My Memories of Oscar Hammerstein, Orville Harrold,
pgs. 10 & 64
25. ibid. pg. 64
26. Orville Harrold Coming, New York Times, July 21,
1912
27. ibid.
28. Orville Harrold Returns, New York Times, July 25,
1912
29. Unknown Ft. Wayne, Indiana newspaper, from the scrapbook
of Effie Kiger Harrold, also The Ft. Wayne News, August 31,
1913, pg. 10
29.5. Harry Paris arranges Midwest concerts, while Orville
remains under the direction of Oscar Hammerstein, stated in
numerous news clippings in Patti Harrold’s scrapbook
30. Hammerstein Gives Up Opera In London, New York Times,
August 20, 1912
31. ibid.
32. ibid.
33. Hammerstein Asks $100,000 In Libel Suit, New York
Times, September 24, 1912
34. ibid.
35. My Memories of Oscar Hammerstein, Orville Harrold,
pg. 66
36. ibid.
37. Felice Lyne Coming Home, New York Times, September
4, 1912
38. Hammerstein Sues Star, New York Times, October 16,
1912
39. Brilliant Assemblage of Musical Artists, Toronto
World, October 5, 1912, and World’s Best Musicians Thrill Crowd
at Arena, Toronto Daily, October 8, 1912, both from Patti Harrold’s
scrapbook
40. Orville Harrold Worked And Sang His Way To Fame,
un-attributed news clipping in Patti Harrold’s scrapbook, concerning
appearances in Chicago and Lafayette, Indiana
41. Famous Baritone In Rigoletto, un-attributed Philadelphia
news clipping in Patti Harrold’s scrapbook, describing Ruffo’s
debut at the Chicago-Philadelphia Opera, under Andrea Dippel
42. Trentini and Harrold in Concert, New York Times,
December 9, 1912
43. My Memories of Oscar Hammerstein, Orville Harrold,
pg. 66
43.5 Hammerstein Sails; Is Weary of London, New York
Times, July 28, 1912
44. Hammerstein Gives Up His Opera Plans, New York Times,
January 6, 1914
45. My Memories of Oscar Hammerstein, Orville Harrold,
pg. 66
46. ibid.
47. ibid.
48. For Hammerstein Memorial, New York Times, January
18, 1920
49. My Memories of Oscar Hammerstein, Orville Harrold,
pg. 68
50.
Orville Harrold Divorced, New York Times, February 18, 1913
51. Success For Harrold, The Hutchinson News, February
16, 1913
Next
...
[Preface]
[Orville's
Worlds] [Family] [Young
Orville ] [To New York] [To
London, and back] [The Second Marriage,
1913 – 1917] [The Third Marriage,
Rehabilitation] [The Met Years,
Two careers 1920-1924] [Photogallery]
