American opera wars: an early history of The Metropolitan Opera in the times of Adamo Didur

The paper outlines the background of Adam Didur’s career in The Metropolitan Opera (House) in New York, describing its early history and so called “opera wars”, that defined its character and managing style. Opera in the United States initially was perceived as a non-American genre. Associated with European and elitist culture was not supported by wide American audience. Only immigrants from Italy and Germany could be treated as its natural popular base. The New York Academy of Music, founded in 1854, was a stronghold of old American aristocratic families that fiercely defended its character and elitism. In 1883 The Metropolitan Opera was founded as an opera house owned and welcomed by members of new American elites, representing a rapidly developing world of mass industry. The first American opera war ended in 1886 when The Academy of Music was closed. The first years of The Metropolitan Opera, after management of Leopold Damrosch, were called “German seasons”. Managers such as Maurice Grau or Heinrich Conried focused on promoting “star system” in opera. It led to the second American opera war, which The MET fought against The Manhattan Opera Company, under Oscar Hammerstein’s management. The MOC addressed it repertoire to the wider audience and introduced operas sang in English. In 1898 Guilio Gatti-Casazza and Arturo Toscanini took over entrepreneurship of The MET, starting its first period of history as a leading opera house in the world. In 1908 Adam Didur debuted in The MET, singing the part of Mefisto in Charles Gounod’s Faust