the Editor of the "Norm-Cutxa Dany News'
Sw—Last Sunday's matinee presentation of the opera "A Life for {the Tsar" was an exceptionally good performance and full credit must be [given to all those concerned. Judg~ {ing from the previous presentations fof various operas, those written by Russian composers are far better interpreted, Just one fact is exceedingly regretful-and that is, one cannot get a full Impression and appreciation of the performance owing to the Jaudience being so unpunctual. It }was most aggravating to see, persons: walking down the aisle, looking for {their seats and whispering while the orchestra was already playing the overture. The same state of affairs Jeontinued even throughout the whole fof the frst act, to say the least of the constant opening and closing of the entrance doors, May I suggest that in future the management introduces a rule—which exists in fall the European elties—to close all the entrance doors a few minutes before the maestro takes his. siond, [The management should have no fear that this kind of action will have an adverse effect on its business. On the contrary, those who will be compelled to stand. in the vestibule and listen to the first fact behind a closed door will certainly rush to the second perfor~ mance in order to "see" what they,|missea in the first one, and, more-lover, that will teach Shanghai Jaudiences a good lesson, Take, for example, the" Symphony Concerts, the rule of closing all the entrance Jdoors has existed ever since its [inception and we do not see that the [Symphony Concerts are in any way suffering from such action.
It must be borne in mind that practically "everywhere opera either financed by patrons of art or by different states, and therefore a Uttle more respect, is required of the Shanghai audiences to the deserving group who have thus organized it for the sake of art) alone, especially under conditions eevailing in Shanghai, Tue Muss, [shanghat, Mar. 14,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.