That the Chicago Opera Company closes its season with a deficit year after year is a fact to which we have become reconciled. This loss is not significant of anything in particular, in view of the fact that similar educational institutions of Europe receive an annual subsidy, without which the continuance of opera would be an impossibility. Thus we note that the interest of Europeans exceeds the interest of American theater audiences. However, the depression is an additional cause for the exceptionally high deficit recorded by the opera company this year, which rose to $1,079,473. As the records show, this sum more than doubled the loss suffered last year.....Taking into consideration that the majority comprising our opera audiences are members of wealthy families, the picture of the economic depression is thus brought before us very clearly. Neverless, as great as 2as the deficit proved, the sponsors, who are prosperous Chicagoans, must not fail to sponsor the city opera again at the coming season.

In the pursuit of finding a way to decrease the deficit, an increase of attendance of opera will be sought. The first difficulty will be encountered right there, since the musical education of the general public is exceedingly low. Moreover, the younger generation has nothing but contempt for opera, the explanation of which can be found in the fact that it lacks any conception of higher type of music. Again, another type which has a rather fair conception of opera, acquired rather than innate, has come to the conclusion that opera is out of date, and has no place in the present day .... However, there are many persons, too, who prefer a well-prepared opera performance to a moving picture theatre, or the popular dance halls. It is highly regrettable that our modern youth does not seek entertainment of a higher intellectual caliber. Only a shrugging of shoulders is the answer when opera is mentioned to young people. The well-known old proverb is well applied here: "What 3the farmer does not know, he shies away from." Let us now change the picture to the more serious adult, whose interest in opera could easily be aroused, but for one plausible reason; namely, that it became a custom to make opera attendance a social affair. Formal evening attire is, of course, adding to the attractiveness of those whose financial status permits these indulgencies. But how about the middle class, which would enjoy an opera occasionally, but cannot invest in expensive evening apparel for which there is no use otherwise. This class, not wishing to appear conspicuous, prefers to forego the pleasure of hearing an opera. It has been a great psychological mistake to introduce in America the same strict rules calling for formal evening dress, as has been decreed for the foremost European Opera Houses.

High priced seats are another obstacle dimming the financial success of opera. The average price per seat was $4.00 for the past season.

Regardless of the fact that more reasonable seats are also on sale, the price for the ticket is still not within the reach of the moderate income of the large majority. The management of the Civic Opera should give more thought to this question, since it would be infinitely preferable to perform before capacity audiences at lower rates, than uphold the prevailing high prices coupled with the unpleasant experience of performing before an almost empty house.

Then too, extremely high salaries paid to certain artists is out of balance, under the circumstances. However, experience has taught us that any move in this direction would be difficult and futile.

And last, but not least, attention must be turned to the fact that operas are performed in the original language in which they have been written, thus rendering it difficult for the average American to follow the 5dialogue, although he may be well-acquainted with the text of arias.

Our suggestion to the management of the Civic opera is to take under consideration a season of opera in English. It would be an experiment worthwhile the effort.