The peculiar rivalry that has developed between the New York and Chicago executive offices of the Chicago Opera Company on the question of subscriptions for the season of grand opera given by the organization in each city has been responsible for bringing to light the often suspected but now clearly proved fact that the Jews are the greatest patrons of music in America. The subject is one that has been widely discussed for many years, and one which has aroused a great deal of controversy. The controversy is now ended by the authoritative statement of Executive Director Herbert M. Johnson of the Chicago Opera Company that the Jewish people of America are the backbone and mainstay of musical activities throughout the country, with particular reference to grand opera.

The bitter rivalry that has long existed between the Chicago and the New York headquarters of the Chicago Opera Company has reached a climax this year in the effort of each to outdo the other in amount of business. This condition 2has been responsible for a scientific survey of the situation and an analysis of the sources of operatic support such as has never hitherto been made in this country. This has resulted in many surprises, not the least of which is that the boasted German and Italian support of such enterprises falls far behind that given by the Jewish people.

A circumstance which is undoubtedly largely responsible for this situation is that recently grand opera has ceased to be the exclusive plaything of the social elect and the very rich, and has come to be regarded as the privilege of the many. The same miscellaneous gathering of people from all walks and conditions of life can now be seen at a gala operatic performance as one can see at a ball game or a motion picture show. They are there, irrespective of social or financial status, for the specific purpose of enjoying themselves, and it has come to be generally understood that under existing conditions, with post-war prices prevailing in the theaters, grand opera offers the greatest bargain within reach of the average amusement lover.

For his money--it may be one dollar or seven, according to his choice of seats--he may revel in the most emotional and stirring melodrama, feast his eye upon a gorgeous spectacle, enjoy the playing of the finest orchestras, and delight in the voices of the foremost celebrities of the musical world. With this in mind, it is not difficult to understand why the Jew, in proportion to his numbers, is the greatest modern patron of grand opera.

It has always been assumed, without any specific foundation, that his well-known predilection toward and pre-eminently successful employment of the violin stamped the Jew as essentially a lover of instrumental music. That he is such is proven by the names that figure most prominently in almost any concert program, and in the large proportion of Jews to be found in the audience at any fine concert or recital. This development, however, has not been at the expense of his inherent love of vocal music, proven beyond all debate by the constancy with which the cantor has held pre-eminence in the Jewish devotional ritual throughout the ages.

The profession of music among Jews is, by no means, confined to instrumental music. What more glorious example of the singer's art does the entire world boast than can be found in the person of Rosa Raisa, whose matchless artistry won out against all the distress and all the obstacles produced by the pogroms in her native Russian village. Doubtless the great tragedies that impressed themselves upon her receptive mind as a child are responsible for the profound emotion that this great artist brings to bear upon the roles in which she excels.

Raisa is mentioned merely because of her great prominence in the operatic world, not that the presence of a Jewess in this field is in itself remarkable. There are many Jewish singers; the latest addition to the Chicago Opera forces is a Jewish girl who is known to a great number of Chicago families. Her present position is due to the fact that they recognized her ability and made it possible for her to continue her studies when her own means and that of her family were totally inadequate for that purpose. The artist in question is 5Frances Paperte, a young mezzo-soprano of great promise who will make her appearance with the organization late in November, and who has been cast for some splendid roles. Miss Paperte came from a small Wisconsin town to Chicago because Chicago offered opportunities for a musical education. Several prominent local families became interested in her and she was soon demonstrating such pronounced vocal ability that she was much sought after for concert, oratorio, and at-home appearances. Through this activity Miss Paperte was brought to the attention of Executive Director Herbert M. Johnson of the Chicago Opera Company, who promptly engaged the promising young artist.

Of greater promise for the future, however, is the fact that the Chicago Opera Company swarms with youngsters of splendid vocal possibilities who constitute a vast majority of the chorus. Each of these is a serious-minded vocal student who is preparing for a professional career and is taking advantage of the splendid possibilities for training offered by the great Chicago Opera Company. There was a time when the Italians monopolized the chorus of all the 6grand opera companies--a circumstance that is not remarkable in view of the fact that the Italians discovered, created, and developed grand opera--but they are in a hopeless minority today in the chorus of the great opera companies of America, particularly in the male section. These young Jewish men who have seized the opportunity of chorus work as a great technical school, sing in Italian, French, and English with equal fluency and constitute material from which some great artists will mature.

This circumstance, quite as much as the remarkable patronage the Jewish people are giving grand opera, shows the trend of the Jewish mind in relation to music and gives promise of some truly remarkable developments. As an indication of the manner in which the Jewish people are rallying to grand opera as their ideal form of entertainment, we may authoritatively state that in New York, where Jewish patrons have taken Friday night as their own, the sale of seats at this time, nearly three months before the opening of the season, is nearly double that of any other night. As a matter of fact, the six Friday nights 7of the Manhattan season are practically sold out.