singers, and
gave to the public adequate representations of many of the Wagnerian
operas. Dr. Damrosch died in 1885 and his work was taken up by Anton
Seidl, who had been associated with Wagner in the production of the
"Ring" at Beyreuth. Under Seidl "Die Meistersinger" had its first
performance in America, in 1886; "Tristan und Isolde" and "Siegfried" in
1887; "Die Goetterdaemmerung," in 1888, and "Das Rheingold" in 1889. Thus
German opera was well launched in this period.

To return to Italian opera,--Colonel Mapleson invaded the United States
in 1878 bringing with him a good company of singers. He did not go
farther west than St. Louis. Several tours followed in succeeding years.
During his third tour he gave the first performance in America of
Boito's "Mefistofele," with Campanini, Valleria, Cary and Novara. About
this time he found a strong competitor in Henry E. Abbey, who secured
Nilsson as a counter-attraction to Patti who was under Mapleson. This
competition caused Mapleson to proceed farther west, so he led his
company as far as San Francisco, where he appears to have taken the town
by storm, and, if his account is correct, the march in "Aida" was
performed by six hundred of the State militia and he had the assistance
of a military band and an extra chorus of three hundred and fifty
voices. But Mapleson's enterprises were beset with difficulties and
finally ended in disaster, although not for some years. To many people,
who can remember the rivalry between Abbey and Mapleson in the eighties,
when Patti, Gerster, Sembrich, Scalchi, Nilsson, Annie Louise Cary,
Campanini, Ravelli and del Puente were in their prime, these were the
days of Italian opera in America. Probably much was lacking in the
staging and scenery, but the singers have been unsurpassed.

Before closing the review of this period we come to that which is of
immense importance in the development of music in America, viz. the
appearance of a number of composers who have taken high rank among the
composers of the world;--John K. Paine, whose first symphony was
produced in 1875, was followed shortly by Arthur Bird, George W.
Chadwick, Horatio Parker, Harry Rowe Shelley, Dudley Buck and Edward A.
MacDowell. Nothing speaks more eloquently of the progress of music in
America than the work of these men, and of several others of smaller
achievements.

1875. Jan. 6. "Wotan's Departure" and "The Magic Fire Scene" from
Wagner's opera "Die Walkuere"