EARNINGS OF GREAT MUSICIANS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 7 September 1907, Page 4

EARNINGS OF GREAT MUSICIANS.

Writing of the fees and salaries musicians receive in America, a contributor to Munsey's Magazine says: When Adelina t'atli saiig ill opera for the late Henry K. Abbey she received JOOlldol. a night—which is probably the highest salary ever paid to a musical performer of anv kind, Xext to l'ntti in earning ability stood, and perhaps still stands, Jean do"l!oszke. When M. de P, w.ke first came to this country, lie received a thousand dollars 11 performance; but so great was his success that lie demanded higher terms, and Maurice (.Iran was glad to grant them. For some time his nightly honorarium was 120(1 dollars, and later i n it was raised to still higher figures. During his last season in New York lie averaged 2400 dollars a night, which included a guarantee of 1800 dollars and a percentage of the. box-office, receipts. One of the richest women in the operatic world is Marcella Sembrish. Her salary here is a thousand dollars a performance.

Lilian Xordica has been earning a thousand dollars a night for years, but she is receiving more than that now. The best informations puts it at eleven hundred and fifty dollars a performaiif ■. Mine. Xordica is a woman of wealth, a property-owner, and a shrewd buyer. Her annual earnings must be in the neighborhood of seventy thousand dollars.

Emma Fames has a palatial residence in Paris, and a magnificent villa in Italy. Her salary is said to be eight hundred dollars a night. Mrae. Calve belongs to the thousand-dollar class of singers, and her annual income is about forty thousand dollars.

Caruso was engaged by Maurice Gran after his success in Loudon. When Mr Grati gave up the Metropolitan Mr Conreid took over the Ciiruso contract at one thousand dollars a performance, with a small increase each season. The agreement was for four years, and under it the great Italian tenor received last winter a nightly fee. of eleven hundred dollars, although as a business proposition he is worth to the manager as much as Jean de Reszke ever was.

Pad.newski has made several visits to America, nn.l each lime lias earned at least 150,000d01. in a season. Once Ms receipts topped 200,(100(10. Padorewski's recitals in Now York always crowd Carnegie Hall to its capacity,'wliieli, at Jlis prices of admission, means the taking of -JOOOdol. at the liox-ofliee. Fourfifths of this is clear profit. At this rate, Paclorewski is the most highlypaid musician in the world. lie is, however, a remarkable exception among instrumentalists, and no one else approaches him in earning power. After Paderewski, the largest fees probably go to the youthful Kugelik, who receives for his concerts in America fidndol. a performance. Joseph llofinann may be ranked third among instrumentalists. Of the others there are a few who j;et more than SHO dol. a night, and as a rule their engagements are comparatively infrequent. Lastly, mention should be made of the conductors, to whom not inconsiderable earning possibilities are open nowadays. At the head of this class stands Arthur Nikisch, conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, and several other organisations. Herr Nikisch's income is 2.">,0n0d01. a year. Theodore Thomas used to get KS.OOOdoI. a year from the Chicago Orchestra, hut lie had to purchase all his music. Wilhelm Gerickc, who recently resigned from the Boston Symphony 'Orchestra, received 111.000 did. a year.