Gigli Out

Beniamino Gigli (pronounced "zhee-lee"), self-styled "world's greatest tenor," let it be known last week that he for one would not go on singing at Manhattan's Metropolitan Opera House at a reduced salary. Gigli made his reputation at the Metropolitan before he started coining money in concert. He, it was revealed, was the one artist who would not voluntarily take a 10%, salary cut last winter (TIME, Nov. 30). The Metropolitan said: "He not only refused to make a concession of a single cent, but in addition criticized and ridiculed the artists who had reduced their salaries. . . . Under the circumstances, the relations between the opera company and Mr. Beniamino Gigli be came intolerable. . . ." Tenor Gigli said that the salary cut would have taken $23,000 out of the $100,000 coming to him by contract next year. "I have no regret and no apology to make. ... I was ready with my fellow-artists to contribute a substantial part of my earnings. ... But when my sincere offers were met with conditions and impositions which would have diminished my dignity as a man and as an artist, I preferred to follow the only straight path: never to bargain with one's self respect leave the Metropolitan with a tranquil conscience but with sadness in my heart. . . ."

Gigli's fellow-artists vigorously took up the rebuttal. Thirty-two signed a statement: "No serious pretext can explain such a behavior. . . . Mr. Gigli has during the current season profited from the sacrifice which we have made to keep the Metropolitan going and is again trying to get his full salary at the expense of all of us who are reducing our respective salaries. We protest against Mr. Gigli's lack of co-operation and esprit de corps."

The New York Times headlined a rumor that Soprano Maria Jeritza was also quitting the opera because of the salary cut. Manager Gatti-Casazza furiously denied this. Jeritza was one of the first to take the salary cut in the autumn. But her contract has expired, has not yet been renewed for the shortened 1932-33 season. The Times rumor appeared to be founded on the fact that Swedish Soprano Goeta Ljungberg, tall & blonde like Jeritza, is ready to sing Tosca next year, a role Jeritza usually sings.

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