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OnaJanuaryeveningoftheearlyseventies,ChristineNilssonwassinginginFaustattheAcademyofMusicinNewYork.
Thoughtherewasalreadytalkoftheerection, inremotemetropolitandistances "abovetheForties," ofanewOperaHousewhichshouldcompeteincostlinessandsplendourwiththoseofthegreatEuropeancapitals, , andthuskeepingoutthe "newpeople" whomNewYorkwasbeginningtodreadandyetbedrawnto; andthesentimentalclungtoitforitshistoricassociations, andthemusicalforitsexcellentacoustics, alwayssoproblematicaqualityinhallsbuiltforthehearingofmusic.
ItwasMadameNilsson'sfirstappearancethatwinter, andwhatthedailypresshadalreadylearnedtodescribeas "anexceptionallybrilliantaudience" hadgatheredtohearher, transportedthroughtheslippery, snowystreetsinprivatebroughams, inthespaciousfamilylandau, orinthehumblerbutmoreconvenient "Browncoupe." TocometotheOperainaBrowncoupewasalmostashonourableawayofarrivingasinone'sowncarriage; anddeparturebythesamemeanshadtheimmenseadvantageofenablingone (withaplayfulallusiontodemocraticprinciples) toscrambleintothefirstBrownconveyanceintheline, insteadofwaitingtillthecold-and-gincongestednoseofone'-stableman'smostmasterlyintuitionstohavediscoveredthatAmericanswanttogetawayfromamusementevenmorequicklythantheywanttogettoit.
