Before Sir Augustus (then Mr.) Harris became manager of the Covent Garden Theatre, he started Italian Opera at Drury Lane. That was in 1886, and I remember one evening on which a grand opera (I think it was Faust) was given, at which I was present, when Ella Russell, Jean and Edouard de Reszke, and other good artists sang. Harris was sitting in the stalls immediately in front of me, and, turning round, said to me in a despondent way : " Ganz, look at this empty house!" With such good singers he felt quite dis- couraged, but he had his reward later on.