Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1871-04-12
PassiOn-PIay at Oberammergau.

The little village of Oberammergau is
prettily situated Just inside the Bavarian
Tyrol, in a sort OF meadow land, with bold
high hills on the south, and lower rolling
country north. The inhabitants, number
ing some twelve hundred, are peasants,
and, with few exceptions, carYers in wood
an occupation which seems TO raise them
quite above the ordinary bauer, or farmer.
Many Of their carvings are really art
works, and bear the marks of careful
study. Rubens Descent and Da Ninci's
Last Supper have been most beautifully
cut in apple wood
In the center eff the village is the church,
an object of veueration, love, and tender
care, as the well-preseryed frescoes, fresh
blooming flowers on the altar, and exquis-
ite neatness of the interior amply testify.
The church yard and exterior show the
same loving hands, which rear delicately
climbing vines, and plant Towering shrubs
near each little hillock. There Is some
thing particularly touching in this simple
but constant remembrance of the dear de-
parted ones. Sleeping around their church
in the heart of the busy village, every
mass brings some kind friend TO sprink lie
their graves with holy water, which, wheth-
er the act, considered religiously, has vIr-
tue or not, Is, at least, proof that they
are not forgotten.
The cottages, built of stone covered with
plaster. with the low broad Swiss roof
weighed with stones TO hold on the shin
giles, have each its little garden OF vegeta-
bles, fruit and rose trees ; and on approach
ing the village, the entire absence of large
cultivated fields shows plainly the indoor
occupation of the peasants. An atmos-
phere of general peace and good will seems
to perYade the place, and pursuing the
even tenor Of their way, the villagers come
and 90, making their faith their life, and
50 are gently gathered to their fathers.
This being the character Of these peasants,
one can understand with what a sense of
reverence and pious care they undertake
the performance of so sacred drama as
the Passion of Christ, considering 1t =
bounden duty which, if not conceived in
devotional spirit, would be to them an ev-
erlasting stain.
Two years previous TO the performance
the principal characters are chosen, as the
individual personating Christ must allow
his hair to grow for that length of time,
as also Joseph of Arimathea, St. John
and many of the disciples, and the boards
are trained to initiate as nearly as possi-
bic the best existing pictures Of the Vari-
Gus characters. In the preceding JanuIry
rehearsas are held four times weekly, con-
tinuins up to the time of performance !;
and after every Sunday vespers, in the
church, costumes and stage appointments
are arranged. The selection of colors is
wonderful St. John has the real Am
brecht Durer green and red St. Peter,
the blue and yellow, expressing doubt ;
Judas, orange and yellow the Maria,
crimson and blue the Christ, crimson and
purple and 50 on. The robes of the
ewish priests and dwellers in Jerusalem
are all symboical colors, and so exactly
like the pictures with which we are all ia
miliar that one soon regards every charac-
ter as an old friend. The theatre, capable
of seating six thousand people, is, with the
exception of the first and second rows of
boxes, entirely uncovered, exposed to wind,
rain or sun, as the case may be. The
stage, also uncovered, and representing the
streets Of Jerusalem, has in its center a
small rooted theatre on one side of which
is the house of Annas, and on the other
side that of Plate. This theatre. of course,
is provided with drop-curtain, flies, traps,
and the necessary theatrical accessories.
Here all the action takes place, and here
are arranged all the Old Testament tab
leaux, always preceding each scene for
instance, The Lords Supper follows Mirac-
ulous Mamma in the Wilderness. This
small theatre is capable of being used with
the large stage to good effect when pa
geant or procession of any sort occurs
Harper'S Magazine.