New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-03-23
MUSIC.
uACNER,S LOHENGRIN.

Music will be an event OF the very hie' am
portapee in the world Of art. Whatever we
may think Of the peculiar theories embodied III
this extraordinary work. we must all admit .na'
they have attained prominence that enuteS
them 70 the most careful consideration whether io
good or for evil Wagner has made an indehoie mar
upon hts age; his influence has been felt In inc o'
distant and unexpected quarters. ana the numpei "
activity of his disciples increase every day AZ ca
nccelerating ratio. "Lohengrin has beeh reoeNVU
with raptare in Italy where oil the traditions Oh INC
svric stage are Numerically opposed TO H. ana IL is una
fng its way in nearly all inc "' V"P
of the continent, with the Single eAooP"o" "
p,r,. IL has often been promised, but never per
,ormed in London where Madame Parepa-koSa IN
tended TO bring it ont this month at Drury hahe'
,,S indeed seems 10 be far behind the rest OF the
orld in musical experience. and IL is only WITHIN year.
ar perhaps a little more, that the bonuoh ""s"o,
Society under the pulse of few jealous osclPies Vi
,be now school, has introduced TO the BRUSH meuopo
q few OF the rich selections from "Lohengrlu'
Tristan" and other works, which MI Ineouore i"oi
long ago made popular with u.s.
.Iohenern" is a later composition than "Tannhau'
having been completed IN lSiS though IL was not
reformed until two years later, when Liszt orougn'
- t a, Weimar and made IL the subject of one OF his
,oost brilliant and characteristic literary essays Az
ar end Of nv last ctay in Paris" says Wagner, when,
an miserable, and desparng, sat brooding over my
90, m eve fell on the of my 'Lohengrn totally
f,,cotten by me- Suddenly felt something Ike com
posson that this music should never souno from on ehe
aeatbpale paper Two words wrote TO Lszt; MS an
swer was the news that preparations for the PERFORM
noo were being made on the largest scale that the
limited means of Wcmar would permit Everything
tbat men and crcums could do was done IN order
q, make the work understood. Errors and misconcep-
fous mpeded the desired What was TO be done
10 supply what wanted, as to further the true
understanding all sides and with 1t the ultimate sue
ress Of the work. List saw 1t at once ana d'd H. he
gave to the public his own impression OF the WORK III
manner the convincing eoquence and overpowerins
efficacy OF which remain unequaled.' Wherever IL
has had an adequate representation, " Lohengrlh
has been more or successful; where 1t is really ire"
done we believe II will always be immediately Sppre
slated Although tine departure from the conNehionai
peratc forms is almost complete IN IT, so that eon
Rains absolutely not one separate "tune" (usng that
word in its narrow popular sense) except Tue briuo-
aauso it csptyates the average listener uhuseu u
sne COMPOSERS methods and ignorant Of his theories
much more readily than "Tannha1ser. III Is SUI
fused with softer poetic atmosphere; the cohhecon
Between the action of the drama ana the sentiment vi
sbe music is more instantly apparent; aud the mind Is
more quickly moved 9y the wonderfully expressive
power the romantic strains arising as II spontaneously
out OF the beautiful poem. Hence "LOhengrn Is well
chosen rs the medium for introducing wagner tor inc
Grst time to the great operate stage of America
We say "for the first time" because Wagner has
never yet been interpreted in our chief opera house
BIZ u company OF the nlgheSt CLASS.
has indeed been sung here several times by Ger
man companies aud "LOhengrin" creditably
brought out at the stadt Theater on the Sd OF
April 1871 under the direction of Mr. Neuen-
dorR But these performances were addressed almost
exclusively to German feOwczenS attracted very
little attention from the native population, and were
very defective in several important particulars The
Performance therefore, tonight, will be looked upon
as most interesting and novel experiment. The cast
A. certainly strong Sig. Campanni created the role
az LOheHGrn In Italy, and aroused tie hvehest enthu
siasm with 1t at Bologna, Florence, and Milan Madame
Nilsson Will doubtless invest the character OF
Hlsa with her peculiar soft and gentle charm
and the intensely dramatic aud difficult part OF OTtNd
Mill fall to Miss Cary Del Puente Will personate Fred
eriek BON Telramtud. Nannetu the Hing, and Herr
Blume the Herald. New scenery has been painted;
rich dresses have been prepared; and Mr.. strakoseh
that the orchestra and chorus will both be
Increased for the occasion. The Italian translation of
Ghe opera made by Salvatore Marchesi The orgi-
nal German it, of course by Wagner himself, who has
written the text OF all mis- operas.
The subject Of "Lohen grin" is borrowed from the
legend of the Holy Grail the cup from which the LORD
drank the Last Supper Lohengrn Is one OF the spot
sess knights who guard the sacred treasure IN the mys
cal city OF Monsavat. At the call of oppressed limo
yence he is allowed come upon earth, and live
among mortas long his name and
quality are concealed. The scene rs land at
Antwerp The time is the 10th century Elsa of Brabant
snalciously accused by her relative Count Teramund
and hs wife Ortrud OF the murder OF her brother, ap
pears before the King, Henry the Fowler and calls
npon knight whom she has in dream to come for
ward as her champion LOhengrin thereupon is borne
along the current lazy Scheldt 10 boat drawn
Boy a swan. He overoomes Telramund in the ordeal Of
battle and receives the hand Of Elsa as his
coward he imposes the condition that his wife must
never ask who be is The second Act and part Of the
third arc occupied with the wedding; the vengeful
Ta1r n,tpd iudup Lao IN
break the condition upon which her happiness depends
and the struggle the heart of Elsa between loving
trust and unlawful curiosity. The bride at last yields
and forces from LOhenin answer TO the fatal ques
OF the KING and the court he dscloses
The secret The charm broken the song Of the swan is
heard IN the distance the boat floats again upon the
river aud the knight disappears forever The story OF
which this faint sketch is enriched with romantic In
cidents and striking pictures but it is not incumbered
with episodes and II owes much of its force its
ptcIty and directness.
We commend the opera 10 the attention OF all unpre
fudiced listeners; but warn them that its beauty
r. In an uninterrupted flow of melOdious and
ex lressive phrases aud II they search I'm 1t
81. tho formal aria aud the easily-remembered
Thythmical movements which make the popularity of
such compositions "Trovatore" and Sonnambula"
they will be bitterly disappointed They must put aside
all their early predictions and approach this work IN
spirit OF benevolent neutrality" something which
differs from other operas not merely IN accidental pecu
liarties but In its Utmost structure.
IMPORTANT ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS OF HOUR.
The performance Of "LOheDgrin" this evening, Will
commence at halfpast seven instead OF eight o'clock
The first scene of remarkable interest all the pri-
pa characters being introduced early upon the stage.
and the audience are advised TO be promptly in their
places.
FIFIH SYMPHONY CONCERT.
Brilliant as the performances of Mr.. ThOmas's
orchestra have been during the past two or three years