, 1874-06-28
THE WAGNER THEATRE.


| PACEEAt atAbG " " dffttQEr b Sl6D8iuQEGI
Theatre. | was suEE1ised find the ex:orna
structure almost finished The theatre is now
tho first building by the traveller in ap
preaching the city by rail. The interior ia, how.
ever, quite bare the machinery cannot be pro
ances Of the Ring OF Niebelunsen" have aga1E
been postponed until the spring Of 1876. This
IL the second po9tponcment. Wagner's origina
plan was to bring. ont the Ring
in the present summer; but he made his calcu-
lationB on the hope Of o warmer support from
the Germans than he has thus far mat with
made them wleu he laid the foundation-stone
o the Theatre, two years ago this WhltsuntiIe.
when over 1000 musicians and singers had
gathered to do him honor. His plan WAS to give
three entire performances OF the four parts OF
the king" The necessary funds to be
procured from tue sale Of 1000 ''patrons' :"
tlcke s at 8 900 thalers npiece. Three hundred
thousand tha'ers (aay, in round numbers,
f53 00o) was the Sum he required.
| Thanks to the exertlons of Wagner's per-
sonal friends, and Of the many WaYners soci-
eties in Germany, and in England and in Amer
| lca, 100000 thalcrs was quickly subscribed.
| Viii thus Wagner at once commenced
erecting the theatre. Then suddenly the fouu-
tain stopped, as 1t we're, and some months ago
it was tnouat BY many. that the composers great
plans would fall through. And this would doubt
less have been the case had not King Ludwig Of
/ Bavaria again como to the assihtauce Of his
friend. acd generously placed credit Of 200, 600
| thalors at Wagners disposal, with the condition,
! however. lQas the 6um U6 repaid OUT OF the 1uQGb
resulting from the sale Of tickets in the future
| The INSERTION that the young monarch presented
| the composer with the money Internationally is
not true. Since receipt OF this royal credit soma
i months ago, Wagner has completed all his con-
tracts for machinery. ecenery and interior fittings
and the work will henceforth go rapidly for
! ward. II the outside gtrikes us oddly with its
| appearance, which may be hkeued to Il happy
! uuion OF an ornamental barn aud d large
thot-tower, the interior surprises us with its
tnnnYAtinnA fEttf
adaptabill'y for theatrical purposes. The stage
is of vast dimensions and can now be seen il
lts full proportions. It is sunk depth OF
81 feet, and has height up to the pulley floor
Of 176 feet. It is in breadth 95 feet BY 10 in
length, and will have ten s,de-Bcenes The
further STAGE back Of this, is 80 feet long by
49 broad The width OF the proscerium will
be IS feet,-tte widest, l belleve. in Ger
eyitz, who superintends tho works for the
buiuers. pointed out to me the peculiarlties OF
the stage, the auditory and the orchestral
space. On the stage there will be neither foot
lights nor promptor's box Wagner intends |
that his singers SHALL be firmly seated in the |
saddle ere they appear before the public. The |
stage scenery ia being painted by tbs Brothers |
Bruckner in Coburg, from the designs Of Hon-
finished in coburs, the larger ia Bayreuth, in
large wooden hall erected at the OF the |
theatre. The portion Of the theatre devoted to |
the audience Ia remarkable for its simplicity. |
1u6 pln43 "eI6 iua0c p14uC4PA443 lIoln nAE,lEI /
own sketches. There will bs no boxes even |
the royal circle at the back will only be ele- |
waited few feet above the level OF the |
last row Of seats. Commencing immediate
rows of seats rise stop BY step, as they recede,
g amphtheaLrically. it I may 80 expires it,
the last row being twenty or moro feet higher
than the first, but the view Of the stage being |
nowhere obstructed. 1u most theatres tile ordi-
nary form is the elongated semici1c1e; in the !
new Bayreuth Theatre VIC have the horseshoe
form in the shape Of exact segment OF q
circle, the seats growing i'll width as they re-
cede 10 that, while the first row has width
corresponding with tbs piosceulum (about so
extend 20 width Of over lou feet. Tho great
width of the auditory (l14 fee:), and the CON-
paratively small depth (79 feet) from tho or
cAestra to the royal gallery, enable each OF the
prospective view Of the scene represented on
the e.age, The ceiling Of this part appears
low to us, accustomed As We are to hlgh tiers OF
boxes crowned with the upper gallery. There
will be but ons gallery, Immediately over the
royal gallery, aud this il simply made for tie
accommo odation of the citizens (50O) OF DaYgeuth,
some Of whom Wagner will invite to zee the
performance gratis. The sides Of the auditory
but there will be nothing in the entire space to
divert the attention Of the audience f1om the
stage and the scenes thereon represented Tho
approach to tho f1st dozen rows Of seats nearest
luE 6lh5E Will 4t tu1oUEA 4oQ1 uDUIb C1 G4Aue4 |
side; the back rows will be reached by entering
the front OF the theatre, two pa-sage-ways tnen
leading underneath the royal circle aud
half score Of the back rows, aad
down. In this simply constructed au-
ditory there will be beats for 1,50V persons. go
that the theatre will hold, including the gallery
for the Bayieuthers, about 2,G00 porsons.
Wagner's arrangement Of his orchestra is an |
experiment. DESTROYS OF present.
ing his stage pictures without any interruption
to the gaze, and therefore Of removing the me- ,
c1a.lical production Of music from sight, he
invisible to tue audience. 70 tnis end. LIE ainks
the orchestral space II ieet below the level Of
the stage. The orchestra, whicl, is to consist OF
LOG members, will be seated in space the en-
ire width corresponding with the proscenium,
and depth extending 10 feet under the
stage itself. lhe kapelmeister alone will
20 elevated above tho rest so that, though
,ot seen by the audience, he will havo
'ull command Of the stage. The mere sinking
If the orchestra ia, however, not tue only luno-
ration. Wagner leaves there space IL feet t
Fsde, aud extending tue entire breadth Of the !
'tage quot merely Of the proscsniun,) and up to |
ho roof entirely free He calls this the Mystic !
space, because he intends that hero the invisible
orchestra saall separate tie real (thae :s. the
ludience) from the ideal {the stage pictafea>- {
+ We may go express ourselves. the audience u
sill perceive the scenes through an invisible t
rall Of sound. Wagner anticipates from this 0
some surprising results: mystic
nd beautiful music and the apparent re- Q
noval ct the stags Picture farther back, SO =
hat the entire scene Will be - though witness- 9
ug dream. Richard Wagner intends to have IL
reformed" public to witness his festal per- | z
ormances. The operas will commence as early
g 4 o'clock in the afternoon, and will last until
/, thero being pausa Of an hour between each
ct. For the uuoccupied time there will be il
nple provision made. There will be several To- +
and retiring rooms, balconies, gal Fl