New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-03-24

climax Of the opera. Already whilo no speaks
the swan Music il heard on the river; the
boat reappears. and the knight bids his wife a
touching farewell The swan proves to be Eisa's
missing brother transformed by the magic of Ortrud,
and now restored by Lohengrin to his proper form
and as the knight floats away into the distance,
attended by dove Elsa falls int her brothers arms.
IL must be evident from what have said that
an opera of Wagners needs to be heard under con-
dtions very different from those which gen.
orally found at opora-houses. The public must
learn to judge of the work as o whole and not by
the attractiveness of particular SCENES to follow the
dramatic action from beginning to end to look upon
musical ornament only a means Of representation
in all cases to think of the sentiment of the poem
first and tho individual artist afterwards; and to
recognize the new position to which Wagner has
raised the orchestra, no longer mere accompan-
ment for the singer, "huge guitar" to mark the
rhythmic measures of the song but one of the most
important factors in the drama. giving dstinctness
to the expression of the melody and richness
and unbounded variety to the musical phrase. The
singers, laying aside the ambition of personal dis
play, must identify themselves with tho characters
in action and sacrifice everything for the faithful
delivery of the composers sentiment. certain
sumptuOusness of theatrical display is also essential
and the action is so important that Wagner covers
his with the most minute stage directions in
structing the performers where to stand when to
move, what gestures to make, and even in some
cases, what they shall do with their eyes, We can
not hope to see a perfectly hearty cooperation be-
tween the musician and his interpreters until the
stage has been purified by long years of reform, and
until we do it cannot have a really
fair test of Magnetism in actual performance.
We must consider also that when the text
of one of these operas is translated into an
other language the rapport between the poet
and the nearer is greatlyi disturbed. The Italian
version seems to be fluent and graceful, but the
English printed with it is neither poetical nor al
ways faithful, so that by this second dlutiOn the
effect of many beautiful passages is nearly ruined.
In spite of all drawbacks, however the representa-
ton last night was bonorably distinguished by
dignity of purpose and intelligent endeavOr and in
many particulars, of which we shall speak more
fully hereafter, 1t worthy of the highest COM
mendation. Wagner himself could not have wished
for more beautiful and spiritual Elsa than
Madame Nilsson or a more picturesque and roman
tic Lohengrn than Campanini. Both these fine art
lists seemed TO have caught the true spirit of the
Wagnerian drama, and their presentations were in
expressibly touching and noble. The Ortrud Miss
Cary. the Frederick Sig. del Puente and the King
(Sg Nannettil, were all excellent. The scenery
was handsome. The dresses were magnificent. The
numerous pageants and stage illusions well
arranged. Care and taste evident on every
hand. If the chorus not very good, it was at
least passable, and its size was ample; and If the
orchestra increased to about sixty pieces, was not
faultless il was handled with unusual delicacy, and
Sig Muzio, who prepared and conducted the per-
Torrance, deserves the very highest credit for
representation which will compare very favorably
with European standards