The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1876-09-10
AN orERATIC REVOLUTION.
EDnhlin Nntinn. Aur 1s1
z, SEPTEMBER 10 ItT6


eccentric nature Will have come to connie
tlon at Bayreath o small and out of tie wa,
provincial town within the borders OF Ba
Varla. An opera ouse newly buiit ther
VIII nave remained open for twelve nights
pilgrims from every country in Europe
and even from America, will have sat uur
listened, each for four consecutive evenings
10 series OF operatic representations aud
1hen, the end for which the house wac
erected having / cen attained Its doors will
be closed, not improbahly for ever. The
question naturally arises, why all this
snould be SO and this Is, because Herr
Richard Wagner, whose masterpiece was to
90 three times brought to "a hearing on tue
occasion, wished to have it 3d.
This masterpiece, " The Ring OF the Nj
oelung," consists of four distinct parts-s
prelude and trlogy-each of which re.
auires whole evening for presentations
derr wagner, who Is poet as we'll as II
composer, and generally q very clever
man, wrote the four come cted dramas him
sell, set them to music of his own coucep-
tion, devised theatre of special construc-
zion for their performance, planned scenic
arrangements and machinery for tho proper
carrying out of bis designs, and indeed ne
elected no point of detail that might height
en- the effect on his audience of the great
work on which he hus laboIed during
intervals extending over nearly thirty
years.
His theatre was purposey built in In,
remote town of Bayreuth with a view to |
securing special audience. He did not |
want to have among the hearers the fash
lonable loungers of great citles, who 90 to
tue opera to while away an hour or two
Such persons would be sure to take no in
terest in n work like this. He should have
select gathering of musical enthusiasts
from the four quarters of the globe-people
who, stated aud jaded with the ordinary
rare which opera managers serve up season
after season, would be likely to hail the new
and highly sriced dish with "a shout of well
come, and therefore to proclaim the fame
OF Richard Wagner over many lands, For
the composer aims at nothing short of an
entlre revolution i'll the operate domain.
available source.
lhe history of this vast Wapneriar
echeme ls a spleudid proof of the power of
enthusiasm. We need not now ipstancn
the energy of the master himself, who
worked SO patiently for 40 long "A n.riod
IN tho teeth of unusual dlflicultiea and with
prospect always staring him in he face of
having all hiB labOur in vain. Bu; that his
enthusiasm was caught up by others the
croWnlng work of his life would have re. .
NAMED uhheard.. The original estimate
LOT the bnilding of tho Bayreuth theatre
was 4 445 600 To lay out SO large a sumon |
an artlstlc experiment of IA dubious nature G
nsy seem to some minds little short of in g
sanity but the promoters of the project t
nave certainly shown great deal of meth. {
u,
celebrated pianist, in his fervid love for his @
art, conceived the idea hat on thousand de- a
voices OF music could be got to put down Ii
40 each for til bringing to hearing of a t,
VOTE OF such vast dimensions, and in the pc.
cullar manner prescribed by the composer. O
Aauslg had persuaded good many to sub ri
scribe the required sum when he was cut h.
on by cholera five years ago. After his S
ianented death the project languished fur h
some time, untll gentleman of Mannheim, OF
hsfh 80,
tower subscription and greater number of n,
As, O0O at FL each-wonId III
equally effect the object in view. This st
scheme prospered Wagner societies start m
81 up all over Germany and in many cities ia
elsewhere, money came pouring in, and the lie
King of Bavaria, whenever the work Wa In
ID 1he point OF stopping for lack OF funds or
,ame to the rescue out of his private purs, sb
TINS way the edltice at BayIeuth WAS III
ventualiy raised. 1t is 10y no means an 40
Tnamehtai ono externally; but inside il III
In every way Huited to its uscs, and it is ne
'retty cettaln to exercise II large il nnenc. lnt
II Iho cohs'IuctloE OF opera house IN the th,
uture. In shape from the stage outward tai
' lesrino"s q biuht wedge. The seats lees in
nan oGO, T!G2 from tie outer urrsc.I,ium III,
4 slightly curved tiers to the end of th, all
all each seat is 80 fixed that lts occu- csc
anu LOOKS between the heads of two peo- dr.,
le Ia front of him; there are no gal du
'rles ana no side boxes there liz 10 spc
k;,, -" '"S S'"Se Ihe urcnrstra tai
9 ""A9 III oecp PIT between the tiet
- 80. tt "ll ano tue outer one, 80 that gro
~ - @ tno notion OF the conductors sta
ITO" can be seen by the audience there is get
row OF tootlights, and nothing whatever the
eerVenes between the eye of the beholder ioy
10 the action on the stage. 1t is easy to ner
- 1870 C up" iSVoFaole such arrangements avn
,.ot, oi tuo iul.neFance OF dramatic Illusion, he
well as for the perfect hearing of every and
y ~ VI tuo t music lace
The best artists, vocal and in Instrumental 9th
LII an.h oe'nany can produce have gathered int
A w w H''lu& Justice TO Herr Wag- mo
= 'on poS,t'oo' ~ snould be noted that 1t the
not desire for gain that brought them to am,
.yreuth. Indeed the chief singers are rest
ttiog no pay whatever and the Others, But
80 ,tt "S tno tnelno oeFs OF the orchestra- is q
P Fe"Pie' wen aoie TO command mas
So > . ane' "tioh Io[ Cnelr rseTvlces-have an
"a ,Tn, -, 70 accept just as much as ena disT
remained n fhn TDpT n