New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-08-28

semblage of the dvinities We passed again
through the noise of the smithy, and we heard the
heavy tread of climbing feet which had ushcred IN
the giants in the second scene. AT last we were
shown the table land, still covered as before Win
dull haze, and Wotan and Loge appeared Win
their prisoner. For his ransom Alberich caused the
dwarfs to bring all the treasures of Nebelhelm' ana
TO these the gods forced him to add the helmet ana
the ring. Thus stripped of all his power he was
sent back 10 the lower world, but before he de-
parted he laid upon the ring the terrible curse
VIE durch Fluch er mir gcrieth,
Veriucht sci dleser Ring"
which. as orchestral motive is to play so I'M
portant part in the music of the whole drama. AS
the giants approached with Freia, the mists broke
away the light of youth appeared again on the
faces of the gods only the towers of Walhaila IN
the background renamed still vailed in clouds. bnt
Wotan's purpose while giving the giants the resi- VI
the treasure, was to the ring for himsel' ana
hence when the payment came to be MADE DC kep' ~
on his finger. Fasolt and Fafncr were to have as
much gold and silver as, heaped up between their
slaves. would cover Freia from sight The whole Oh
hlberichs ransom except the ring was placed upon
the nile even the tarn-helmet was surrendered;
still there was crevca which the ring would just
fill Wotan refused to give it up. The giants In
rage were about to drag Freia away; the scene
grew dark again when from cleft III the rocks on
the right BLUSH light appeared, and the inquire OF
Erd, the universal and eternal mother rose from
the earth She warned Wotan in solemn and mys-
terious strains Of the misfortunes impending over
Walhalla and couuseed him TO avoid the fatal gold'
The cod stood for moment In deep thought, and as
he leaned upon bis spear heard the majestic mo-
tive which indicates the binding force OF Wotahs
word. The ring given up. Joyous strains ac-
companed the liberation of Frea aud the dispersal
n. 8 NATL lon m
working its effect. The giants quarreled for the
possession of the ring and Fafner killed Fasoit put
all the treasure into sack, and took himself off,
Then came finale which in picturesque effect and
musical beauty surpassed all the great scenes which
had gone before it, The gods were at last to take
posSession of their castle. Bonner stood upon the
summit of high rock in the middle of the stage
SWINGING his hammer, he collected the mists which
still hung about the background, and black thun-
der cloud enveloped him. Out of the darkness we
heard his voice and the Ominous roll Of tie heavenly
artillery, till with blow Of his sedgc no dispersed
the clouds in n dazzling flash of lightning, and
RAINBOW stretched from the rock whercon he stood
TO the stronghold in the sky. delicious melody
succeeded the stormy passage in the orchestra ana
the gods, gathering aronld the rock prepared TO
cross 10 Walhalla by the rainbow bridge The mon
0''e "Abcudlich strablt
Der sonae AJgc"
before he led the way to the abode is one of tho
most elevated of all Wagners conceptions, and as II
was delivered by Betz, with such richness OF lustra-
ton and startling harmonic devices In the orchestra,
,y f,lt that we had reached the climax of great
poem. The celestial procession assembled and moved
slowly OH. Suddenly we heard from the depths of
the valley below the chorus of the Rhincdaughtels
bewailing the lost ring and with this fascinating
in in MIR
of the sun revealing for the first time the magni-
cence of Walhaa, and the refulgent group of the
gods advancing toward its shining gates the curtain
fell, and the first evening was at an end
SUCCESS OF THE OPERA.
The performance bad lasted two hours and half
without intermisson OF any kind-for the Rhein-
cold.n unlike the other parts of the work, is not
divided into acts-but in spite of the terrible heat
of the crowded and unventilatod theater, am sure
that no apprcciative person can have FOUND the
evening long. The interest rose steadily from the
first scene to the last amazement grew that man
should have conceived such wonderful effects, or
single brain have found the means to set before
the world IN all this clearness and splendor SUCH
subtle aud deep-felt poem. We came away not only
excited bat bewildered. For there is nothing Ike
this in al music in all the history OF the stage.
II was great surprise to those who have been &C
strusc. for they found that it appealed directly to
their feelings and called for no exercise whatever
of the reasoning or rejecting powers The least cul-
tvated spectator could understand and love 1t. One
had only 10 sit STILL look, listen, and enjoy. But
nobody can take it all in at hearing, or at two
or At a dozen. 1t is mine that grows richer ana
| richer the more it rs explored, and whoever has
studied the score for little while is tempted to drop
| il in despair of fath0ming this wonderful genius
! mention the entire music Of Woian as ore of the
very greatest dramatic creations i'll the whole range
of the lyric art and by the music of Wotan mean
| not only what is sung, but the equally important
| and far richer part which is gwen to the lnsLu-
| ments And for delcacy aud sentiment there are
| few things comparable TO the music OF Fricka. We
shall hear, of course from those who were not at
Bayreuh the old objection that Wagners opera con-
tains nothing that be carried away and whistied
| as one hurres home TO bed, and we shall be asked
| whether four nights of music without distinct
| "tuper can possibly be endurabe ! can only
| point to the enormous success of this experiment
/ as a complete and final answer to the question. In
this WORK. entrancing the senses through long ana
uncomfortable evening the narrower form oil rhyth-
| mic melody was entirely disregarded. The large,
all-pervading melody which took its place reminded
| n Of the beautiful figure in which Wagner once
compared his ideal of the opera to the effect pro-
duced upon the soul by beautiful forest in Sum
mer evening. The wanderer who has Just left the
town hears in the silence of the wood an endless
variety of sweet voices. As they multiply i'll num-
beers and increase III mysterious power, they com
bine to form a great forest melody which long
haunts his Imagination. Yet he cannot hum 1t to
himself; to hear L again he must go back to the
! wO0de.
| have not said much of the singers, because in n
work of this kind it seems to the hight of alb