The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-04-02
ADJUSTMENTS.
DIE wALKURE.


This evening, at the Academy Of Music, this opera
will be performed for the first time In this country
Selections from il have been given by Thomas. by
schmcz, by the Philharmonic I'm this latter
the whole first acil. but. OF course, without the
very necessary adJuncs Of scenery costumes and
ton That the scenery or stage effects at the Academy
Will BIO more than the iaintest shadow Of the stage
wonders produced under wagncr's personal SUPER
vision at Baireuth last summer Is past hoping for
The stage architecture OF any theatre Except pur
posey built ut Baireuh) precudes the possibility OF
reproduction OF those effects; but We shall at least
hear the music and distant hints OF what
the intended effects may be- II wii no doubt en-
nance the enjoyment those OF our readers who at
tend this performance II they go with OF
plot which ~ 10 DO developed before them We there
fore lay before thcm this morning such a synopsis Of
the plot may prepare them thoroughly enjoy
remarkable opera.
In order that tho sswalkirc', may DO fully under
stood necessary that the story OF the proogicai
opera "Rheinsold DO referred briefly. IL must be
remembered that tho "waknre" Is only ono Of a
Of tour operas, rather prologue and three
operas, which follow another in tho order here
namcd:-'Ihcingod' tine prologuc, "Dio walkurc,"
"sicgiricd" and "Gottcrdimmcrung. Through
these tour works tho Same characters move, and.
though each opera mas It's plot tho grand history
they give Is only completed by the pcrfor OF ALL
Each hangs n that preceded 1t, and only DO
understood by spectator VINO can rccr TO tho past
opcrnS Let u.s. therefore, before describing tho
'.Walkure' plot, refer briefly 10 that OF "Rhcn.
gold.
Three Rhine daughters have tho ship Of the
Rhine gold To them comes Albcrich OF tho
N,bclungs jewellers in the carth) with professions
love- While he pursues and they eludc HIM the CLEAN
OF the Rhine gold is Albcrch, learning that tho
old ran In MI 10 lvr etrpf ha tav
love- curses love and obtains tho gold, the Rninc
ma,dcns bcwailing its loss. While Albcrch Is
forging from the gold the mystic ring IRON
which this series OF operas Is named. we arc In
troduccd to other important personages In the drama
The giants have built for Woan ono highest bong in
the Morse mythology mighty and magnificent strong
hold, and claim payment for their work possession
oil Frcm. tho goddess OF youth, the eating OF whose
apples keeps tho gods over young. The moment Frea
is taken tho gods begin grow old and woan seeks
the Nibeunss to see whether he cannot obtain from
them somo treasure which the giants VIII take and
Frca by The advice Of Loec tgod OF nrc) woan
seizes Albcrch, who Tor his the dwarfs
10 bring to Woan all tho treasures the NDeungcn-
land, 10 winch Wotan forces him TO add wonderful
helmet (Which bcsows invisibility tho wcaror)
and tho ring. Alberch curses tho ring that shall
bring destruction all who II, and disappears.
The giants deliver up Freia and the begins It's
y,
Obtain undivided possession oil the treasure The
RheinRod' ends With the gods taking possession Of
their stronghold s.Wahallu."
Between this opera and tho "walkGre" several
years are supposed 10 cdpsc During this time Wotan
ito OF heroes who alone tree the gods
from the evils entaed them by the theft OF tho
gold) has welded mortal the iru OF this union be-
Ing the twins Sicgmund and segnde. sicgIlndc Is
carried of III infancy by enemies and married against
her Will TO Hunding; Siegmund " brought up by
wo,an who accustoms him 10 every species OF hard
ship and danger.
The opera opcus with an orchestral Introduction do
scriptivc OF storm In the forest When the curtain
rises showing the interior OF Hundngs hut Sicgmund
(wounded aud living rom his encmies staggcrs In anu
Is received by Scgnde, who however, docs not rccog
nze her brother but simply receives him as she would
any guest. They nrc, however, drawn 10 each other
by some mysterious power aud long love duet occurs
here, only broken INTO by tho music winch announces
Hundng's return Hundlng asks Stc2mund OF his lite
| and adventures, and by his answers recognizes
him enemy who must be destroyed. With
cent chvairc hospitality he bids him rest there that
night, but prepare Tor deadly combat in tho morning.
/ Srgmund, lett alone, lamcnts his condtion-without
sword shield, aud In tho house oil enemy. hut
whom s,cglindc re-entcrs llavlng IN the meantime
gwen Hunding sleeping p"tion) she relates how,
drove sword up TO the hilt the ash which sup
ports tho roof Of The cottage and left saying That The
sword should boong to him who could pull II out No
had yet succeeded In doing this, aud the sword
remained. Tins narration Is accompanied by music
taken from tho "Entrancc into walhaIia' which ends
the "Rhcingold' anu by shat music the audience
learn that the stranger WIS Wotnn AZ tho hire dies
down. a b-ccza blows open the door and the noon
light streams in Here the brother and rccog-
nize each otncr with cry OF transport Here occurs
the "Lovc Songn well known 10 US through tho
/ Thomas concerts. Sicgmund PUSHES TO tho ash tree
and With effort pulls out tho sword. THIS Is
bridal gilt 10 his sister, who is fated 10 be united 10 him
by closer tic. As they sink INTO each others
the curtain falls The next act introduces to Motan
and hrs daughters, the s.WaIkure." lie commands
Brunnhda nis iavorto daushter to give the victory
to Sicgfnund IN his coming combat with Hundng, but
Frickn appears and insists brother anu
be punished their loss passion. Sadly
family W0an III obliged 10 consent to Scgmund death
but the gods are subject TO law, anu, not even ~ Brunn
midas earnest ana pssOnatc enrcnties, does no daro
withdraw his sentence against siegmun1 Now appear
Scgmund and Sicglndc, flying iron Hundng Sicg-
lindc ancying shc hears her husbands horn aints
terror, and, while she lies inscnsibic Brunnh.pda
reveals herself as the messenger OF death aud invites
Scgmund TO follow her to WahaIla- Segmund refuses
aud Brunnhilda, struck wah the disdan with which no
sights her offers Of immortal Joy tho love with
winch he clings 10 Scgnndc, promises, ~ spite OF
Wotan's commands. to snicId him IN the coming CON-
bat. Now Hundng's horn Is heard, tho heroes IN cot
and fight Brunnnda, according to her promise,
shields Siegmund; but suddenly Wotan appear
Hundnp's head, and, touching with his spear sicg-
mund's sword, the sword breaks. and Sicgmnnd is
killed. Brunnhllda, suddenly struck VITA terror al
her defiance Of her father sozcs the nsensiblc form
pears.
The third act commences with the vol known
"Walkhrcn-Rci," The walkirc gather, by ono,
each Singing The Wild war cry which Brunnhilda used
al her nrst appearance In the second Last OF all
comes Brsnnni,da with sicslindc and prays The re-
lindc fly To the woods, where the magic ring may
protect her. woinn cntors An Immense concerted
piece here occurs which the Walkure bcsccch
pardon for their sister Brunnhilda Wotan liz
BILE. He condemns BrunnhiIda to sleep earth until
some mortal may awake her. and DEGREES that sho
must be this mortals WIFE, Finding other cntreatcs
useless Bruhnhilda prays that nt least tho approach
10 her sleeping place may be made dangerous that
none but hero shall dsro awaken bcr. THIS prayer
he grants Here occurs the .'Wotsn's Abschicd" also
known to us through Thomas concerts. lie embraces
Brunnhlda ioLdIy and lays her under a
sprond,ng ash. He her face with
her helmet and her body with her shield,
then calls on Lorc lgod oil nrel TO surround her
with magic circle oil flame. As the flames spring up
wo,an sadly vanshcs. and the curtain falls. As wc
have SAID " impossible thit all tho scenic effects
called for by Wagner many OF which, introduced at
Barcuth, have not mentioned at nil IN this synop
sis) should be given; but Mr. Fryer has yct given
none OF the scenery OF which he spoke In his
prospectus IN such glowing terms, let nope that no
has been concentrating energies the production