, 1877-07-27
Beethoven's Fierce Eyes.


Her Majesty the Empress has graciously
commanded that BeethoVen's "Fidelio" be
given on her birthday.
Herr Umlauf, the V Viennaopera direct
OF, sighed deeply as he read these lines.
Who was to sing LeonoraG Since Anna
Milder HauptmAnn, for whom Beethoven
wrote the part, had gone TO the Court
Theater, in Berlin, "Fidelio" had been
lying quiet among the manuscripts;
for Herr Umlauf had not had the luck
to discover a new and equally capable
Leonora.
He sighed, although he did think of
Wilhelmine Schroeder. "I've no choice"
he said at last THE Schroeder is the
only singer in all Vienna who has COM
pass. Her lyric parts, her Emmeline
and her Agatha l shall never forget; but
even if she can sing Leonora her extreme
youth puts playing Leonora out of the
question. And of all roles this loses the
most ifit isn't thoroughly well played"
"Whatr' exclaimed Beethoven, when
Umlauf told him that the part was al
ready in Schroeder's hands, "Mlle.
Schroeder, girl of seventeen, and my
Leonoral Don't you know, Umlauf, that
to play such part one must have lived,
loved, sufferedf It'll never do. Ny
opera shall sooner not be given at all.
How can you trust strong character
like that in the hands of a child2"
The director shrugged his shoulders
and drew. the official order out of this
pocket.
"My friend" said Umlauf, "all obiec-
tons are useless. Here you have the
royal command in black and white. The
opera must be given. You know as we'll
as |, that, for the moment no better Leo
nora is at our command; and 50 we must
see what we can make out of Mile.
Schroeder; and hopeIthat her mother
HWell, If it can't be helped, go ahead,
for all care" Beethoven was walking
up and down the room with his hands be-
hind bis back. "But l tell you, Umlauf,
III have nothing at all to do with it. I'm
going into the country, ifitis mid-winter;
and If yOu come after me about directing
the piece you ana I'll fall out-that's all.
The director was silent, but be smiled.
After Beethoven had gone, though, and
he thought Of Leonora aud her uniuckyl
youth, he couldn't help signing again.
Wilhelmine had lust thrown
lack her curls and left the piano.
You're not pleased, mother,n she said,
laying her hand on her mothers arm. ~
know exactly what you're going to say.n
"Well, what is itl" Frau Sophie
Schroeder, who had been giving sundry
hints to her daughter while she was re-
hearsing at the piano, especially in regard
70 playing the prison scene, now looked
intently into the girls sparkling eyes.
"Well, my child, what is it97
That can master only the first act.
For the second l lack training experience.
passion. That's what youfe going to
say. Mother, you're anxious ABOUT me.
You're afraid I'll break down. No, dear
mamma; let Leonora once get on the
stage. There I'm at home. and have
courage enough. Though if Beethoven
were in the theater, l couldn't get out a
single note for sheer terror. It's lucky
he's going into the country. Umlaof
told me SO for certain
The practice at the piano md the
mothers advice went on. From the first.
Frau Schroeder had shared the opinion
Of the men-that Wilhelmine was too
young to play Leonora. But while the
mother looked forward to the theater re-
hearsals with increasing dread, the dauph-
ter could hardly wait for them. In her
little room she felt like bird in cage
but on the stage, like lark that mounts,
singing, up into the sunny sky.
At the first rehearsals, Herr Umlauf
put up with good deal, not to discour.
age Wilhelmine by blaming her. Her
mother saw that she was right. On the
stage her playing did gain force; still it
seemed, Of course, to the eye of an artistic
like Sophie Schroeder, too studied and
not nearly dramatic enough. Herr Um-
lAuf, In the. succeeding rehearsals, began
to be rather pleased, but when he Thought
OF the dress rehearsal and performance
ne grew cold with apprehension. He
knew Beethoven.
10 go into the country Just when his
opera was to be given. He had said So
and yet at every rehearsal he had risen
up suddenly in the orchestra like a ghost
seized the baton, and not only blamed
singers and musicians, but actually tor
mented them. Now, although Umlauf
knew all this, he had assured Wilhelmine,