The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-03-13
ADJUSTMENTS.
TIE wAoNERIAN OPERA.

saS uePPcoco ~ iusts Linz cSoeess ~ s"~
Moso." It may excaim, in q slightly foreign accent
III arm here, and we are all bound DO astonishcd
Truly astonished. because the wagnerian opera. as
20 SEQ It. Is not such q terrible affair AFTER all.
Fryer and NuendorT make not Wagner. that Is, mol
itc they do their best, and that Is deserving Of
IL credit.
Still they are only diluted wsgners after all, and,
Ike young tipplers, willing TO begin py taxing
~ours' with considerable dlution
In lact the more diluted Wagner the better VIC like
him. This perhaps, is tho reason we wcrc better
pleased with the Flying Dutchman" than we expected
sobe.
or course, neither Freycr nor Neucndorf fulfilled
their promises; but no one who understood anything
Of the subtle influence exercised over tho managerial
mind by the atmosphere OF tho Academy OF Music ex
pectcd that the brilliant promises would DO kept
Hence new DISAPPOINTMENT, because in some re-
spects the managers did ali they promised, while
IN other directions they Tell far short OF their profess
SONS.
They have certainly organized splendid orchestra
the best, probably that played ~ the Academy.
Some sixty musicians compose II, and they are the
very best TO be found In this city. II was a real
pleasure listen to them last night, as they followed
Neuendorns baton with patriotic ardor.
Every breast was filled with enthusiasm, ana
thoughts OF tho far of Fatnerand nerved each mu-
steal arm as It scrapcd away at '',he music OF tho
future"
Tho result was magnificent and We could not help
sending forth sigh much noble effort was not
being made In a better cause
How delightful 1t would be have such orchestra
INTERPRETING with the devotion the music OF the
s'Huguenots'' or dear old "rrovatore!"
As It the orchestra did much 10 compensate for
sake Of those sixty noble musicians.
But this success had It's disadvantages 1t swallowed
up alone Wagner but the chorus tho tcnors. the
baritone and even tho prma donna, and any one who
has ever Pappen helm the flesh will admit this
no slight achievement
II swallowed cveryth thing, did tho orchestra, and
when VIC were done admlring It there was NO chance
admire anything else.
There was respectable chorus--under ordinary
circumstances very respectableand very strong and
well disciplined, but tho voracious sixty swallowed tho
chorus ~ they had done tho soprano and tcnors Yet
10 look them sitting under thor little lamps and
looking like u swarm OF huge fire flies IN tropical
forest no could imagine them capable OF such
cruelty.
But It was all wagner's fault He is an obstinate,
square headed who thinks OF nothing but his
theories For him Baireuth is the world, and he
writes operas for Baireuth and Baireuth only. Now
svery manager afford devote several square
acres to his stage, and chorus must have standing
room unless, indeed they be supplied with wings
and allowed to hover the audience.
Even If Dir. Fryer could AFFORD 10 engage another
hundred chorus singers he would lind II difficult to
Sow them away on tho Academy stage Yet II would
require about that number TO restore the equilibrium
destroyed by Ncuendori's monster orchestra
The chorus Is certainly very much better than
TO hear in opera this city, but Its
relative weakness 10 the orchestra renders the i'm
provement less apparent than might be expected.
btill II Is good and sang very we'll last night.
As Il If Wagncr's aim to ignore much possible
prime dome and haor ct hoe genus omn,, we ought,
perhaps in Difference to the operate yrant 10 ignore
them Also But old habits stronger than reverence
TO nero authority.
We will therefore say that Papponheim sang the
fore. she did not look very like tho
kind of person who would throw herself
phantom ovcr--but she did throw good deal Of I'M
looked Tor sentiment and feeling into the duet IN the
second act, beginning
Whoever thou art, whatever thy fate.
will be thy love. / will be thy mate
and into the song in the final trio doubt Not NY
Faith" which won from the audience hearty applause
Pappenheim trIumphed over Wagner So IT will
Mr. Fritsch, who sang the role OF Eric. has a very
fair but had very little opportunity. Mr.. Prcns
"Wccome Bid HIM With All Thy Heart, but Mr..
Blum was nervous and overweighted in the role OF
pletcly vershadowcd by Nine. Pappenheim.
People pretend TO like Wagner, but they DON'T This
was evideht last night because even his admirers
plaudcd most those parts OF the opera which were
least like Wagner Without prime dome and tenori
opera is impossible.
Will not take root. Yet the attendance last night
DrodiRious. 1t recalled those grand nights when
Parepa Rosa, Santlcy and wachtc filled the Academy
with enthusiastic and brilliant audiences.
But II was only the novelty. There none Of the
hearty enthusiasm which greeted the supreme efforts
Of these great artists No left the theatre with
some rich melody ringing in his ears and sending him
70 happy slunbers angels might envy. The people
pleased satisfied at most, not thrilled moved.
Even the fanfare could not make thcm enth usiastic
though II was sounded at the beginning OF every act.
II was novel, and that was all
But, notwithstanding all the drawbacks the perform
sncc good one. II served 10 show that serious
Effort will be made TO present tho real Wagnerian
Spcras with something ike the completeness and
wealth of orchestral effect which Wagner demands to
be fairly apprt
Whether Fryer ana NcucndorT will succeed in max
ing this kind OF opera popular Is another thing Per-
pay expenses The probability Is that in tho latter
sope aim success will crown their efforts
German patriotism will come TO their aid.
Last night wherever turned jolly faces, remind
Ing one OF lager beer and Fathcrland, abounded. II
looked as II all Germania had assembled 10 do honor
Wagner.
the only question Is will German patriotism hold
out and we are inclined to think 1t VIII.
''BLux GLASS AT THE FIFTH AVENUE THEATRE
The play upon which .Bluc Glass; IS founded is
evidently good. It is by a German author, we have
heard and OF the characters in their now forms
show marks OF foreign energy 1t has been adapted
display American society It does not exist,
and as, hope, Will, and the ar
rangement has considerable cleverness. But
the plot, which Is ingenious in ITSELF is
ovcrburdened with unnecessary incidents, and the
progress OF the real comedy interrupted by constant
digressons The theme OF the piece is financial spec
ulation, in which several OF the characters
are involved, ana MISUNDERSTANDING between a
husband and wife amt pcrplcxitics Of two lovers
are presented in connection with the central idea.
But the light which should shine from the comedy
obscured by deep blue coloring. which does not add
10 tho cheeriuness OF the effect The blue glass bust
which is dragged in, from which the piece de-
rivcs its presen. name, has nothing really to do with
the story, and is only justified by the TACT that the
specuatons OF some people made in the stocks OF
blue glass factory. To omit all tho poinless au-
to the blue glass theory would be much the
benefit OF the piece There blue glass globes on
some OF the lights In tho paror Iii which the action
happens, and pane o bIce glass is exhibited. Mr..
James Lewis has very little 10 do but repeat series
o stories OF ,nado by blue glass, each one Of
which Is worse than all tho rest, and sings inmi.
tably stupid song on the same subject. None
OF these efforts to make tun out oI
che new sensation were very successful still the real