New-York tribune., 1878-03-05
MUSIC AND THE DRAMA,
RTENZl
RIENZI
Wagner's "RienI" is kind of musical


Wagner's "Rienzi" is kind of musical
foundng 1t was long ago cast of by Its parent, and
the world has treated it with much charity.
True, it has enjoyed occasions brief sunshine
| Of prosperity but 1t can hardly be said TO have
won a secure place on any stage. Nor VIII
| il do go. II it belongs to any school at ALL
| it is TO that spectacular and sensational order
| OF strident operate melodrama which is already
passing away. Meyorbeer constructed some excellent
specimens Of this false style OF art Wagner made one
bad and then wisely turned bis talents to different
use. He tells lis himself that it Mcyerbcer who H.
sped this earliest Of his published creations Finding
his way 20 Paris from obscure little German towns MS
lively and unframed ina gination, naturally prone
to feast theatric splendors, WAS dazzled
with the glores OF tho French Grand Opera,
whose gorgeous scenery, prncely costumes, foods
Of light superb chorus, hundreds of trained aux-
arics. graceful ballet and beautiful orchestra were
| so unlike what he had known at home; and he burned
with the ambition place something of his own on that
model stage. "RienZ" was the fruit OF this daring
desire; though Paris would not have IT, and we can
hardly decide that Paris Those who heard
IL for the first time last night, when Nine Pappcnlcn
and Mr. Adams, at the Academy of Music, introduced
TO America must have been aStOnished TO find it so
utterly uulike everything else from the pen Even
"The Flying Dutchman," which followed It sOOD is
in strong to from beginning end. "Ronzi"
almost nothing that is dsIincgyely Wagners.
The graceful and truly poetic melodies OF Scnd Elsa and
LohcHGIa, as well as the grand dramatic music in winch
stately defamation is Illustrated by significant
paniment alike missing The orchestra is treated i'll
It thoroughly conventional. and often in puere,
ner The forms OF The opera conventional the
tla chorus the streta the prayer the frsky ballet aud
the rccOtir0 sCcco al in turn and have the
artificial scena and cavatna too, which Wagner after
ward numerically ridicncd-the pTima don
mas display piece. with introduction, andane
cantable ana allegro spiritoso, a.! complete.
Ih.s last, however, is sparingly used aud although
the opera abounds with tunes few of them are
given the solo voices. Ii IS the choruses. hnacs.
and concerted pieces that ali the best effects are OBJ
taincd These are not comparable to the par
alel passages in "Lohcngrin" and "Tannhiusor"
They much simpler in construction; their
sentiment when they have any, IS shallow. and theii
texture They bear for the most part the
relation to music. like the finale OF TIE first ana second
acts Of LohcnGrin and the gathering OF the instIs
Tannhauser" and The mastering OF TIE guilds in the
"I,i5tersiHgcr," that dropcurtain bears to
a fine Oil-painting. The artist has mixed
his cOlors in water and laid them with large brush
Nevertheless there are scenes which effective
that tAcy Ucap reach the level Of real grandeur WITH
such m0rl before him. ana such a subject z
like Wagner could not be really duh The
recItatiye, too. especially that OF Eient shows
many flashes Of dramatic fire. BHt the opera demands
a magnificent setting. Towhsmen and nobics. monks
and bishops, the soldiers of quarrelsomc faml the
~
Europe eadators ana dancing sirs scarlet robes, gilt
iorinc alIncr pink H. hocs the cngor OF bells the
tlunacrs OF the church, bare of Trinc.
aud the Of the final cOnfagraton. such
the aids which Wagner invoked for this crIic pro
duct Of his unrpe youth. The hbretto j. hll't with
elaborate directions for paecantry, ablenu and scenic
architecture "Rcnh" indeed spectacle, quite rs
much II is opera. OF course We had only an out
line OF ii last nignt, though the phaanx OF young
who executed warllke oyolutions in the ballet.
might well he called spectacle The t'si0do or " roof
Of shields. erected in this dance after tho manner Of
the Roman soldery. certainly spectacle calcu-
lated to make the late Dr. Anthon cIoan in
his coffin. II consists apparently OF the cover
OF the watcr-but just brought from the backyard,
and held the head. of the servants while Two young
ladies fought each otter thereon and the Goddess Of
Liberty in red Phygian can Of the style Of the A'gn
OF Terror climbed ladder, and held over them blue
and white dag This appaiition was possibly intended
for Minerva. There was a horse. who disappIovOd Of
the whole prOceediug and there queer mixture
Of chronology in the COSTUMES Otherwise. except that
the ballet was abundant, there nothing particularly
requiring notice in the mounting Of the work, and for lis
failure the playing anG singing alone must
be held re >pOusiblc.
Tic orchestra and chorus were sometimes at
fault but on the whole they were much better than
the last night OF Lohcugrn." In Rieizi,' how
ever. their task is comparatively simple. Nine. Pappcu-
helm, in the character OF AoriqHo C0ioHHG rang VITA
mvarylug intelligence and care, and w!:h
zeal which deserves tho hoartiest praise. The
part Is not an interesting one, but on
several occasions che succeeded il producing strong
impression on the house. The Irene Of Miss Human
though less conspicuous, more sympathetic.
and we are not but this clever lady
gave more pleasure than any Of her COM
ranions In tie iinales her clear and puro yoic'
and careful singing always told. MIR. Adams. to be-
quite frank wGs in shocking condition OF voice. His
action Was dgnihcd and graceful his method
fpl his Interpretation intelligent; but what is
tenor without a voice Whether the extinction Of tie
middle register of this gentleman Is permanent or only
temporary DO not know Last night he seemed little
more than picturesque ruin. Upon the rest OF the east
criticism IS unnecessary. They quite unequal
the heavy duty laid upon them.