New-York tribune., 1882-08-12
WAGNER'S "PARSIFAL''
r,psT PERFORMANCE OF THE oFNNN-
GREAT SUCCESS .-,,-Sr


e..p,~.if,lris over. The
Inc N'?s :; ;,monse and the enthusiasm + Ia
s,dod 4 silent company has )uS' aoon- s'o"
.ho hill n the town. very muoH do II
$50, ,.h, return TO their homes ai'e' I"
- Tho effect of this opera e.ao4
g rho HIGHEST degree. AT the enu " ,,a,toa |
A '"0 -, annsuse but the audience "''''oN
-, tor the great composer 10 'pP0a
- vhere he had boeh ulS''' II
.,o,oent before Capellmeister Lew r"ppou rInao
~ haton mon the leaders stand Ano'
is -, b,no we'll said: He will not come
Iaf, tbe theatre. After the second act. however
.hooVc,toment became so intense that the iiVu
shortod " hravop and the ladies stood upon Wv
chairs until at length Wagner appeared N"'
hand. Leaning over the balcony H' "-- aia.io, |
s,nce that he was grateful for the appreoi'v,'o"
~ bis friends AMI the pnbhc' ou' ~
he wonld be also very grateful II they "Uu'U
onplaud This was spoken with so hlenu,S o'"' 'S
I'D voice 80 full of feeling that the anulehce "iu
o., t1;l 70 aocede to his wishes. Indeed the "ho'e
;,r.ssion seems to be tonight TOO ueeP
for utterance The first act when enu'
with the scenes in the Hall OF the Grail lei' Us WIN
on emotion of reli igous awe. The hgh's III 'H'
tIoo+ra formed down 80 low that the few dlettdHe
who carried piano scores into the house coulu No'
soc 10 read the notes the mysterious space pc'"'
auditorium and stage. where all was oAiA' S0'
1nents the wonderful forest scene, where Inc '''
1Lod like real trees; the novel TRANSFORMATION "uu
.ho, the Hall of the Grail which Is most rem'TA-
ob,e work of scenic painting the picturesque COS
1umes Of the Knights the slow procession anu 'no ''
male face of AmfortGs-all these things h'uo a
Iever-to-be forgotten impression on the SenS0 VI
sight Daring the half-hour intermiasion everyone
left the house. Dukes and counts ana prlnceSs'
walked about corridors and upon 'ne
open space before the poruco qui'e ~
unobseryed as we plebelans. The spirit
Of the grand music was felt by all alike List was
evc,crbere AT once and wore beaming counte-
,,o,ce He has pronounced th- last work OF his SON
ir-lav the greatest masterpiece that was ever
written
The opera began promptly at p. m and
4be first act lasted one hour ana three-qudi'o's.
This Wa, because the tempo Is taken 30 Slowly auu
although the second act longer IN text the less
serious character of the music shortens II 10 ono
hour and i've minutes Between the second ana
third acts the sense OF hunger began to make claims
unon our attention IL spite OF having Jnst
awakened from dreamland The cafe upon the NIL
tbps presented an animated scene Tor an hour
How comfortable and convenient IN COMPARISON 10
our own opera! The third aci began al a quarter 10
@ and al 10 o'clock the curtain feu- III was d
curious evidence OF the influence OF the "n'o
rfor,,,nc. that no one seemed 10 think of calling
never once looked or acted as II they expected IT,
They SAM, as # they were really the persons they
reprrseuted Alb, what JOY 10 listen TO "hoIe
act Of an opera without hearing wiz
burst of haud-clappng because some poor lghofa-
mus shouts huns If hoarse on a prolonged hIsh
motel The performers here have un tel IN declar-
ing that they have never experienced such an ear
nest impression upon the stage as actors even
during the rehearsals Tonight the cast OF charac-
teIs was rs follows;
Arnfortas ....... .....- .---.... Herr Kelchlnahn
TIfnreL ..........-. ......lIerr Indennann
SulHSmanz- Herr Winkelmann
Khngsor- Frau Materna
Wagner has indeed been fortunate IN having such
o-,is,s 10 make famous each character In his new
,lav A. for Ma erna. those who heard her III
,be Festival III New-York can imagine no" Snc
r,pst have sung and acted this strange ana aim u''
mart of Kuadrg 1t is not an ungrateiul Ioi'
although in the first act she IS indeed nate
ful creature Her Wild, dlSordered har
half covering her face, and her rousn
vavs make her fendish and uncanny
10 look upon but in the second act all the beauV
which dress and a fascinating exterior can DeS'o"'
are hers Her gown Is q marvel OF art; sou
creamy colored silk covered with EXQUISITE en-
broideres Nothing could be more perfect OF grand
than her acting IN every scene. Ia inc
last act she is constantly upon
the stage but sings only two words Ii IS astohish
Sc how the expression OF her face gradually
noes nntil she tepls assured that she is eemed
and freed from her curse IN the howergHden
the whole stage is filled with huge tropical hOWers'
and the h5wer-maidens are only so many more BIOS
SONS OF the very same hue. 1herdresses are certain
Is the most unique which were ever seen upon or on
the stage The skirts are made to represent the
long metals Of various flowers hanging down IN
many slender, divided points, and over
these q short bodice cut in deep mar
row pieces Of green stuff which looks
precisely like the leaves Of a rare plant These grls
are all of slim graceful figure and they run ABOUT
the stage with sandaless feet each one striving 10
outdo the Other III caressne movements, while Tar
sifal stands II their midst. Wmk-lmann Is a
good artist He ha, a noble voice fine appearance
and a warm and passionate nature. In the last act
his BEARING was elevated enough to tempt one 10
believe that the power of redeemlng the world
might really be possessed by man. Scarla and
Reichmann are the most entirely satisfactory OF ali
tie artists of this evenings performance.
THE MUSIC or PARsIFAL."
T. need hardly be mentiOued that the music Of
"ParsifaI' is constructed on the motives p1lncl-
pie motive" formerly called theme Is a short
musical phrase when represents either person or
Al action and is introduced either by the orchestra
or in the vocal part, for instance. the warn
ing motive . IN "LOhangrrn." where the hero
tells Elsa. never shalt thou ask me
whence ! camer This motive appears IN the or
ehestral part whenever a reference is made 10 the
s.warrlY,n In this consists the originality OF
Wagurrs music. The better the hearer ac-
0ualnted with these motives the deeper ms ap-
preclaton Of Wagners genius. lhe value or
standard of modern orches raj COMPOSITIONS depends
UpOu the skill with which the leading motives
are carried through the various moYeme Is ana