Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1882-09-01
WAGNER AT HOME.
An American Relates His Impressions
of "A visit 10 the Great Composer.

An American Relates His Impression
ora visit TO the Great Composer.
Correspondence OF the New York TrlbuneI
found Madame Wagner most cordia
and delightful, and she welcomed M
heartily in the best of English. She is
woman of the Sara Bernhardt type
though in every way larger, and reminde,
me much by a certain magnetism sh
possesses of that actress. She looks
little like Jewess, and is woman VIII,
pays the greatest attention to her toilets
which are of the most costly description
She writes very cleverly, and has re
markable mind giving her husband valu
able assistance in his work. Her father
the Able Liszt, was present. He il
spending the month at Bayreuth, is n
the opera at every representation ant
dimes regularly at the theatre restaurant
in company with many ladies'. Liszt i,
always surrounded by women, who cling
to him in manner that suggests love
sick maidens. He has the manners of
very young man toward these devoted
women, though in one respect he enjoys
the privilege of old age. He kisses botl
hands and cheeks whenever he takes the
fancy. Nearly every woman who greets
him, bends low over his hand and kisses
it, There is n deal more kissing here
than one sees in an American drawing
room, nearly all the German ladies kiss
ing the hands Of Wagner and Liszt al
greeting. Wagner is at least head
shorter than his wife. In his own home
he is Ikea school boy in these days, even
merry among his guests. His face in re.
pose is expressive of deep thought, and
is most interesting face to study He
has fancy for rich and beautiful person.
al adornment, often wearing velvet coat
and breeches. black silk stockings and
fine lace at his neck and wrists, but ordi-
narily he wears the conventional dress.
He is very modest in his cquipages, i'll
fact Is very extravagant in one direction
and careless in others, So that his costly
establishment is by no means complete
i'll its appointments as such one would
be were 1t the property of an American.
This il characteristic of German homes.
even of palaces, the shabbiest entrances
leading to the most superb apartments,
or some portion incomplete marring in
our eyes the whole effect.
Wagner had a passion for drapcries
and for silken texture. His bed was
draped i'll satin, and all the hangings are
Of that material. His income from his
operas is very large, and his tastes are
extravagant. His reception room, which
Is also his library is one of the most
beautiful rooms | have ever been in.
There is bewildering profusion of fur
niture, the walls are well covered with
books and everywhere there are draperies
of silk or satin, magniticently embroider-
ed. They cover panels on the wall, they
depend from the ceiling, hiding the high
porcelain stove and artistically draping
picture frames. Over every piece of
furniture are thrown these marvels of
color and needlework, mostly of Japanese
workmanship, and they trail upon the
carpets. A bronze bird holds in his beak
a Japanese silk pOrtiere which falls into
deep rich folds and lies upon the floor
like the train of robe. The harmony
Of color is perfect and the effect charm
ing The same love of drapery is seen
in Madame Wagner's boudoir. Every
where are the most beautiful pictures
and OIjcts d'drt and rare bric-a- brac.
The face of the lady of this house is
often seen upon the walls, frequently
in pictures of scenes from the "Niebel
ungen Ring" and "Lohengrin." The
portraits OF the entire family are intro
duced into Holy Family group. These
rooms are never cleaned or busted while
the family are at home. The moment
they go away for ever SO short n time,
upholsterers and workmen remove every
thing and restore all as it is left.
Superb are the gifts Wagner has re-
ceived. They are trustingly spread out
before us on cabinet. Among the ves-
sells and bronZes and orders | counted
five laurel wreaths of silver, exquisitely
wrought one was the gift of an Ameri-
can lady.
"Parsifal' is to be confined to Bay
reuth, SO its author has declared. He
does not say whether for the million dol
lars he once hoped for from America lie
would permit it to go across the sea.
Wagner has never regarded Americans
with very much favor since they declined
to raise this trifling sum for the purpose
of bringing him to our shores, and he has
given up all thoughts of ever coming to
us. The "daughter Of Wagner" who is
soon to be married to an Italian count, il
Miss Won Bulow, Hans Won Bulow's Sec
ond daughter, and very lovely girl.
| Wagner has only one child Of his own,
the boy Siegfried. All the rest are the
children of Bulow, who came to Wagner
with their mother. At this marriage,
which will take place at Munich, the
King will be witness, and at the samt
time the bride will embrace the Roman
Catholic religion, Wagner himself com.
manding 1t, as it is one of his theories
that husband and wife should he of the
same faith.