New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-02-14


critics. composers. and singers and the appearance
f every new brochure was followed by shouts OF
rage. Nothing that he ever did perhaps excited SC
much anse- rs his assault uron the Jews in hi'
Das Ju1enthum in der Musk" QSo2l 1h'
rame of :" Music Of the Future" which
began abont this time TO be applied to his compost
ions. was borrowed from the pamphlet Das hunst-
yerk der Zukunfp The Art-Work of the Future,
$780, in which he undertook to explain his prlnoi-
pies. They wera treated at greater length the mex
year in his "Oper und Drama"
From Zurich, after several years of literary war
fare he went to Italy. In 1860 he appeared again
IN Paris. The time was not unfavorable Tor him
there. Liszs had created a great interest in his
works by an enthusiastic and intel igent advocacy
of them In the little theatre of Weimar be hao
revived ''rannhilser," and directed the first per-
formance of "Lonengin" $3.50. and of the latter
opera he had written glowing explanation anC
defence. Li,z's enterprises at Welmar were topics
If universal interest in artistic circles. So it hap
pened chat Wagner was not unwelccme on his ar
rival at the French capital HIS music, played at
few concerts, became sort OF sensation; ana III
1861 Court influence caused "Tannhauser" 10 D.
prepared for the Grand Opera. As a prelude 10 thf
representation. Wagner published a translation OF
the words OF several of his dramas, with a. Letter
to a French Friend explaining at considerable
length the characteristics of the " Music OF the
Future"
TANNHAUsER IN PARIS.
The performances took place in February 1851.
Everything that money could do for the stage se'-
ing was done freely But it was evident beforehand
that Court favor, though it was all-poWeriul
with the director of the OPERA was TO be no help
towards success with the public. Tho members OF
the Paris Jockey Club determined that Tam
lauser should not be heard and they had their
way For three nights the performances wen
On amidst understandable uproar At the end OF THAI
time the work was literally booted and whlStled OH
The stage without a hearing. The composer hlmseH
has wri ton the history of the scandal and described
with no little humOr he and CONSERVATION OF the
ParIsiau habltu65 of the opera when lie refused 10
transfer the ballet from the first act, whore alone
the drama would admit of IT, 10 the second act,
where Paris was accustomed to look for 1t. We
quote from Mr. T. l.. BurlIngames excellent volume
| of TRANSACTIONS illustrative Of the AIT work ana
Theories" of Richard Wagner New-York. 1870:
On this evening thero was assembled In tie Grand
o ,cfa House 10y the efforts ~ those who ma
endcred &c next 10 impossible for me even 10 give aMa
Inc seats IN day ut the first perio nance an 70 nav
L. Icuds prcsrut-tucrc WAS
say. bv their 'or'san audience whi>h any cOoI
Pr would NJ once be Intensely prt1udlced
against my work. Add To this the repres W h
and OF whose hostile course regarding me You eau IuuSc
from their r-pors-and you eau well believe that ne
lleyc myself iusuHrd IN speaking OF great tIlumph
when tcu you y, mat the by no means encnan,na
performance OF my opera was greeted WIN "
more unanimous applause than had ever pefHohhl eA
pcripuced fl GERMANY The real sol the
aud sevrra-yes, allof the musical critics mere WI"
mad up to his time done their best 70 distract the ateh
ton Of Tue audience from e representation, eNucnty
m ram toward the conclusion OF the act, TO fear
hnt thry won be forced to complete aud brill
ant succ my Iannu0 lser" aud BEGAN TO oreds
cut wi bursts OF Laughter at certain catonworu
wnlcn hoy nad agreed upOn ut the enearsas oy wnc1
means they BROUGHT about at the end 81 tue hct sur
Gcicutly dstractiuE dSturOaLce Va ,ehsloS
mani e-ation Of appluu,e Ut the nhg OF lne ouitan'
These gentlemen mad unquc siionany observed, at ".
grind rencar@als, from "Ach ma u'N'l SUI 80, a.
excluding them, that he real ,noct OF tue OpeI ust 10
ia b. performance OF the thlrd act cap pm
scene ny ~ ID sploc In, 'eprcsentlng the Vhley OrolV
the WartOuig IN tne giodmiEg OF an Autumn cycnlus'
mad even during the rehearsal produces an en- CT uOl
the spectators by ~hch TIE RAM. Oh i1u 10 go
thc proper comprehension OF the succe.unH scSnes W"
drought about IN spite of themselves; from the stand
point the performers these scenes were hc inl pr
| ant pO.ut Of IN, whole prfortnauce; the fhSIlm
EIizabetn'- prayer gwen cnlrr and wltn strkng ex
preston oy Mue FAX; tie phdntdsid T. he evening si
produced with perfect pAthruc tic lchcy ny Motc
-hcsc successfully introduced tue pest PORTION "
Nlcmanu's prr rmance-tne ace UNI OF e ~ ~
winch AWAY, secured he heartbeat recognition ol ina
alts or tis biri .rt AZ Least even with the
m @iy tn!s Sct was now attacked by the leader
above erred AMI thoY sought 10 hnHer the
lion oil the necessary absorbed spril among tle hu
cuce by loud bursts 81 laug itcr Whch m.st nav
their cu disb pruyUcation III tbe NOS, tlnG opoi 'i
ties UbIatufbcd ny these hOstlle demon 10!
sugcrs did not euler themselves TO 90 IN the eas con
fused DID the audience lerWt ts' 10 W AePt l"n'
g1ymg s appeecisuyc ateatiou 70 cir brave euue"N
| ora. W utteu rewarded Dy hedlty "PPauSV'
aud eud Of The act the opposition Was Copioue5
| defeated, wnen tna performers were luinul'uousp
| called before the curtain. >,
| The behavior OF he audience on the evening o. the
second pefnrnance proved to me that BAD not bo'l
mistaken In cons d;rinS the result oi TINS nrst oEen
o he compeie succrss; by TINS was decided VITA
| what oppOaitiOn was To nave 10 dtal III luturc-
naury, wIh that OF the PARIS Jockey SluO wucn an
certainly aunoriz d to name thus pal'y' s,nI n 'S
,nce ITSELF openly Ouud out my opponents ny Tue
whose tght TO cous Ger Themselves Ords OF the Granu
| Opera / need MOI now explain to you more 'u, ,
| ubsence of the customary ballet at tue ums
| OF their entrance to thc the1lre iaDout tne miu
die of the perfOimauc received Win disgust thh'
rannl Aurrr bHi not failed at s hrsl reception ei
all, but had really won triumph FROM t9s nm Oi ~
n became their busuos, to prevent THIS Dh ctless OPP
IRON beng presented To them evening after SNeHing
ts yyav from their dnner 90 the opera with quantity
of hunting whistles aud similar lnstfumehts WIN "hc'
fhry begun upon their entrance, to operate
nqaust The 'Tauhhauser" In the most shameless manner
I'm that time hl - during the III 81 ANA up 10 hehI
had made Itself feit. and continued aplaus had accom-
pInrd unnindered those passages OF my opera tn mao
qucSy become i"yoIes bul nom 'mo -, va,
further demo ratlOhs OF applause asslseu me- III s
aid the Emperor and Empress themselves sec2 T @
| demonstrate their appreciation OF nv WORK. Inc lIre
yoca bile condemnation OF the " Tannuauser hHd OeeL
racy of France. Up u the very end OF the piece
pause the part OF the audience
| He made n successful visit to Russia after the
French disaster. aud in 1862 was at Vienna, where
Tristan and Iscult" was in preparation at thu
Imperlal Opera House. No fewer than forty
seven rehearsals were held, and then th,
work was given up mpracticable. undonOt
edly it is very difficult but tho greatest
bar TO its execution was its novelty
II marks Wagners complete emancipation from The
restraint Of traditional operate forms. and the sub
stitution of continuous melody" for the custom
airy reciatives and airs 1t has now taken its place
in the standard rcpertory of the best German oper'
houses, but perhaps the world is not yet quitt
ready for it-ess because audiences are unprepare'
to understand than because singers are unable 10 III
terpret IT,
MUNICH.
| Co., of,o, 81 N occossion Of tho vounQ King Iud