New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-11-13
.aLoHEYGRINn All THE METROPOLITAN.

| gLOHENGRIN" AT THE METROPOLITAN
SIcohcngTn subjects the musical apparatus
Of the Metropolitan Opera House to severer test by far
than any other opera which Mr.. Abbey has in his list
The strain moreover is that bears with almost equal
force upon all the factors employed in the production
high degree of dramatic skill voices of good quality and
great power of endurance, deep poctical insight lofty
imagination and scsaCrifcing devotion are required OF
the principal artists; the chOrser asked to bring to
the performance of he? task only dramatic instincts
of better kind than the ordinary, but also enough must
cal knowledge and voice to of the greatest
difficulties that brstles with pages that are no
thing than WEAKNESS to the hesh" whatever may
be their effect upon the spirit, the orchestra must lift 1t
self high out OF the dcplOrabe t in which it ordinarily
moves and put itself upon the plane Of the cheest of the
factors that 20 the dramatic nnit the conductor
| must he a man of sufficient breadth of mind and will
power III Itaan 10 throw on the rrciudiccs planted
IN him by years of traditional influence, and devote him
self sincy to the Interpretation of art-work which,
though from perfect IS ofticr in aim deeper and
broader in significance and intellectually more exalted In
its motives than any Of the operas to which the routine OF
his life is devoted; finally TO the efforts of these must be
added the aid OF the macnist and the cosmcr for
"LOhengrn as brilliant and inspiring spectacle as
it is thrilling drama and mo ing musical composition
| How do Mr.. Abboys forces ill these requirements
Some of them admirably The beauty OF the stage pct
urcs shown last Wednesday, and again last night have
never surpassed the American STAGE they meet
! the most vivid magininGs of the pomp and glitter OF
court life in Germany in the Middle Ages. The niagnih-
OF EisdS dress in the before the Minister
suggests avishncs Of outlay that goes far toward help
ing to forget that the is only Illusion, and
though the garments OF the ladies mobiles less
costly they brilliant and rich that there Is
nowhere a of discord in the picture So too, with
the dress Of the other characters and with the stage set
tinge while the perfection Of stage mechanics is reached
IN the machinery which brings the messenger Of the Grail
down the river the of the mobiles. the
fusion OF the wicked ploterS and the salvation OF the I'M
Justly accused maiden In this rcpcct then. say
though the phrase he c that Mr. Abbcys production Of
! Lohcugrin " leaves nothing to De desired. The com
mcndation Of conductor and his band may be almost
equally hearty, though their performances 30 not reach
! the same dc41cc of pcrfccon-bcing maniicsty ham
rcYed by the weight Of technical difficulty which rcSs
upon them With these factors tho province is reached in
which questions Of judgment differences In conception
and poctca ideals mo0tcd with IN eancStncsS that
il hardly les, IN degree than in the realm Of the principal
characters We have heard a German opera per-
formed by an Italian company in which OF its
scncc sacrificed We do not say this 10 disFarage
the abilities cf sgnor Yiancsi ana HE admirable company
Of MUSICIANS; the fact has it, ample explanation in the
differences national character and the influences Of
national art Scutimcntallty and sweetness arc the
things for wCh the ordinary operate performer strives;
the vgor Robustness and even codrscncs which doni-
nate many Of the pociIcd and musical productions Of
tnc German people and which are a. much character
stc expression among them sCusuou7 beauty OF
tone and form among the Italians are outs e the knowl-
edge as the are outside the sympathy Of the leader and
members OF italian opera companies And they pheboi-
omize Wagner as they do Weber and beethoven and let
out the .reddest OF his blood In the translation
OF the bone and sncw OF LOhcngin" removed and
In the disregard Of the vigorous defamation for which
Wagner (whc retaining much stronger lyrical element
than is found in la operas IA, throughout shown the
greatest consideration another part Gifts vital structure
"a taken out music alsO Is considerably be
yond horizon which italian singers are accustomed
and while Wagner OyerbuTdencd the with IL
that heroic Cxcisicns necessary IN Germany
much Of the dramatic power Of the piece lies IN these
chOruscs that imperfect performance OF them always
detracts from the general effect failure TO meet
the German ideal in these particulars the chief defect Of
the two performance at the Metropolitan has consisted
Last night there marked improvement IN the sing
ing OF the chorus and the playing OF the orchestra
! the first night. though there sti wofu lack Of
power and a gr'at deaf OF faulty inouatlon.
one " the ncasurcs which must be applied to per
Torrance Of this opera the degree b. which the d-C
tive characterization with which Wagner has clearly
stamped the principal person, (, realized.
Ordinarily Inclined to overlook
the poets ideal IN operate perform
ancc and frequently this helps enjoy the music ard
preserve peace Of mind a., Tor instance in operas
that arc based literary masterpieces such William
Tell" Othello" Hamlet" Mignon" and Faust"
! But Wagner IS his poet and has welded words
and music 50 intimately that 10 divorce from
the other. destroys the artistic Madame Missions
Flea because OF the lovely In which conscrycs
! this union, seems 10 much noble, dglihcd
| and beautiful imprrscnatiOn than any that
she has appeared in before this season. Elso though
fcrvent simple pure maiden has that strong tncture OF
| quccnly pride in her composition for which Madame
Nilsson has eloquent voice, bearing gesture II
proof were needed OF this ii might De found in the fact
| that the quarrel about precedence in entering the
AKoI IT,.
second act, ia an element which Wagner
borrowed from. the Nibclugcn Lay where there ia no
question the naughty qucenshp ~ the dsutant
What VIC miss most In hor mpcTsOnatiOL IS the dreamy
element upon which Wagner lays great stress in his book
and which he emphasize In the frat hi, heroine ut
tiers aud pIcclas In tho music which accompanies her all
through the first act Esos conduct and during
the Of the accusation and triad by combat those
OF one in an ecstasy Madame Nilsson docs not reach this
plane but. since she Is thoroughly equipped for IT, the
shortcoining probably due oversight her study
Of the character She rises full comprehension OF the
part ia the next act and all the Of her magnificent
daratc nature is thrown into the trying scenes Of the
struggle between her wcmany curiosity and her fcrye
almost idolarOus love for her scgaphc lover better
voice for the part no ask the music does not put
strain upon It that Is not easily met and ts marvellous
beauty and sympathetic warmth lind eloquent publication
signOr Canpauinis "LOhcngrn," while a noble inner
sOnation near the ideal His bearing is that of
naughty noble Instead Of celestial messenger Ills gen
tcucss f. admirable and his voice less tried by the
music (at least did last night than by hat OF other and
easier operas whiclhe ha sung this season But he gives
rein 70 too much OF the passion Of earthly wcaklng. and
too often drops In scntinCnales LObcugrn should be
borne as on angels wings" as Mendcl5soLn eaid ne
conceived part Of tho character OF his Eioh Moth
ing should move him 10 passion, and he
should preserve his serenity even In the
trying moments Of the questioning which
dcpryes him OF beloved wife and sends him back his
mission uDaccompished, 10 the Kingdom OF the Grail
Madame FursChMads OrirHdu has been witnessed here
before performance that pusates with hot dram
ntic life The character II rounded out dramatically ~
| well as unsteady aud Is most happily copsortcd