New-York tribune., 1884-12-01
MNrisIC AND THE DRAMA
voMANrlC AND HISTORICAL oPERA@ =,
.s'e .,,,,,os md lower houses, speaking oi

opera, ,,',,, ,or assigning lie zauhernoe " '" 'hs
a"' oos,,ion. hut We fancy that tho oo'""" e''"
r'"' y, me singular phan'as'nag"i" u" N""p'
Mozart isyished musical so" :" r''" ',.s,o,an.
"'s-' ara evident only 10 w" m"s'""s
s"en ,aoial faculty for discovering national anu
wh" "' ~. The claims Of "fidelio," win Whioh
namrosch's artists concluded the Worh VI '"'
~. on. beitcr founded than those oi " DIG A""""'-
ss and indeed, In one respect are ihcoh'os'""'' o"'
r.,er 10 class il with literary ana musical master
M ouomlet" Faust" and &" Don Giovanni,
r.. while they reveal the ideals Of their creators III
essence belong to period and no people, but are
universal in time ana place
mar Frejschtz" from the day OF its birth, has been
.,o o,era I'm which the romantic spirit OF the German
go has found its most vivid reflection. The somore
,cb, and my serious murmurngs OF the German forest
nsrvade IL; the spectres Of that Paganism from
rhich the sturdy Norhcmers could only be weaheu
nv compromise and artifce fit through 1t; the
wild Hunt.man overshadows IT. and though he says
not word he powerfully asserts his claim upon ihe
trmb ng admiration of those who keep open hearts for
some OF his old companions OF rre-Cmis'ah u'|
pecally for the burly fellow who under new name, is
welcomed so joyfully every Christmastdo In ahothcr
sense Der Freschiitz is national opera; the splt
of It's music drawn from the art form which the people
created Instead of resting Oh the highly aruhcia Prou
net OF the Italian renascence it rests upon popular
song It's melodies echo the cadcnccs OF the '0ESteoD
in which the German heart voices its dearest loves III
s,ead Of shining with the garsh light of the Florentne
Courts It glows with the rays of the waning sun nItcreu
through the foliage Of tine Black Forest
Through rosy light flooding the grotto OF venus VIC
were led to the second accomplishment of the Germans
On Wednesday night Witnessed blending OF rol""
tic mythical and historical elements In Wagners hrt
great opera The historical Tnnnhaiser HIS houcs'
paragraph I'm the annals of German literature lie was
knight and the Of Duke Frederick
H. of Austria the first decades OF the trtechh cen
fury. II is said that he lived adssoutc life. squandeed
his fortune and wrecked his health but did timely pen
ance and a, the end failed not of the consultations OF
Holy Church. But he took no part III the cohtes. OF
mnsrelsy at the wartburg. and would probably nave
found no occasion to sing the praises of Venus had he
peen present for the subject at that contest,n 1t eve
took place Ewas snot The nature OF love- out 'nc
II WAS poiitlcai wrangle AID Elzabcth hand could
scarcely have been the prize con'ended for sGe &C. Ls &
openeG her ewes upon this world But. recently
Undertook to show the genius of Wagner used these per
ideals which have lived in literature for ages .or,
on Friday, finally we were launcne1 h ,n,o o Gn Mn
unequvocsy an historlga opera nr n s S yer Pi i
ma % rs,ed cur Youthful heart swelings He's in
conrse of development into sun myth. Having 10 nod
Oh % ~ - .;,isune Tell as an historical opera,
work prompted in spirit and matter by " La Mnette al
stage and which established the type OF which musical
France has the greatest reason 10 he proud III was III
Te" that the Metropolitan Company recoVeredthe iau
rclsost by unfortunate pcrformanceso of f@s iugnen0ts
In ihe work of preparation had married the representa-
tons of those works. and there was natural aPrehen
sion that the great demands of Rossins serious master
niece would moi he met The opera know is laid out
on grand scale that 1t Is only given US 20 near IL we
the purpose exploit some tenor with high noto IN
his voice For this line opportunities occur IN the % 9no
Of the frat act on ya,-tu ana the an asc o
taire II the last We can recall no pcIlornanSe gwen
with purpose to show the composition In az Ine glai
deur ofits proportions except TINS oy DE- DS"'oS'n
Inc spt Of the Metropolitan director and his singers
the earnesncss displayed on all hands to present tne
work worthly was -, "a u,oun" ,u, ws "' wori,cd
and brought its reward Rossni modcsty said that
Of the "c @" % MG the third act Of Oeo
snd all Of IN Barierc +" might live, There was
i" in the "S'c csti"aic me second Of .'rcll"
much above the genial % ""h wS'e gr I
ber" the srongcs prop OF h's NM mm,, 81 !" Se S ro %
"Quand rlicvetie est un champ de- supplies Tor Nls
orcus beauty or Of the ehSr, n, ,h enSc' rSi Si
10 give the broad dramatic aud vivid spectacular effect.
Of which this opera s capable REQUIRES an establish
To- and singers and cd with different aims than
we usually ind The extent of the essential spirit at the
Metropolitan shown IN the assumption OF the part of
Hedcig by fraucln Brandt-an artlst VINO ~ hcr np
depth of her palhos and the Intensity OF her dccamn
tion aud action IL was shown again IN IN rl tnc
iousIy effective cooperation between the mechanism. the
acting and music which found its climax IN the oath
the Rutl where the fading away OF the moon
light the Alpine peaks aud the coming OF the rosy
prompt outburst of applause and Mduced the audience
70 demand sight Of Herr Hook, the stage manager 10
But the merits of the representation were not all ex
terna. Herr udyardi excepted the singers were
formed it with great effectiveness. The culumination Of
excellence was In Herr KObinsons Te an impersonaiion
that glowed with dramatic fire In every fibre, that was
equally perfect in It's histIionc as wen as It's musical
elements The dignity which kossini gave his recta-
passoned dcclematon, and all of the artists previous
achievements were lett far IN lhc shade by
In saying farewell to his son before the
shooting The role of DENNY had Frauen sach, Tor ils
impcrsonatOr. a young artist who combines personal
loyeness with artistic gifts which in view, of her youth
innsss Justify great eabeela9ns 3t n1r M hn'n
music and contributed large factor 10 the artistic sum
Of the lyric drama q the Mo,huds Of Mime rcnrolcr
iansangi, II would hardly he praise II we said tat II
have seen Tor many years. our hahidfs have
been Tor tho part wofu 1t not only the best
II Was thoroughly good revealing much excellent vocal
ilalion which Is about all that can be asked oI IL
The disImnsron IN operate affairs which gives us
Mcsiamos Paul aud hcalohi ~ The Same company nhs
ramido" 10 hear this opera ~ the same week WIN
"uniiaumo rcll was sngnler sensation No tw"
wotas of The composer could have been better pn ~ us
,spo.iion 10 show The growth Of h3ssnl ,nnn le,,o
world "hcnhsmiuc" at thr Academy "i ehluluh>
rofk audrporsonuded like teo Of pnA, age In music
III axe nlpd with strange contradictions ana nonHiionH
ttpcdirnis. age when hernie parts were sung hy
female Voices which AID not belong to women All The
actors which the raiislin Rossini consloed when hoe
wrote his here frnulNpd In one brhuii
fnl singing. The AsWtan Queen and Arsaoe gnve ont
,eer pea.ules aud their pam, IN tho the ] same lael,ons
Assyrian brass band with trunpets aud tenor. and
tuhas aud trombone left them chance 10 be heard But
had opportunity to think of the wish often felt,
that Berlo1 might have written an opera about semi
fanis, and put In of that music which 10 Icine
seemed something archaic II not antcdiuvian," which
the mammoth, Of fabulous empires fn of Fabulous sins
aid al manner of npossbites. the magical accents OF
eemrams and the narves Of Nine,eh" e''''0''' "
MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC NOTES