The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1886-10-14

own GOWn, anu GROWING one oil
them like gem is the worlds ia
nous theatre-an immense hall
with twenty-five doors and
seating capacity 1000 or 5000. 1t
occupies the centre of an exquisite
park. ''Parsifal," with Malenia and
WinkIemann as Kundsy and Par
sifal, and Tristan and Isolde"
with the new soprano Sucher as
Isolde, and Herr Gudehas in the til
tie role, were the selections made
for the annual Bairenth festival
this summer. Each presentation
begins at J o'clock on Friday and
Saturday, Tuesday and Wednesday
and lasts until l04 in the evening.
That seems terribly long time TO
spend in an opera house but half
hour intermissions are given be-
tween acts, and one can stroll In
the park or take snack at the res
taurants near,and be recalled by a
trumpet when the intermission is
over. On entering first all hats and
wraps must be removed most
sensible regulation as any Ameri
can who has tried in vain TO see the
stage from behind some towering
stylish hat. can testify. When the
audience is settled and expectant
and the appointed time for the ope-
ra come-doors, are made fast until
the first intermission and the over
ture begins. Wagner's orchestra is
always hidden from sight, and the
effect of the unseen music is almost
supernatural sometimes. The hall
is always dark, all light being
thrown on the stage which is in
deed vast and perfect in its fittings.
No drop curtain is used, but a
heavy plush one, which is looped up
artistically. 1t cost over 500, 900
to put Parsifal on the boards, but
when accomplished il is triumph
of art and human ingenuity. Get
your "Great German Composers"
you studied last year and reread
all IT says of that opera-Wagner's
last. 1t is almost a passion play.
The legend that the holy Grail was
discovered by the silly, artless
prince, Iswlght Parsifal, is born of
the hope of the poor and lowly that
their small lives of pure and true
might be made to serve at some
point in the vast scheme of the uni
verse. The old vision of fairer
world of which all races have
caught some CLEAN, whether it be
the .hideous nymph whom India
transformed or Jesus in his man
ger or Parsifal the Fool, made I'M
der guardian of the Grail. To my
mind Wagner's music has only one
fault. 1t is too tragical. There is no
reason why love and death should
forever go hand in hand or that he
roism be seen always against a
black background. The grandeur
of his genius is beyond question,
every note tells, nothing is useless
or idle, but in listening one is con-
scious of great Rhlne-like flood of
sound, that like a fatal irresistible
force carries every thing with it.
There are melodious eddies on it,
and glints of sunshine, but onward
flows the remorseless flood, darken-
ing towards the gulf when human
will and hope are swallowed up.
My letter grows too long, 1 must
close with the half not told about
Munich with its galleries, its art
treasures and 1000 artists; Berlin
the home of Joachim and myriad
of lesser musician Leipsig with its
Gewandhous concerts, and Stutt-
CART where Lebert and Stark lived
and worked, and where this sum-
mer was held a student reunion,
bringing together Lebert's three
most celebrated pupils, Anna Meh-
Zig, Cecilia Gaul and Marie Wurm.
l close with the hope that you may
one day see and hear for yourselves
the wonders and delights of the art
world, bow the knee and heart to
its crowned heads, remembering
what the truest and sweetest sing
er of our sex says of them:
'Artists are nearer to God. In.
to their souls He breaths His life,
and from their hands in fair artic-
ulate forms it comes to bless the
world" LlDIE AvIRETr.
In my department are eighty
two students, four teachers, four
teen pianos and new inven-
ton called techniphone?