New-York tribune., 1886-08-16

| all maniacs" They were all, OF mostly. amiable
maniacs indeed aud though nay friend kept out OF
| Bcdlam himself he seemed TO think 10 entirely
natural that everybody else should be in-and 50
he pail his tribute. 1t was extremely interesting
| 10 observe the difference between the impression
made by Parsifalr and that made by rstan."
The former sianced comment. the latter opened
wide the suiccgatcs of conversation commend
| this indisputabe fact to the attention oil inc
| Naguer.an panIphleteer whose amazing brochure
| on Ihe Significance of the Morning Awakening
Call in Parsifal lies beside me-a warning against
the dangers OF nnthinkns hpmDd fhnpSod 1"n m Wsgsn
could write a profound psychoiogcai ana physl0-
logical dissertation on the reason oil te tch2ueteu-
ness o. the audience aud the voinbility OF the
other He might hit upon some obvious truths.
too. but disciple of the lonRhaired school he
| you'd probably not admit the simple eNplanatioI
| that 4" Tristan" as n drama at least Is thousand
miles nearer the sympathies OF tho people OF this
world i'll this nineteenth century than farsital
can ever lie. The mystery OF human love is one
that is renewed every moment OF time IN al us
| marvellousness and beauty the same ought 10 DO
said OF tie mystery OF Divine love ana human
redemption which may be accepted as the subject
matter Of Wagners last crama; but in the theatre
the first question il one OF representation, ana
while every one without exception must observe
how directly, forcibly and unanimously wagner
has given expression to the universal passion, not
every sequally bound to recognize the lesson OF
the higher love in his version oil the legend ol the
Holy Grall. Ii was Uanslick who. In lssZ. urged
the oJection that the religion of Parsfal was
supersltious relic worship long ago put aside by
humanity. 1t seemed to me at the tllne. rom ,
one and two hearings OF the work have served only
TO strengthen the conviction. The representation
OF the alteration of the sacred lance and Holy Grai
is VIVID and so pcrsi stcn in its materlaiisn That
the symbolism which alone might commend them TO
modern sympathy is crowded out OF slght Inc
music is wondronsly Impressive and at Tunes OF
great beauty-much nearer 10 tho taste of the
ma than that of Tristan and the mechanlcal
effects are much moro numerous ana beautiful
than those of the secnlar DRAMA ont neither music
nor action nor pictures can keep down the doubts
whether Wagner has treated the legend Ol PcrclVfl
with the dignity and poetical feeling that 1t
deserves and his genius had led Us to expect Many
still ask, What is II that WIS wanted Of IdrSydt
in the temple of the Grail 7 Wherein lay hs SIN !
Where is the dramatic motive OF the work y and
the questions are not easily answered. All is
plain in Wolfram Won Eschenbacrs eplc, Were
not touch of tie sacred lance. but tile sympa.
hetc question brings surccase of the silcrlngs OF
Iiafo,tas. and where Pdrs,faPs probation is the
result of criminal neglect to manifest tie sympathy
which he felt. But simple question could not be
made effective and picturesque stage property
ions of to-day were pushed still further in the
background to make way Tor much adoraton OF
another relic. The difference in tho dramatic and
musical treatment of the two legends was vivlily
brought to notice by the circumstance that th0ngh
Tristan" has scarcely any action IN a literal
sense" only love duet" said kapellmeister Seldl,
meeting: preparation, meeting; -, preparation,
meeting preparation, meeting; thus through
three acts the burden OF much OF the compara-
tive criticism which reached my ears was that 1t
had moro than "Parsfa" which. while not
crowded with episodes, certainly has many more
than Tristan" lt was the laya;streail OF passion
which rushe rresstibly through tristan fis,ti tta.
ga se ono the impression Of action. little OF the
neat given out by ihIs stream, a very llttie. mas
been felt III American concert rooms II Is 70 De
hoped that Mr. Stanton will let the whole torrent
roll over the Metropolitan stage next winter Ihe
possibility is created by the engagement of Herr
Niemann. With Niemann and Lehmann at the
MerODOlitan Opera llOuse, Berlin Will lcsc
" Tristan und Isolde and New-York ought to
gain it. ii. r. N.