New-York tribune., 1886-08-12

When Herr Seidl hurried to Bayreuth after brina.
ing the season of German opera 10 New York to =
triumphant close, he found that the management
of the festival represented in the first instance bv
the widow Of the pOet-cOmposer, was inclined Ia
give tho younger and less experienced of his TIVE
colleagues preference over HIM. In the distribu4
sion OF representations Levi was given eight, Motif
seven. and Seidl tour: not only this but SeidPG
dates were fixed that 1t was questionable
whether such audiences would be present as an
ambitious musician who had enjoyed the privilege
of six years close communion with the dead master
desired to appeal to. and Mottl was also permitted
to conduct the first representation of "Tristan"
Thereupon Herr Seidl rendered his resignation az
co.cOnductor believing that ne owed it to himself
to his many years of service in the Wagnerian
cause and to his position in Newton not to be
suborinated to Capelmester from Carlstuhe.
whO as is believed here owed his preferment to
the influences which 90 out from petty conrts
have no wish to discuss the wisdom or folly of tho
matter: | relate the occurrence as melancholy
proof that pure ideality IN art does not exist now
much depored. 1t was the cause of Fraulcn Lilli
Lehmann's non-participatiOn. Mime. Wagner was
placed in quandary by the refusal of the Vienna
Papier, who it was expected would be the repre-.
sentative of Brangaae in "Irlstan" When she
extended an invitation to Fraulein Lehman to
participate in the festival. therefore, she coupled
it's acceptance with condition that she would
agree to sing Brangane to another artists Isolde
when called upon. Fraulein Lehman protesting
her Willingness at any time to sing Brangane when
it was necessary, in order to make possible rep
resentation she had done in Berlin. declined to
to sing at the Milwaukee Sangerfest for $4,000 or
thereabOuts.
Bnt these are passing dscor1s which should not
close ones to the gor Gus harnonIes OF the les
tiyal represent ons now progress. The strongest
conviction which carried away hom the theatre
last night was that in spite OF everything the ex.
cellence of the performance the heightened lnil-
vidual receptivity which comes from the spectacle
of multitude of artists and artistic people gath:
cred together to present and receive great work Oh
art the marvellous adaptation OF all the conditions
TO the production OF a deep IMPRESSION, ana In al
dition the conviction that no matter what may be
an individuals opinion of details. the drama had
been presented lust as the greatest dramatis of tho
century conceived it, not only tied but actually
demanded the Bayreuth representations one cam
not enter the theatre without experiencing vastly
,leeper feeling that is inspired by any opera house
in the world. The interior of the structure compels
n reverental attitude toward the art OF when y
is the temple. Here art and religion mect as they
did IN the theatres of ancient Greece. Here one
would be obliged perforce to fix his attention on
not one but all tie factors of the representation II
me did not feel invountarily delight IN the ability
and opportunity TO do so. While the audien'e-foom
IS yet lighted the eye roams with pleasure oyer tie
architectural lines and the artistic sense IS satls
fed by the nobility. serenity and chastene:s OF tne
design No signal to performers or auditors is heard
from the stage. As the lights grow DUN the listen
ers sink guierly into their seats and before noZen
bars of the prelude have enriched tie atmosphere.
coming from an invisible somewhere, the direction
of which one could scarcely guess dld ne NOT Know
it, the fancy taken captive and launched AT once
into the mystical country disclosed by the parting
curtain Thenceforth the material world Is gone.
the marvellous stage pictures are produced. ono
feels tho spirit of the scenes enters the nina ana
reaches the emotions through all their gates and
roads nj once so long as fashion rules the world.
so long people 90 to the theatres 10 be seen III.
stead of to be heard instead Of to bear so long
as theatres are built with 4 view to the exhibition
of those front of the fooighti the 5ayreuth fes-
tivals have a beautiful and IA noble mission.
/ do not PURPOSE to discuss the performance OK
Parsifal In detail. Readers Of TnE TRIBUNE
already know the opinion Of this journal concern
ing the book and the music OF Waeners swan song,
and the BayTcuth representations are 80 nearly Ier-
feet that criticism OF them 10y one IN sympathy
with the artistic movement which they represent,
Ia always in danger of running ont into rhapsody:
To few features | may recur after the second
next Monday when Nine. Materna
will apear rs Kupdry Last night Frau Elm Nlalten
filed this stupendously difficult role singing and
acting with a br lliancy which was almost beyond
praise The Pd,Sitdl was Herr WInkel elmann. the
f;urnsiaanz Herr Sehr. the .fmfortds Herr Rcicn-
mann. Herr Levi conducted and the representation
did not di feI materially from the representations
Of 1852 and 1883 concerning which the world Is,
OF ought to be, informed. IL. 4. Il.