New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-08-12
THE WAGNER FESTIVAL.
~pARsIFALr AND DIE MElslLhSiN0IN
Az BAYREUTH.
MR. LOUIS c. ELsoN's NOTES OF THE PERfohN'
.Ncrs-A VISIT TO CosIMA WAGNER

WI
~ oorfcssed however, that this enthusiasm
as oxrordod itself far more spontaneously on
. M. nsoistors;nrcr- than on ParsifaL' Inc
,o,,or yvor, is certainly greot one, but 1t Is oil
,ho. uncomfortable order of greatness which de-
,0ards considerable intelligence and study on the
-. 90 ,ba auditor. Hearing il for the third /
lime I only begin 10 comprehend the vastness oil
see lido and the depth Of It's expression. How |
,ben can one expect the pilgrims who come Tor
,ho FIRST time TO the Wagncrian shrine to glow
with n really honest fervor? The frame Is as
marvellous as the picture. To study Bayreuth IN
festival time is TO study nearly all OF the greatest
musical celebrities Of Europe. In order, how
ever to keep matters in their proper place-in &C
cordance with the views of the man who wantcd
his hairs and his butter served on separate Plates
will devote this letter entirely 20 describing the
festival itself and the scenes which preceded H.
and in a subsequent article describe the great
composers and musicians with whom have peen
thrown in almost daily contact during my soIourn
in the little city.
Friday, July 90 the town was still in lts Norman
condition, dull, sleepy and apathetc; put early
on Saturday morning matters began 10 ehanse
with the rapidly of fairy transformation scene
Train after train came in crowded III every GULL
partmcnt, and bearing the motliest assenlomee
that ever caricaturist could ure''iA
Of Fat, ford and bespectacied i"'n
jostled against lean, long-halreu sPecf-
mons NJ the genius music professor. and the
way in which greetings and kisses were ll.cr-
changed was appalling to the American eye Ger
mans were not alone in their glory. for French
men. in large numbers, Italians, Russians, Dutch
Standards. and even Turks were there, all coming
with a single object and all united by an intangl-
bIe tie. an ocular proof of the universally OF
music Al eight in the evening fresh impetus
was cven 10 the growing excitement by the arrival
of the special train from Vienna bearing a vast
crowd OF South German artists and musicllhs-
Locomotive decl1ed with flowers, and hass hahs-
ing over some Of the carriages 1t slowly pusheu
into the immense crowd gathered at the STATION
TO welcome it, As it came the oand on the plat
form began "Gotterhalte Franz, den Kaiser
and 70 the strains Of the Austrian National hymn
and amid wild and prolonged cheering the travet
lers stepped into the crowded streets Many
Americans were at the station, among whom l
may name Otto Floersheim Micnaelis. Luecenslu,
Arthur Foote Geriche, Carl FGelten, George l..
Whiting. Clayton Johns and Eliot Hubbard 1t
was rather q difficult matter for them TO get to
their lodgings even after they had obtained car
riares for most Of the hacGmcn had come Tor the
occasion from Nurcmburg and knew nothing what
ever Of the town 1t was ludierous TO see the
cabbes7 driving up to every native PEDESTRIAN
and inquiring their way. and 1t was very los
ing speculation 10 engage them by the hou7
had 70 show my cabby the way even TO Sc
celebrated place as Villa Wahnfried, whittier
went 10 seek Madame Cosima Wagner, greatly
doubling however, if she would receive me after
the great amount Of care with which she has
been encountered by the rehearsals, she having
personally attended all Of them, and directed an(
suggested in the interchangeable way in which hel
husband used to manage affairs My fears seemed
well-grounded, for the lofty butler said: I'm
possible to-day not before Tuesday But OF
taking in my card and letter, he returned Wit
a milder air and said: Die guadigc Frau VII
receive Mr. ElsOn." He ushered me through
fine mushroom into a receptlon-room, IN whlcf
sat Cosima Wagner herself, engaged in maxim!
final memoranda. As she rose and greeted M
cordially l could not but see that the eVehu
of the last five years had left their mark Sh
Is rrav. and looks more earnest than of yore
Not beautiful, but noble in her appearance he
whole manner as well as her conversation proved
that she lived for her husbands fame and glory
and had taken up life work akin TO that o
Clara Schumann in her later years. She spok
N the highest terms of Mr.. Seidrs work in New
York. and asked me what was being done !
Boston. hoping that Wagner's music would no
become a mere fashion, but would be elucldate
and explained among us, as II had Deen !
Germany She was always gratihed, she salt
10 have Americans come to the festivals
Bavreuth but heretofore. while there was AWAY
IN intimation that great many We're colhlh'
there were rarely over a score OF so Oh u
strangers list" ! was able TO assure her th'
personally know Of more than fifty American
who were to be in Bayreuth that week and th'
/ had no doubt OF the list swelling TO over I"
bundred-an answer which seemed TO please NJ
greatly She was hardly satisfied with the nun
Der of rehearsals that had taken pla'
only about three weeks OF worK-"h
She thought that ParisifaP needed at leasI ;
weeks of preparation, even though many OF u
singers had already appeared in It, Farsiial
ouires to be relearned every time it is given 81
add"d.
The resemblance of Madame Wagner to
father List. more marked than ever as s.
grew animated Our interview soon drew TO
close as both Of had TO prepare for the festive
On nv way back TO my lodgings heard vol
call my name from above. and, looking up. 50
Matcrna whose lodgings over fruit stol
holding sidewalk reception from the second stor
Il won't see anybody till l have done my part
.Parsifal's she cried but nevertheless she Ike
m the conversation amiably at long range,
some minutes.
Now we began to prepare for the festival itse
All Bayreuth seemed 10 be climbing up the b
which leads 10 the theatre. Just outside OF I
town OF course your readers have already be
informed Of it's lovely situation and OF its wond
full stage effects. The crowd outside the do
was tremendous ranging in rank from princes
Grand dukes Of whom there dozen. to pc
ants, of whom there seemed 20 be several TN
sand But we arc in the theatre and in cur Sc
fifteen minutes before the trumDeters have bio
their third signal at the outer doors 10 amour
the beginning OF the opera Every seat in
house, as we'll as in the Princes gallery is TAX
and n hush that is really painful in its suspe
takes place as the lights are lowered. and the Fl