Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1889-11-02

The SeclusiOn He Sought Was Found
at Bayreuth - The Richard Wagner
Theater - Its Architecture, Prepor-
tioMs and Appointments How the
Grand Musical Dramas Are Conduct.
ed-The History of Wagner's Obscure
Origin, His Studies, PeculiarltIes and
Life. i
BAYREuTH, Bavaria, Oct. 81.
TotAe Editor OF the JouRNALAN AND COURIER:
Ii Richard Wagner really desired to seek
as deep q seclusion as possible, and to retire
almost absolutely from all that had favor of
the modern about it, his Judgment was not
amiss when he selected Bayreuth. The place
is one of the Oldest of Bavarian towns In
deed, if one consider the irregularity of the
streets and the general struggling, zigzag,
haphazard arrangement, or rather want of
arrangement about erything, the place
must have originally grown up along some
old Roman cow-path, and that one a most
eccentric cow-path besides. Somebody has
given Darmstadt the reputation of being the
deadest town in Europe That person had
rot Seen Bayreuth. I am told that, any
time between the Wagnerian revivals, when
a party Of strangers arrives at Bsyreuth, it
~ nuoA uA cFou1 buuV tu0 CAuACA Doll6 0l0
rung and the visitors are drawn in their
fiakrss to an inn by the populacs. However
this may be, there is . listlessness and a ST.
lence here that are ever painful. Twice q
week the old market. place brightens up q
bit. If there is any other business done
here there are NO evidences of 1t. The Ratb-
haus is a rat-house indeed; the churches are
sullen and ruinoas; the hotels are wesriseme
old places with their ''offices" ia a chair in a
mouldy court, or on an oaken table no larger
than your hat; the residenees-but few of
which were built during the present century
ARE gray old tombs, about which even wild
thinRs in green have apparently ceas.d
growing; the people themselves seem IS
wraiths, who dream between tests, and who
are only revived for . little time to gather
the pfennige and marks that those remarka-
ble events bring here; and as soon as the
strangers are gone the sleep Of the years
again Immediately dsscends for another
dreary cycle.
But long time ago, before Wagner was
born, it seems that others chose the place for
spot for idyllie retirement. The husband
| CT the illustrious Margarine de Bsireuth,
| sister of Frederick II. of Prussia, here built
many of the deserted palaces and stately
houses which are now either used as bar
racks or are entirely deserted. The Ermit-
| age is one and is located about three miles
from Bayreuth. In this, it is related, the
lady named wrote her famous "Memoirs. u
Also at this period Frederick II. built the
fine old theater here, decorated in the 100000
style, which seats thousand people, and in
which, during his time, operas and feras
were produced at great cost. Upon one, II
is said, thirty Thousand Aorins were expend
ed. So it will be seen that Wagner merely
revived and surpassed what once existed
here. Besides the ancient glories of tn
Msgravines, interest attaches to Bayreuth al
tho home of Jean Paul Friedrich Richter
whose writings are known to all lovers o
literature. He lived here from 1904 unit
the date of his death in 1895, and lies buriet
in the little graveyard just beyond the Er
langen gate. King Ludwig I. erected hi
monument, the work of Swanthaler, in on
of the principal Squares of Bayreuth. A
the little hostelIy called the Rothwenzel
near the Ermitage, q room is shown wher
Richter loved to come and rest and write.
But above all else, the pilgrim here is at
tracted to the Richard Wagner theater, tn
musical Mecca of Bayreuth. It is built full
ly mile from the center of the town, hal
way up the side Of little mountain who's
top is crowned by the soldiers memorial Q
1S72-'3, and, with the exception of fe,
mederp residences at either aide of th
, broad, tree. .bordered avenue leading to 1t,
isolated and alone in its glory. 1t is mos
untidy and even repulsive In exterior ar
{ pearancs. and NO style Of architecture coul
be named in describing Il unless, indeed,
might be called Wagnerian; that is, arohl
tseturally frightful. The material is a CON
, poeite of sto1e and brick and concrete, wit
. here and there the GROSS beams of oak, G
, common in inferior German buildings, wit
ruble stone and plaster In the intsrstioe
8 As you approach the levelsd platz, or spac
I set aside for the theater and grounds, tho
a are to the right gigantic detached wine oal
and dance nall, and to the left Tn isolate
bser-hall and promenade grounds. To d
, scribe the appearance of the theater from
r distance, without knowing for what purpo
4 it had been built, ono would be tempted
say that q wealthy German farmer had hui
large barn, or storehouse, upon high hil
:, Not quite satisfed with the room he hi
q got, after a little he had shed for his catt