San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-09-10
SAN ANTONIO TEXAS TUESDAY, o.
BEHELD BY BECK.
A Grand Musical Production
Old World Music, etc.

A Grand Musical Production
Old World Music, etc.
While in Europe, Prof. Carl Beck
did not see or hear very much OF inter-
est in the musical or operate line,
though much new music of the Ger
man school was purchased by him
and brought back for his singing so.
cieties. In a conversation with a
LIGHT reporter he said he travelled
through England, France, Italy,
Switzerland and Germany. He was
in London, Paris, Rome, Florence,
Berlin, Bayreuth, and in all those cit
les the operate season had not begun,
being at the usual summer standstill.
In London he heard one opera, and in
Paris two. In Bayreuth, Bavaria,
however, he had the pleasure of a
musical treat which evil remember
for the remainder of his life. 1t was,
indeed, the finest musical event
he has ever heard. 1t was
the annual stage festival. or
"Buehnenfestspiele, under the pro-
lection of Prince Leopold of Bavaria.
II consisted of the rendition of three
grand operas, "Parsifal," Tristan
and Isolde" and dir Meister-sin-
ger Won Nuremberg. A period of
eighteen days was taken for the pro-
duction of these, and an orchestra of
l20 pieces was required. The Maen-
nerchor consisted of so voices, while
the mixed chorus also consisted of so
voices. All the solOists were of the
very best talent in the empire, being
composed of those singers only who
were the prima dome and virtuosi
of the great cities, while the choruses
were also made up of none but famous
singers. There were also II musical
directors for the orchestra and sim
gers, and were such as the great Her
man Levi, of Muenchen; Felix Mottl,
of Carlsruhe; and DR.. Hans Rich
ter, of Vienna. The first ten
ors were Ernst Van Dyck,
of Vienna, who is the favorite
tenor of the Imperial court : Henry
Nogel, of Muenchen; Henry Guide
haus, of Dresden; Arthur Barth, of
Weimar; Max Bauerfeind, Muenchen.
Bassos: Franz Betz, Berlin; Eugene
Cura and Anton Fuchs, Muenchen;
Theodore Reichmann, of Vienna;
Henry Reigand, Hamburg; Carl Per-
ron, Leipsic. Sopranos: Rosa Sucher,
Berlin; Theresa Malten, Dresden;
Amalie Materna, of Vienna. Altos
Gisela Standigel Berlin; Johanna
Borchers and Lii Pressler, of
Auenchen.
The names of these are given be-
cause they are well known in Europe,
and in Germany are almost household
words.
The theatre in which this festival
was held is but half hour from Bay
reuth, on considerable elevation. 1t
will seat only 400 or 800 people and
each seat sold for 20 marks, W hich Is
very high price in Germany. People
from all over the world were there,
for Bayreuth is probably the most cos
mopolitan city in the empire, and on
its streets you can meet Americans,
English, Russian and representatives
of every nationality. The work of
rehearsal occupied one month of hard
work, commencing at O'Clock in the
morning and continuing without in
PERMISSION all day until 6 O'Clock in
the afternoon of every day. The
opera of Tristan and IsOldeN and
DIR Meistersinger Won Nurrnb berg
are very beautiful, and can be put on
any stage, but "Parsifal." which is
Wagner's last opera, is difficult
to stage, and were it not, it
could not he put on in any country
or any city outside of Bayreuth, as
that is the only city in which it is
authorized to be played. 1t has
never been heard in any other city.
While in Paris Prof Beck heard an
other opera new to America. This is
Henry VIII," and is a very pretty
one though never produced in Ameri-
ca. The only other opera he heard
was Faust"
Prof. Beck was delighted with his
trip, and says the time he spent, be-
ing away from April to September,
is not regretted by him. He has seen
much and learned more, and a great
deal of what he has learned he will
apply practically to his singing socie-
ties.