Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-08-22
"PARSIFAL' AT BAYREUTH.
A Wonderful Production of Wagner's
Last Opera at the Festival.
tier in Boston Traveller,

Bayreuth Letter in Boston Traveller
The Wagner theater and its location have
been often described. 1t was a lovely after
noon and joined the throng in carriages and
afoot, moving along the avenue toward an emf
hence back of the town wherein is the ideal
structure of its kind of the world. The site,
commanding wide view of a charming valley.
Is most picturesque. At o'clock was to hear
"Parsifal' for the FIRST time. The theater which
Is without adornmeht. seating 1.4OO people in
tiers rising one above the other so that an un-
obstructed view of the stage is to be
had by all. filed gradually, until at 4
there were no vacant seats. The summons to
enter for the beginning of performance or
after the long entire acts are ended is given by
a posse OF trumpeters at fifteen and again at
five minutes before the hour who sound from
two sides Of the front porch of the building a
theme from the ensuing act of the drama Be-
fore note is heard from the invisible orches-
ira the house is darkened. so that reading the
score Is impossible. The hustle of the audi
ence. which the circumstances of its gathering
together make unusually interested in each
other, has ceased and utter silence awaits the
entrance Of the first motif of the prelude to
"ParsifaI "a silence, 1t may be remarked,
which remains unbroken during any portion of
aperformance IN the theater.
''Parsifal, on August 4, was given, as usual.
under the direction of Conductor Lew OF
Munich. with an orchestra of los players-the
ehte OF German instrumental artists-and with
the following leading singers: Van Dyck Par
sifai; Materna, KeendTy; Blauwaert, G,une-
MANI; Relchmann, An,fortds; Livermann,
KknJsor; Hobbing. TitlireL
The orchestra aud stage setting answered all
my expectations. The ensemble of voices and
orchestra Is remarkable. There is no prepon-
derance Of instrumental tone; there is no COW
ering Of voices, but everywhere a beautiful
blending of both pervading but not over
whelming the theater, the like of which had
not imagined in music. The degrees of tone
which the conductor brought from his band
we're simply astonishing, yet there was never
fertissimo. The quality OF the band is ex-
quisite.
The stage effects introduced in "Parsifal' are
as unique as they are wonderful AS Gurne-
ntonz hrst leads PdrSitdi 10 the hall of the
Grail the appearance OF the country changes;
the lovely meadow scene yields TO cavernous
rocks, mountains traversed ere the eve
rests on the doomed hall of the Knights of the
Grail The effect Is possible because of the
immense revolving stage: a similar illusion il
produced in act three, only the stage revolyes
In the opposite direction, revealing an entirely
inherent perspective. Again, IN the second
act, where kLngsor's castle is suddenly trans
formed into garden of flowers. the stage sinks
rapidly out of sight, bringing into view an en-
tirely new scene, fully set. Formerly. l be-
neye, the flower maidens were concealed be-
hind their counterfeit presentments but the
Deter practice prevails now of having them
enter from the sides. The overthrow of Kang-
sors castle Is an expression of stage mechanics
thoroughly real and startling. One can never
overestimGte the genius of Wagner, who
planned every detail of these wonderful trans-
mogrihcations. The painting Of every portion
OF the setting. all the devices used, are the
work Of skilled artists. Here is indeed
achieved that unity for which Wagner lived
and waited
The choral ensemble, particularly the ex-
tremely difficult Grail scene of act l. was
saperbly done; the elasticity of the voices, the
sympathetic support given them by the
orchestra and the intense effect of the latter
being indellibly impressed on my mind The
Mower girls music was simply exquisite; when
II 10 remembered that the chorus at Beyreuth
Is composed of picked singers, artists, il may
be possible for the reader to share some of nv
enthusiasm In describing their work In the
EFFORTS Of none of the solo singers did detect
anything but complete devotion to the work in
hand do not find il easy to talk of them
individually; what they did was SO admirable
and hitting. was impressed with the dramatic
ability OF Van Dyck, though disappointed in
MS voice. Materna did not make heen1ru so
feroclous IN the earlier scenes as had drawn
the character mentally, but in the openine of
act III. where, humbly. she battles the feet of
Fdrs,ydL, her acting was perfect. Her voice has
fallen on somewhat since she was In America
The part Of Guraemdnz is most sylnpathetie
and was beautifully sung. Reichmann is A fine
actor. / shall hear him sing again before
writing an opinion.