The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-09-07
A VISIT TO BAYREuTH,

Thu Graves Of wagner and LisEt-Ths Great
Wagner ThsaITs-A Rare Treat
To ne Editor oflhs IaialtgeaeeT.
Sir: Believing that a short account Of
my visit to Bayreuth, would be OF some
interest to your readers, / respectfully
submit the following; After leaving
Hamburg we proceeded to Heidelberg
the renowned seat Of learning, stopping
on our way at Berlin, Dresden, Leipzig
and Frankfort long enough to revisit all
points OF interest in those places
Al Heidelberg we saw the ruins Of the
famous old castle, which, combined WIN
me magnificent scenery and the historic
relations OF the past, made TINS place
quite historic, Three'tourths oil me peo'
Die who visited the the rains that day
were Americans.
From Heidelberg we went ! s|ulF
CART, where Just six years ago TINS Jun
mer, | graduated from the Royal Con-
seryatory OF Music.
Last Tuesday, in company with Mr.
Ebeling, OF Columbus, ! went, via Nuen-
berg, one OF the Oldest German cities, 70
Bayreuth, the resting place OF the cele-
brated musicians Wagner and List,
At Bayreuth we visited Liszts maui
soleum and Wagners grave, which, by
the way, Is in his own private garden,
In The rear OF his house, Wagler's dogs
are also buried In the same garden, The
resting place OF these two great men are
beautiful In their simplicity. Wagner's
theatre, perhaps the finest extant, Is IN
B~ayreuth, and II was to see this that we
went there, for, excepting the theatre,
Wagner's grave and Liszt's mausoleum,
there Is not much to be'seen,
The theatre itself Is a plain structure
erected, with the support OF his enthusl'
astic friend, King Ludwig II, OF Bavaria,
entirely according to Wagners own
ideas. The orchestra Is conGealedy lead
ing one to believe that the music pro-
ceeds from the forest, and at the same
time doing away with the obnoxious or
chestra pit.
The interior Is amphitheatriOal, while
the stage lies lower than any OF the seats.
The seats rise at an angle Of twenty-five
degrees, thus aFording an un%obstructed
view Of the stage from all parts OF the
building. The curtain Is in two pieces,
folding TO either side. During the per-
iormance the whole house, excePt-tha
stage, is In darkness, there being no light
except that which is reflected from the
stage, The audience is very quiet and
demonstrates no appreciation Of the
play until the curtain falls after tho last
or final act. As Wagner laid great I'M
poTtanCe upon scenic elects, only the
best artists were employed.
The fact that the directors arc all old
associates OF Wagner, and that all other
members Of the company are noted art
lists, insures o perfect rendition Of bis
plays, For two weeks | Yainly endeaV'
ored to obtain tickets for this theatre,
and at last | resolved to "trnst to luck
and started for Bayreuth, hoping to be
able by some means 10 gain admission.
Fortune favored me, for when | arrived
| succeeded in getting seats for two
nights, one for the Meister singers, Of
Nuremberg, and the other for Wagner's
last work, "Parsifal." l was doubly Tor.
tuuste Is securing a ticket for this the
atre, as 1t, being the copyright Of Frau
RosIna Wagner (the laughterof Lis2t)
Is produced in this theatef only.
These operas begin at 4 o'clock In the
afternoon aud last till 10 o'clock at night,
with long intermissions. The grandeur
OF Wagner's sGenes Is indesCribable,
Wagner, to whom Bayreuth owes much
for It's present high position, chose this
place to write because II was an unocOu'
pied field and he could better prosecute
his work there.
We have returned from our trip TO
Switzerland and in a few days will start
for Paris. We expect to aail via HaVre
or SOUTHAMPTON about September |.
hope to be able TO resume my classes In
music on the third Monday Of septem'
Der. HENRY j. ARBRNz.
Stuttgart, Augusl 10.