Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-16

ceuce as this year. The theater has been
practically rebuilt. On the stage the spec
tator sees in all five distinct places of ac-
ton for the players. First, the proscenium
for the chorus, for professions and the like;
second, the central stage for the tableaux
and the dramatic scenes; third, the palace
of Pilot; fourth, the palace of Ananias;
fifth, the streets of Jerusalem. From the
right we'll wooded mountain, and from the
left the cross crowned Kofel gaze down upon
the visitors. The grandeur, the freedom
and the sweetness of the landscape impart
AN AIR OF ENCHANTMENT
to the thester, enhancing the beauty of the
acting and delightfully."- filling out all the
intervals. The costumes this year are all
new and very elaborate, while the direction
of the whole is in the skillful hands of the
manager of the Munich Opera House. To
draw an adequate pen picture OF the "Pas-
sion Play" would be a difficult II not
an impossible feat. The groupings in
the various tabIeaux in which hundreds
take part are surprisingly correct, both as to
positions and coloring. In the dramatic
scenes such attention is paid to detail that
the spectator is prone to forget that he is
witnessing representation and not real
ity. must confess that for my own part,
having come direct from the Holy Land,
the impression made was such that seemed
in reality to be witnessing the scenes had
unused over in Palestine, and often during
the dav did 1 look up at Mt EttRl and the
KofeI to assure myself that 1 was not under
the shadow of Scopus or the Mount of
Olives The dialogue of the drama is in
German and the chorus of Schutzgeister
mentioned is to sing in each instance an ex-
PLANTATION of the coming act or tableaux.
Where there is such general excellence in
everything it is difficult to particularize,
but to my mind the most strikingly effective
scenes were the entry of Christ into Jerusa-
lem; the parting from His mother, Mary
Magdalene and Martha at Bethany; the
Last Supper and the crucifxion. And of
the tableaux those which were the most i'm
pressive were Adam and Eve expelled from
Paradise; the Israelites fed by mama;
Moses pointing to the brazen serpent and
the Israelites passing through the Red Sea.
To speak of the individual performers the
same difficulty presents ITSELF Each and
every part is sustained in such manner as
to leave but little room for criticism.
GRAND SCENIC EFFECTS.
1 cannot 60 into detail of all the wonder
full scenes of the Passion Play, OF which
a whole volume might easily be written, but
will refer only to a couple. From a scenic
standpoint the crucifxion is the greatest.
Christ tottering under the weight of the
cross on the way to Calvary, surrounded by
soldiery and followed by the hooting mob,
is strikingly and painfully realistic. To
much greater degree though is the scene Of
the crucifxion. None, think, who have
seen it will ever forget it. When the cur
tain rises the scene disclosed is of the two
thieves already elevated upon their crosses,
to which they are bound by cords round
their ankles, their waists and to their arms,
which are thrown over the cross-piece
of the cross so that they have at least
some support. On the stage are the Roman
soldiers the high priests of the Jews, the
Virgins, Mary Magdalene, Martha, the
Apostle John, Joseph of Arimathea and the
venerable Nicodemus. The cross of the
Christus lies fat upon the ground with His
body fastened upon it. Directly it is lifted
and the scene of the three crosses in the
MONDAY night uplifted" is one producing
the most incomprehensible' feelings in the
heart OF the spectator. He gazes upon the
sight in deep amazemeut, doubling for the
moment whether it is the reality or acting
he is witnessing. His arms are stretched at
full length and His hands and feet, for
which there is no support. are apparently
pierced with nails. A powerful glass fails
to discover any other means of support. The
fastening to the cross is OF Maier's own in
vention. For full 20 minutes he hangs
there suspended, till finally soldier pierces
His side with a spear, from which wound
blood apparently flows, and the end soon
comes, followed by very realistic thunder
and darkening of the earth.
INTENSE REALISM.
The ascension is also a well-arranged
scene. Christ surrounded by angels appar-
emily ascends to heaven. The effect is pro-
duced by fastening the bodies of the players
to a cloud scene, and they ascend IS the
scene is elevated. And so with every scene,
realism seems to be the object sought after.
1 talked with many persons after the per-
formance as to how it impressed them, and
what they thought of it in general way.
The reply from each and every one was the
same, and about to this effect: It was a won-
derful production; they were glad they had
seen it; it was far beyond their expectations:
no people could produce it so well as the
Oberammergauers. Yet still they had kind
OF a feeling all the time that It was too sacred
a subject for stage representation, and pro-
duced bv any one else, with the detail shown
here, it would be sheer blasphemy-a YER
dict in which the writer fully concurs. 1t
certainly cannot be charged against the per-
formers that they were actuated by mercen-
ary motives, since Maier, the leading actor,
only receives $3.50 for his four months serv-
ices, and that only every ten yearsl 1 am
personally satisfied that with these simple
villagers it is a religious ceremony, and
perhaps as they view it there is no harm in
the production.
THOMAS L. WHITE, M. D.