New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-03-12
VI USIC.
WAGNER'S NIBELUNG TRAGEDY.


"sleGfried' performed for the last time this
season al the Metropolitan Opera House last night.
II the second OF the serial representations OF the
Wagncrian works in the cOmpanys list and the scenes
f enthusiasm which greeted Die WalkUrc' last
Monday were repeated by an audience more numer-
Gus than that which attended the gala opening OF tie
series. There were times in the course Of the per
formancc when the thought would not down that much
Of this enthusiasm due rather to the desire o.
the auditors to continue those emphatic proclamaoIis
Of admiration for tie artistic spirit which Germ -
Oper stands for that have been seen nightly since tS
decision to give italian Opera was announced, than
to the excellence OF The performance. Herr Reich
mann was in OF his untunefu moods and panied
musical ears not little. His most griev-
Gus offences against pitch were cQmmitted in the
scene between the Wanderer and Mime and seemed
to have a depressing effect on all the rest OF the
act. Herr Gudehus of whose intelligence and artistic
capabilities have often spoken with admiration fell
under the banefu influence. and though he did not sing
ont of tune Chc is good musician for that, he
dragged the tempt in the smhy songs till they lost
much of the forccfulne.s and exciting swing which Is
native to Them For the rest OF his work there can be
ONLY words Of praise The parts were distributed a at
the previous representations. Frau EitterGoetze being
the Elda and singing the trying music with beautiful
effect. Frau Mieke the Bmenhdc, Jenny Broch the
Forest Bird, Herr krmlitz, Herr Berens The faihef
and Herr Lura .\lbcrich
With the representation OF Die GOettcrdacmmerunGn
ON Friday evening the last Of the Nibeung dramas VIII
have been seen the local stage for an indefinite
time They have been the strong props oil the German
opora since they were introduced III it, and
appreciation of their merits has grown year after
year. Ii has been gratifying to those who believe
that the lyric drama be raised to the plane on
which The works worthy Of the name move III the
spoken drama that there have been so MANY eviueh'cN
in the attitude of the public that the dramas nave
been seriously studied. both eXtuay and unsteady
Unfortunately the handbOOks which are generally uScd
in the bulk Of this study pay little or no attention
to the deeper things of the play. being moro 'ohcerc"
with the incidents which float on the surface IN.
fact is that until Tie Ring Of the Nib"nn- i ioo
upon As a religion, tragedy. in the sense thlt
,eschvIus.s "Promcthcis Chained is religious
tragedy if will not be fully c0mprehcnded or even
apprehcnded Wotan is the hero OF the TRAGEDY WHOSE
real plot may be outlined as follows:
After q period OF purity and snlessness the chief
Of The gods is led 70 deceit. then To coVc'ouNc's anu
then robbery by his ambition to fix mhiNeH lli'
nrccnablv i'm the seat Of universal DOMINION Inc
ring Of which he forciby possessed himself had been
coinod i,rourh a crime against the virtue on when
the REGENERATION of Tie world depends. To obtain IL
love had been renowned by tic first preseason FOR
lis sake The choicest of the gode becomes uc'eNcT'
a liar and a robber The binding force 0i the rnhe7
| on his spearhaft tthc symbol OF compacV '"mlt''
him IN purcha>c release from the compact when lac
whose possession he Ind become a violator oi inc
moral law lie has robbed robbcr Of the ring but
the baubc was his dearly bought creation, ana a.
he had cursed love to obtain the power to ia~hl'h
| it, so now he burdens The ring with curse lhohEh
| mi, is known TO WOtan, he refused 10 Nlcld u up
! fiji warned bv the primeval goddess of wisdom.
| The ring passes into the hands OF the giants ara
immediately the baleul influence Of the curse Is scen
! Wotan has not only fallen under tn" influence oi
| that curse, because OF his short ownership, bn'
| through his sin the ring with lis machccnce
has come among the earhdweller' How Shdll ne
| right the wrong! II Will not do again to seize IT,
He begcts new race hoping that from il viii Nprn'
q hero, who, acting as free agent VIII restore Inc
ring to lis original owners and thus roll OIL Inc curse
| from rods and men. Iu, for violated moral wrong
there is no redress certainly not through the mediation
Of another wrong Above his ambitions. greater than
his might, reigns the power of law. HIS plot !, seem
| ncly checked al the outset by this superior power
invoked by Fricka the proicctress OF the marriage Vo"
st her demand the god j, compelled to destroy MS own
children the first Of the new race from whom he eN
| pcctcd fEe righns of his wrongdoins The Twins
Sicgmund and Seelnde. who 20 10 destruction under
the double weight Of the original curse ana Their 0"
crime committed in the uncCnscou, hope Of perpetual
ing their and raising up the hero able 10 a'he''
| cNpatlon are doomed by his own command, bun II
obedience 10 a law which he Is powcrlc,s 20 combat
Now The work of redemption Is taken up " mat
moral principle whose establishment u, rue 3i con-
conceived the end al all thing, Old ana
! the birth of the now world, the pnncpI,
| which Goethe IN The ." chorus mN>utu' 81
| his Faust calls Das Ewig- NciDnchc. lTuehh
| hide violates the command, II the supreme goa ava
attcmpi, Il save "A life forfeit 10 the law. Sr uo'7
80 out Of love for her father Whose commands were
| contrary TO his feelings and gwen under strr~'
| OF need. Again the god il OBLIGED To punish when
he loves He IcnOuncc, his plan; but IT j. gwen !"
Brcnnhldc, prophetic vision 10 hail the bItI Oh w,
| hero who freely Will take The quit upon himself
She succeeds her father the promoter of the Original
| idea. iy hi, merit he achieves possession oi
Ipir,t
his duty the ring 10 il original owner
4 wrong against love. though committed uuc0n
scUusly. brings destruction to him who seemed IN All
things httc>t be The agent OF the ring restoration
and the emancipation Of the world from IT. CURSE
| Erurnnldc learns Of the trcaclcry which uGcrIc
SiccfrcdS innocent wrOngdOng She, too hid re
| fused 10 give up the ring, which 10 her was only
The symbol Of ScGfred's love, but now she voluntarily
accOmpli,hcs cXpatiOn for her own sin ana tlat oil
| The otIcr, She Yields up her life and permits the
Rhine daughters Ia take the bancfdl crcct from her
ashes Walhalla goes up in flames, the old regime OF
greed of power and lust Of gain gives way 10 a
new world and the reign Of love-