Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-12-06

true song; that it is simply emphasized in
toned speech" That certainly describes
it-in '!Parsifap" and some of the other
operas; and, if 1 understand Uhlic's elabo-
rate German, he apologies for the beautiful
airs in ''Tannhauser.'
Very well; now that Wagner and
understand each other, perhaps we shall get
along better, and I shall stop calling him
Wagner, on the American plan, and here
after call him Voggner, as per German
custom, for feel entirely friendly now.
The minute we get reconci1ed to person,
how willing we are to throw aside little
needless punctilIos and pronounce his name
right!
Of course, I came home wondering why
people should come from all the corners of
America to hear these operas, when we
have lately had season or two of them
in New York with these same singers in
the several parts, and possibly this same
orchestra I resolved to think that out at
all hazards.
Going to Hear Tannhauser.
Tuesday-Yesterday they played the only
operatic iavorite l have ever had-an opera
which has always driven me mad with
ignorant delight whenever have heard it
s'Tannhauser. 1 heard it first when I was
youth, ! heard it last in the last German
season in New York. was busy yesterday
and L did no. intend to go, knowing should
have another ''Tannhauser" opportunity In
a few days; but after o'clock found my
self free and walked out to the Opera House
and arrived about the beginning of the sec
ond act. My opera ticket admitted me to
the grounds in front, past the policeman
and the chain, and / thought I would take g
rest on a bench for an honr or two and wait
for the third act
In moment or so the first bugles blew,
and the multitude began to crumble apart
and melt into the theater. will explain
that this bugle call is one of the pretty
features here. You see, the theater is
empty, and hundreds of the audience are
good way off in the feeding house; the first
bugle call is blown about q quarter of an
hour before time for the curtain to rise.
This company of buglers, in uniform, march
the landscape few bars Of the theme of the
approaching act, piercing the distances with
the gracious notes, then they march to the
other entrance and repeat Presently they
do this over again. Yesterday only about
200 people were still in front of the house
when the second call was blown; in another
halt minute they would have been in the
house, but then a thing happened which de-
layed them-the one solitary thing in this
world which could be relied on with cer-
tainty to accomplish it, l suppose-an i'm
perial Princess appeared in the balcony
above them.
Gazing at Real Princess.
They stopped dead in their tracks, and be-
gan to gaze, in a stupor of gratitude and
satisfaction. The lady presently saw that
she must disappear or the doors would be
closed upon these worshipers, SO she re-
turned to her box. This daughter-in-law of
the Emperor was pretty; she had kind
face; she was without airs; she is known to
be full of common human sympathies.
There are many kinds of princes, but this
kind is the most harmful of all, for wherever
they go they reconcile people to monarchy
and set back the clock of progress. The
princes, the desirable princes, are
the Cars. and their sort. By their mere
dumb presence in the world they cover with
derision every argument that can be invent
ed in favor of royalty by the most ingenious
casuist In his time the husband of this
Princess was valuable. He led a degraded
life, he ended it with his own hand in cir
and surroundings of hideous
sort, and was buried like a god.
In the Opera House there is long loft !
back of the audience, a kind of open gall |
lery, in which princes are displayed. 1t is I!
sacred to them, it is the holy of holies As ;
soon as the filling of the house is about COM
plete, the standing multitude turn and fix .
heir eyes upon the princely layout, and /
gaze mutely and longingly and regretfully