New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-08-17

TED f-wHAT WAGNER THOUGHT OF HIS
pR.aA-rTs BEAUTY AND SIGNIFICANCE.
Ill
,,ox STAFF CORRESPONDENT THE TRIBUNE
Bayreuth, July 30.
The dispatches which have been sent from here
4. .be United States have elevated triling and
,,s;rn1oant incident of the Wagner festival 10 an
on;sode of vast Importance. The selection of Herr
Alvary 10 sing three times in Tristan und Isolde
and 70 alternate in the represent atoms of Tam
baeuserp with Winkelmann and Zeller has been
made 10 appear as a matter of supreme moment.
II may have been such to q score of impressionable
vounr women from New-York end the perfervid
fancy Of reporter unconscious of the past history
ona nurpose of the Bayreuth festivals but TO
those who have learned tho meaning of Bayreuth
II ia only one incident of many which have
hearing on the future of the festivals because OF
the weakness in their artistic administration winch
they disclose. have already commented on some
elements Of this weakness, and must reeur 10 the
subject at the outset of some reflections Oh .,e
sTsnnhaeuser' performances which arc the really
significant feature Of this years festival laiNl-
baeuser" is an old opera of approved and universal
popularity. Germany has known IL slnce ios''
New.York has enjoyed it for over quarter Vi
century How does il come that IL was cnoeen
for performance at these festivals which, we nav
been taught TO believe, were estaolsheu ~, Vne
purpose of publishing the poet-coinposers l"oesV
evsngel touching the lyric drama9
Originally the festivals were established Ior
The production of the Nihung tetralogy. Inc
.xn-iment of 1876 was financially so disastrous
foiI,ire that The reservation of that work, when
ia aIr<adv been surrendered in part 10 the
thes+rieal world, had to be foregone. linen ne"
work of singular originality was composed "ae-
nav gaye il a designation which emphaslzeu us
s,rapreness t. the OpeTatic stage" farSIia!' EN-
RpebpenweihfGstspi and decreed tha' IL snouIu
belong 10 Bayreuth alone. Its mission was 20
no educational The operate stage oil Germany
was TO be redeemed by it from Tie vices "lnch
had sn-unC up under a system that knew nothihg
~ the higher purposes of art when ne "isheu u
reanimate. , s-,.
- than \ year before his death, be expressly
ranndated all desire 10 change the characoer Oh
che festivals so as 10 make them the occasion Oh
model performances Of his carrier worls. ne uiN
NOT believe that by such course ne couIu acHleVe
results which would justify departure from Ms
~. rr+i, +be new STYLE for the incubation of
- parvifaIn was to be a school, had gained
tooting in the artistic life of his native coun-
-, III ,pords il is true, can be read to mean
$50 eventually the way would be open for such
~.rsor,noroas but the vicious habits created by
The conventional operate regime of past and
o-.ssnt T7emed 70 him a stumbling-block which
conld NOT be removed in his lifetime
V-ben he wrote the words which / have thus
sr,or,arized. on March 10, l $50, Wagner was fall
Of life and vigor. and had every reason to believe
that he would live TO see many repetitlons OF the
4parsifals festival which he was preparing az
the time He spoke in general terms OF his carrier
works. but his views on "Tannhaeuser, wmch
for excellent intrinsic reasons bad a peculiarly
warm place in his affections, were given clearly
and forcbly in letter 70 Herbeok written VwelVe
wears before The question at issue was pro-
ducion of the opera in the amplihed version inaNe
for the i'll fated Partisan experiment oil 1861 Inc
things which were essential TO correct perform
sncs of .Tannbaeuser." he said, were capable
ballet for the first scene and an efficient repre-
sentative of the hero. Since the death OF
Sehnorr know none such in Germany, he added
whether or not one will be found while 1--we
rarnains 70 be seen Without him l shall noJ
under any circumstances attempt to produce Tam
haeuser.'
l am too old student of Wagners utterances
and actions to attach all the Importance 10 these
proclamations that they might seem to cnailenge'
He was overload Of protestation. Too often 1or
the good Of his reputation for consistency ana sln-
cerity, while vowing he would neer consent ne
consented. But they must not be overlooked IN
a study Of the reasons which persuaded Madame
Wagner 70 add "Tannhaeuser' 10 the festival list :
for even if they were ovcrruled, as l understand
they were by the private utterances OF wagner,
they fix q standard of Judgment by which the
nnesent representations must he measured When
he wrote 70 Herbeck that he knew no capable
commemorative of Tannhaeuser in Germany, Me
mann. whom he had chosen 20 create the char
acter in Paris, was in his prime. He is to-day, in
the attributes which Wagner held TO be most es-
sential the finest living exponent Of the part.
Yet Nienann was not excepted when Wagner wrote
his sweeping condemnation. What shall we say
of the Judgment which placed Tannhaeuser" in
+be list IGNORED men like Niemann Gudehus and
Vorl and selected Zeller and Alvary TO represent
the strongest profoundest and most eccentric (the
word is Wagner's own of the poet-composers malt
characters?
so far as "Tannhaeuser' is concerned az least
same of the statements touching Madame Wagner
administration of the legacy left 70 her by hel
husband. made in a former letter, need not b
y-ictlv applied When there Is 50 much 70 o
aid ON both sides ~ there is on the queSuoi
whether or not it was wise to include Tam
hseuser" in the festival scheme, it would not
fair 10 challenge Madame Wagner's honesty o
purpose. Under the circumstances OF the repre-
entatons, her judgment has fallen under sever
condemnation: she is therefore the more entlue'
TO have her motives left unassailed 1t Is eas!
70 do this In respect of this opera, wagner
fondness for the creations of his youth was en-
tirely justified. Tannhaeuser" remains to-da'
his finest tragedy, so far as poetcal conception
ethcs contents, and strength and clearneSs OF ouD
line are concerned. II derives speclaI inter
est, moreover, from the fact that II is the MS
Of his dramas in which he acted on the prlncipI
~T.,l. .vvffI
the fttest subjects for a dramatic poet are IN
myths and legesds Of his people. When, unde
the inspiration Of his first view Of the Wartours
he resolved upon the composition OF the OPERA NJ
took his first step into that teeming valley o
German poesy whose solemn, yet radiant, beauty