Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-03-01
A Discussion on Costuming.

An amusing non Sequitur is perpetrated
by the Americdn Musician, which laws
down the self-evident proposition that the
recent concert performance of "Parsifal" in
New York was less effective than.if the
work had been given all the dramatic ac-
cessories, and offers this argument for the
position: "Kundry represents Mary Mag
dalen, and the title role is typical of the
Savior. How ridiculous it is, therefore.
to see the latter represented on the stage by
clean-shaven man in a clawhammer coat,
and the former dressed in the latest
Partisan costume with hustle and bang at
tachments.''
How much worse than ridiculous it is to
attempt stage representation of the Savior
and His associates, with traditional costumes
and all, was one of the things that Mr.
Salmi Morse found out as the net result of
his llladvised Passion PLAY" experiment
some years ago. The full dramatic per-
formance of "Parsifal'' would hardly be
permissible even at Bayreuth, if the roles
were in tact identical with, instead of being
yery remotely Typical of, the personages
that all Christendom reveres.
Nor does Editor Quigg stop here; be pro-
ceeds: Il am a believer in the theory that
not only Wagner's religious drama, but
even all the other great oratorios would be
more dignified and impressive if the charac-
ters and choristers were to appear in the
costumes OF the period instead of evening
dress. The experiment is certainly worth
trial
Of course "Parsifal," which Wagner
specifically designed for dramatic action,
can be properly given only in that wav.
Such words, too, as Rubinsteir's paradise
Lost, which he entitled 'a sacred OPERA
may properly be given in dramatic form
though in that case the costumes of the
period, for which the M1tSician pleads,
would have to be amplifed to an extent for
which even the "breeches" Bible would not
afford historical authority.
As to tine other great oratorios. it would
be manliestly impossible to give complete
stage representations of the largely super
natural episodes set forth in the texts, even
ii the latter had been at all cast in a
dramatic form. And how utterly inane
would be performance in which the char
acters and populace were dressed up with
historical correctness (supposing that to be
possible), and then obliged to stand still in
stiff rows along raised platforms at the end
OF an open concert hall.
Where the Thing Would Lead.
But there would be fun enough merely in
the attempt to secure tie costumes of the
period" Take for instance the greatest of
all oratorios, THE Messiah" Would YOU
have the singers rigged out in bearskins
worn bias and with bare feet bound on
wooden sandals like the prophets Of old
whose words they sing part of the time-or
would they be fitted with patent automatic
wings and diaphanous draperies according
TO the accepted pictures of the heavenly
host that appeared to the shepherds of
GalIlee? Or would the costumes be
changed to suit each period on into eternity
when the great chorus of the redeemed is
sung?
Or IN the Creation" the costume of what
period would fit Him who said Let there
be light' or, Tor that matter, any of the
characters in that immortal epic whose ear
lier scenes no mortal eye beheld and in
which even the last scene ended before man
kind discovered the need of any costume
whatever?
Ii the Musician yearns for historical ac-
curacy in such matters, it will scarcely be
able t0 find earlier authority than in the
miracle plays of the Middle Ages, some of
which are still extant. Those precursors of
the modern drama were enacted upon a |
three-story s;age-ior angels, saints and !
men, respectively-with flaming pit at the |
side whence issued the hideeus howlings of |