The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-07-21
A WAGNER FESTIVAL
The Rendition of ParSifal at
Bayreuth.
1T WAS A GRAND PERFORMANCE
Van Dyck was Perfect in the Title Role-An
Excellent Cast-The Flower Girls
Fine Scenic Effects.

Especial to THE HERALD-Examiner Cable
BArREUTH, July 2O.-The Bayreuth per-
formances always begin at In the after
noon and last till about 10, with two one
hours intermission for rest and supper.
Accordingly yesterday afternoon at 3 a
procession of carriages and pedestrians
lined all the way from the town TO the hill
top where the Wagner theatre is situated
cOnspicuously, commanding a line view OF
mountain scenery. A series OF carriages
has to be brought over from the neighbor-
ing city of Nuremberg for the festival
week and an express train leaves Beyreuth
for Nuremburg after every performance.
No lover of Wagner's music has ever re-
GREETED the trip to Beyreuth. Not only Is
this the only place where 'Parsifal' can be
heard, but in other operas the same singers
players and scenery elsewhere would not
produce the same effect as here, owing
partly to the invisible orchestra which
mars no illusions and never browns the
voices of the singers; partly to the small
auditorium in which the facial expression
of the singers is not annihilated by dis
lance, and partly TO the novel proscenium
arrangements which give to the scenery
truly spectroscopic vividness. A want OF
means also caused scenic shortcomings in
-'Rheingold," but In ''ParisfaP' everything
is perfect Here there are no fiimsy
makashifts, but the sky above
and even the grassy meadow on which the
actors walk are painted with a realism that
results in complete illusion; and the trans
formation of the scene where Parslfal and
GurnemanZ apparently walk through the
changing scenery, Is marvel OF stage
mechanism. The professions under the
dome and gradual glowing OF the holy cup
as the king holds IL in his hands, are ike
the canvasses of the old religious masters
which, like Galatea, have come 10 life. AS
regards the music of ''Parsifal," / have
come to the conclusion, after hearing IL
seven times al three festivals, it ia not
only the most marvelously constructed
score in existence, but that in it Wagner's
ideal union of music, poetry. action and
sceric or pictorial effect comes nearer per-
feet realization than even in ''SIegfried-"
Is one respect this years performance IS
better than ever. The chimes from the
invisible Grailsburg have hitherto been dis
appointing; they were 100 hig Oh and not in
tune Now they have fine effect; they
are solemn and deep and carry out In fuil
the intentions of the composer. The tones
are produced by union of tamtams, piano
strings and metal bars.
In the second act there were fears
about the flower girls. There were
thirty of them and fifteen VINO had
been selected for their exceeding beauty OF
face and form had never been on the stage
before. II will relieve all anxiety at once
to say that they were successful. Indeed,
il would have been strange If they had not
been inspired by SUCH handsome, tascinat-
ing Parsifal as Van Dyck. He was appro-
priately youthful in appearance, and his
face was tue mirror OF refined emotion: he
was in splendid voice; mis- acting was
eloquent. and although Belgian, he enun-
ciated the Ger nan with wonderful distinct
ness. Every tone and gesture prove MIN q
born opera singer. He could not help 60
ing on the stage although IL was against the
wishes OF wealthy parents.
The cast was uniformly excellent.
Scheidemantel, the baritone, as Gurnemanz
was quite equal TO Reichmann; Liepe and
Grengg were good in their respective parts.
1t was difficult TO prevent applause, which
still is vigorously prohibited at Bayreuth,
so the performance was heard In silence
which makes some of the musical passages
overpowering in their intensity. Half at
least of the German portion Of the audience
were in tears, mercitully concealed by the
mystic gloom in which the auditorium is
Kept, and this subdueG darkness unmeasur-
ably heightened the scenic effects which
ever and again were thrilling in their real
lStlc beauty. IL Is needless 10 say the long
work was listened TO by AL with something
akin to devotion. To those who have only
heard the performance of fragments in a
concert room it was a revelation. The
strained attitude of attention was most
agreeably relieved by the inIermissions of
an hour between each act, when the excited
audience poured out of the theatre into the
adjoining gardens and gave expression TO
their pent up emotions, while restoring
nature with copious draughts Of the best
beer in Germany.