The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-12-06

campaign OF 1872, IRON the giant figure OF Ba-
sarlA rising before the hall of fame, where no
Ie"er than eighty distinguished faces OF
,sa iook down on the people whom
VINO cherish their memory, can be
read tue steady, resistless advance of deter
- . . ana united people. 1t is only the spell
% tne modern Merlin, the center of whose
near's OF many music-lovers, that can draw us
rom the capita of Bavaria six hours by rail-
s VIII a halt in Nuremberg, where we feel our
seFes snachronisms several centuries too
souhg, and where time has turned backward
loi once and we are in Franconie. Bayreuth
af.t comes before US IN history as the properly
NJ snat fortunate AErgraye, who married pretty
,nnneiinine, daughter of Frederick VIII
lam IAN oil Prussia, and sister of Fred
known as the Mecca and Medina of rnusiCaI
enthusiasts, for here Richard Wagner lived and.
a.as, died, and his works flourish. The great
wagner theater, on the hill below the Burger
reuth, is the most striking object in the neigh
oorhood. and ia spite OF its peculiar architec-
lure, differing wholly from that of any thea,er
OF opera-bouse the world over, is instiuctively
recognized by every stranger To Judge by the
exterior one would DC convinced that the ROYAL
Iunate who built Il had carried out the iieas Of
uiseasel brain instead OF the plan Of the
maestro who DESIGNED IL bat once inside, the
men.sonsidered arrangement is immediately
s srs e;yan. i .s performances in all
building, and there none OF them empty
Ihlrty thousand spectators every year and
ssarVA. Inc IuGestr0s house. aptly named
w ahnfrfed," Is gaZsd at by 30 90 pairs of eyes
Inc maestro's tomb is hidden from view by the
heaped masses OF flowers and wreaths that al
most mandates the high iron railing: the an
peafsaee OF Frau Wagner in the theater creates
more respectful sympathy ana absorbing inter-
est than the scores of dukes and princes who
MI the loges set apart for royal personages
Ihere IS but one art, and Wagner is it's prophet,
Is the arst article In the creed of Rayreuth and
seems TO be that of the throngs OF strangers
Shom the far corners OF the esrth send 10 this
francontan village.
The hour is $3.50 on a July afternoon; the
scene, the ree-bordeFed road leading to the
sneater the drametis person@ are 1850 pill
gums, who have-to them-priceless tickets
for tier places. scores of cabmen and ostiers
and shoals of the ubiquitous small boy. The
great restaurant is busy already, although
no customers expected before the entr'
acte. The steady stream has one object in
view, ana the conversation turns upon one
SUBJECT IL Is pretty sight, and an unique
one; An absolute silence falls as We enter the
cool theater; devoid of those decorations so
laylshly scattered in the hot crimson and gold
glow OF the opera-houses of Berlin,
Vienna and Paris; grand simpli-
city reigns; great pillars a. each side mark the
twelve entrances; in the front the stage at The
back the royal boxes; the uuequalled orchestra
is concealed. Cirellng garlands Of lamps
ileve the shadowy grayness. After the first inn
preston has in measure lost its intensity the
need OF communicating ones feelings seems 10
awake In every individual; buzz OF comment
rises in every modern language OF Europe, the
great American tongue being conspicuous by its
overwhelming presence. Suddenly the lights
grow dim, there is long-drawn sigh of ex-
pectation, then a hush. We wait breathless,
and the waiiing notes OF the Pilgrims
chorus from TanRhauser break the painful
stiffness. 1t seems the true dawn of music, the
keenest and most exquisite delight; and when
the curtain rises on the court of Venus one
looks on the glorious seems as unweicome in
terrupti n OF the tide OF melody. Among the
sights and sounds OF this kingdom OF beauty,
planned by Wagner vivid imagination, exc
cuted by the lavish hand OF King Louis. Tam
hanser lies at the feet of Venus, and the pageant
OF Leda and Europa. the dance OF the satyrs and
Bacehantes, the lowering Cupids and the lis
some Graees are unheeded by him. The pro-
gramme tells us that these important
PgTs0nsges are reEspeetvely ,i Herr "i hnt
they give us no reason to remember
their identity, and we will believe them Venus
the Foam-born and the Minstrel Heinrich of
Oftertingen, now Tannhauser. When the ruby
velvet-clad minstrel rises 10 perception of
the one thing wanting in this court OF love
aud beauty, the blonde Venus outsoars all ones
imagining Of a woman scorned, by so much a
goddess is, or should be- superior to a woman.
We feel instinctiyely that, though she quails
and flies at the sacred name of Mary, there is
bad quarter of an hour in store for our hero
Tho instant cha ge from the underworld of pas
sion to the mountain slopes, whose crest is
the Wartburg and whose robe 10 the forests
waving branches, and where tho shepherd pipes
a song in honor of Lady Holda, the spring's
deity, is a triumph OF art aud mechanism. The
illusion is perfect, and as Tannhsuser stands
rapt, with outstretched arms, in the pure even
ing air and the stage fills with grooms and
the Landgrave of Thuringta. the Landgrave
himself and his warrior Ministries, Tam
hausers old companions in arms aud rivals in
the "joyeuse science, the mimic world seems
the real, and the real the mimic. The first act
is at an end; there is an hours intermssion.
Then - trumpet calls call the audience
pets of the Landgrave summon his
| guests to the Ministries tournament at the Wart-
burg, where a magnificent nall is open to our
gaze, with view OF machicolated towers and of
| the distant mountains, and where Elizabeth
p0urs out her rapturOus greeting to the hail she
| consents to see only alter Tannhauser's return.
A frail, slight creature, this Frauleiu Wiborg,
but glorious voice and pure soul; one
swear II TO see her impersonation of the noble
composed than the wellknown immortal music
which accompanies the arrival OF the guests
at the wariburg-theIr dignihed Zen en-
tons to the Landgrave and Elizabeth
the magnificent seemiiuess, the brilliant and
historically correct costumes, and the courtly
grace OF the entire pageant There is no need
10 dwell on the story; cause produces inevitable
effect The seltsacrifce OF Wolfram, Tam
hausers selfbetrayal, the rage OF the knights
and MINISTRIES, the interesssion OF the insuted
Elizabeth. and the guilty mans departure for
Rome and penance, the return OF the pilgrims
the song to the evening star, where Reichmaun's
mellow notes bring unshed tears, Elizabeth's
death and Tannhausers fnal victorious strug-
gle against the lovely Venus-enongh that this
performance makes an epoch in life; and some
doubtful hearts among us go into the summer
dusk firm adherents of the Master.
The second day OF our visit We see the mystic
"PArsifal," first given in 1882, and never 10 be
seen aud heard on any other stage. The music
is not so beloved and familiar 10 us SIS that of
ssTannhauser,' but the ever-reCurriug motives
soon fix themselves in the memory. The white
haired Gurnemanz is telling the story OF the fall
of AmfortAs, of the loss OF the sacred spear and
the grieyous wound OF the King; heis Interrupted
bv the appearance OF the guieless fool, too sim
pie 70 understand that his arrow KILLED the sacred
swan and who stands open mouthed aud staring
at the solemn.Zation OF the rites of the
Holy Grail. This Euilelessness is his
safeguard when exposed in Klingo hrs
magic castle TO the wiles of the hower-fairies
and TO the kiss OF abe sorceress Kundry; when
he grasp, the holy spear aud skaters the castle
20 dust. and after wAnderngi long and weary
brings healing TO Amiortas with the touch Of
the sacred spear. There IS an element Of re-
ligious feeling which removes this maguum
onus from an ordinary operate representation.
To describe il in detail seems profanation.
Parsifal raises aloit the glow ing ismoent Grail,
the repentant kunGrv. at the foot of the altar,
ceases 10 live and suffer at the same instant, and
the chosen instru ment of the Lord has fulfilled
his mission.
After the all-absorhing dramas over we