The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-07-10
/. fer thousand euriou. tourists at ober.m

knowledge OF such ltbellereis of n very limitet
It's famed If Pass siSsiTl ay." sou ~"
to e.. FASHION Iay hs son
but each time such storm OF indignant pro
test test was raised that the plan was abandoned
pie Of this land was. shocked at the Idea Of pro
tanning tho sacred character OF Christ and I'll,
hy any association with theatrical representa-
ton. Even to great masses OF men 81, - and yo
the ' proposition % ton was utterly repusnant. III;
most not able f,tompt to produce the play S
ssysss Hf little ssS rens
birth OF Christ and showed Isolated scenes 4
His iie The impr6sssiye events imm n
sno S eE or MSs
omitted. and Christ did not hang upon Thu
cross in tho erpciilAion scene. EVERYTHING wa,
cut out which Mr.. Morse thought would oooe
sion opposition from the Churches, and th}
play amounted to little more than q discoE
and rather Spectacular setting. The Obersm,
mergau Passion Play dwels with special en-
SCENE % the anf e5sss
the ropresssnatii,N,n Of Christ and the saints
his play provoked violent opposition. 1t wM
fought with injunctions on legal technicalh
ties. and , finally came to E,i,f when the pro
shown a second time.
Agreat deal. was said at this time Of tho
the hands OF, persons OF the moral charactei
e %s dSsI ;Ss sase
position. because the players are not profes,
deep religious motives. Christian people "a
to SEQ these same players ut Oberammergau,
at Chicago? So long us the players themseIve}
act from pure motives. he cannot understand
wh a Of PLAY Hs a
story OF the sufrerngs and death Of the Saviour
IN public theatre IN the heart Of the drtiest
thronEs Of curious sightseers drawn together
by a big show, and all for tho purpose OF max.
gust Ing to any one tT6o TACT that the simple,
minded players are to lie iuped. and are not
e eo @ MA TO Iof
cause OF criticism.
r Ths mnisters can find r nothing objection:
ants viii live spart. No one win see item %
theatrical people any more then they are such.
At Oheramm.rEau they scclude themselves
Thay fran the tho nt cEeso TSsg
would consent to come hero for any other than
religious motives Many and many PROPOSE
ton has heen made in the past to take their
play to other and more accessible places In
Europe. but they would never, do it. II was
they were paying to God, not n show to hawk
around and make money ont Of, They think
can't anS s seS a Ii but good in the bays
Mr.. Roscnthal entirely failed to see that the
iassion Play at oberammerGan and the Pas
tons THE solemn traditions OF the Bavaran
highlands. traditions which have come down
AMI which make the Passion Play there the
s sacred ceremonial Of the dccale: will scarcely
f o an % PchH 9 phe s esas
beauty OF tho Hnvarian hills. OF tho deep. still
home; vii hive to be sussestsd
scenes in the centre Of noisy. sinking Chicago.
The moment the visitor enters Oberammergau
disn ny If The vInGers. Their devotional utter
ances in common c'nvcrsaion. their gentle
manner; and customs. all inspire one with
deep religious sense for which he has already
been prepared Ivy the solemn grandeur OF tho
scenery The very houses ,.m are IRE ire m with
in description Of the village, represents st.
Francis lyng;?n his bacI with his sword By
With Ma in Wh.h o ,' tho Father re- repre
scnted as II vnn radio man wrapped In a red
and yellow robe, with long white heard. rest.
head Of Mary. who Is r"@l.nd,ppft in brighs
holding III, isfnn, Christ on his knoe."'.
Ono # ,hr ae'Hr., when nsked Why they did
" To do that "" must take tho entire village
and our guardian spirit. the kofel.'
At Chicagoth Passion Play Will be In . big
amphith"ntre rGstcrcd over with play bills.
and surround ID by peer saloons. gambling
hollis. and hrothels Here is what Helen Hunt
say: Of the OberammerGau a'nohitheatre dur
How Incompatible the effects are in sunny
weathsr BY ms Of
heaven overhead. it is IMPOSSIBLE to express:
theatres haV. not become common summer
pleasure for the whole world.
when tho birds fly over they cast fluttering
shadows of their wings on the front OF Pilates
and Gaia phas's homes as naturally as did Ju-
asan TT,H"ws 2Q years af I io1 butter utter
Govrrod. as II ,pInacring What i al
oycr the heads of the multitude. and then
a!ighted on one OF the wal posts and watched
clouds gathered and rested. dissolved. and
hoated away us tho morning grew to MONDAY
aed the to E1 Ths
effect: tho visible presence Of tho sky seems
witness to Invisible preseences beyond It and
wo5Ii Of a sriritnai existoncss while lstenips
Play than I at any othor hour OF his life.
The simple fact of tho matter e that the
most dcvout Christian can to crate tho Passion
Play SO long it stays Mt ObCrammer9au
among tho religious and poetic, environments
which gave It birth and fostered it. and whore
spirit OF deep devotion: but to bring It for
money making purposes TO practical Amer
lea. where widespread religious feeling con-
demns 1t in advance as irreverent. 10 to
tneatricals. while to Locate it in Chicago Is to
hures1uo tho most sacred OF oil characters
and scenes
This PASSION Play needs no extended de-
scription. 1t has been described many ttmes,
and for century or more has furnished
Christian morHiists with II fruitful subject OF
discussion. 1t was inaugurated in 1888 after
q vow inudo by the villagers. in the hope OF
staying restllcnccc. Tho monks in tho ia
Valley. wrote the original version. but the play
has been frequently revised. Tho music was
written by one Rochus D"Gler In 1914.
Tho play drumntt2es the last scenes In the
life Of Christ. IT begins with tho entrance into
Jcrpsalon.. and dcpicts., faithfully all the re-
tourney, to Bethnny tn, supper there:
between Jesus and His mother are dramatic
caly treated. The last supper. the agony
In the gn:rlcn. tho betrayal. tho appearance
before Annas and taiHphaS. Peters denial
est steadily up to the moro stirring events im-
mcdiatcly preceding the crucillxion, the hang
Ing q Judas. the scenes be,oro PLATE and
lirrOd, and Jesus huiIetol and crowned with
thorns. Then comes tho crucinxion. SO