New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-01-05
NUSIC-TUE DRAMA.
"LOHENGRINn IN ITALIAN

The forces Of McssrS. Abbey d Gtau last rjcht
,s.aycd 4 German opera. Two of the works given
before were composed bv Germans. hut neither
sOrieo7 nor Martha belongs in the same category
with Lob ,ngin.7 Without passing Judgment anew
r1on the performance Of those twosworls. done la
week or entering into an Improbable detailed dis
cussion Of last nights representations il may be said
that the mJ>' ohvOIS lesson incuCated by "Iolcn-
grin mat the nearer the present polyGlot
troupe approaches to the real German style Of opcr
The palmer II becomes that the effect Of tradition
and the peculiar influence which the Italian stage
has had up1n opera Singers has been TO rear bar
rier between them and the true lyrical drama which
many years will be required to 1t is no; as
widely understood a it might and ought to be that
German opera does not mean opera sung in German.
German opera in its inst. most
perya>ive ard most comprehensive sense means,
frs. purpose: second. manner; and third.
reperory In this view Of the ca,c the performance
Of Waglcrs LOhenGiin" last night not a German
representation. The purpose most persiscntly man
listed was not Teutonic. Scarcely singer tho
stage 1--WE make exception in favor OF EdcuarI DE-
Reszke who sperddly dignihcd, consistent
noble sonorOus and moreover musical King Henry h.
trayed the conviction that he or she concerned
FIRST Of all in a dramatic representation Th'y were
all there for the purpose of singing and they sang
the music which the composer had allotted to them
more or less we'll or i'll and considered their duty dis
and Jealous artist that he Is and Splcndldly a nc
developed The titular role later, al first seemed more
anxious to display the beauty Of his voice ana In
merely musical possibilities of WasneIs score than tc
disclose the dramatic spirit OF Tie music. soma OF
the Individual work done. like that Of Signor MaGin
Coetti CTelramund and SignOr ser6ohn tthe liarnld
was from every point Of view unworthy Of notice. In
such cases an expression Of disappointment would be
wasted. Where nothing could by any possibility have
been expected, vacuy cOnnOt be deplOr d. Mis-
Eames's work. however, in different case. Ter
beautiful voice and her most admirable musical in
stincts qualified her far they could for an ideal
Ella. But she did not imperSonatc Wagncr'> heroine
she was only Miss Eame~. The soul Of Elsa is Il
sealed book to understanding. If her sympatiic>
60 out at all toward the dreamy distressed creature
OF Wagner's fancy, she has means mt her command
for making the fact known. Not for moment did she
show a vestige Of that intensity Of feeling which bears
Elsa up as on angels wings throughout the trials OF
The first act. Even the ordinary simulated warmth
OF the stage wanting yet her voice sounded
most beautiful and the mechanics ~ her singing wcr
worthy OF the highest praise OF Miss Guilia Ravog'
Ourda most Of the praise that can b. spoken must -
n the honesty and seriousness ~ her Intentions Her
vocal faults will permit Of nothing else. Mr. Jean
de ReSzke. picturesque i'm appearance. gallant and
tender in bearing. redeemed his early shoricouiu
later in the evening and sang and acted with ~ ~
convincing ardOr. >ignJr Nianci gave Il bald Ioaf
ing of the work. nCnOtonOuS in expression that II
can scarcely be spoken Of rs even literal