The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-09-10

Ne oONJh OET GIWDble
fails. This opera was performed but once
MadgeburE. The curtain never rose on
again. It was rehearssd. indeed. at Munic
after tho tremendous success OF Wagner
other juvenile opera. The Fairies. in 1885
Both. OF course. were works OF tho conven
tional type. including the regulation ari,
scena. cavatina. &C.. and proved Wagner to b
quite capable OF composing tunes. In tn
Novice OF Palermo" however. the arias an
| other numbers were such ludicrous and un
disguised limitations Of Donizetti and othe
| composers OF his time. that tho artists Mt tn
rehearsal burst out laughing. and it was ult.
| mhtely agreed not to give a public perform
anee OF the work. partly on account Of I'll,
music and partly by reason OF tho iicentiou.
character Of the libre.to.
| W
Mr. Finck points out that at this period
Wagner was simply swimming with the must
cal current. and could not. as youth ottwenty.
| two. be expected to make head against It.
| Not he alone. but the whole German nation
turned their backs on Beethoven and Weber.
| who had Just com posed their greatest works.
and would listen only to Rossini. Auber. and
other Italian and French composers. Wagner
himself expressed the opinion Of the average
operaRoer OF the day In his first critical essay.
which was printed in June. 1894. and which
sets forth views regarding vocal music the
opera and German composers diam etrically
opposed to the moro mature opinions OF his
later years.
The failure OF the Magdeburg opera COM
pany deprived Wagner OF his place OF musical
conductor and left him in great straits. He
had borrowed money right and left in the ex-
nfaf pnfr vi, 10
the performance Of the Novice Of Palermo"
which. as we have seen. was given only once.
1t was characteristic that, at this juncture.
when he was unable to support himself. he
assumed the support OF another person. On
Nov. "a 1885. he married an actress named
Minna Planer. and settled with her in K0nigs-
berg. where he had obtained the promise Of
the post OF m usical director He had to suffer
many years for this hasty ster. and in a poem
which he wrote in his diary four years later.
he does not hesitate to confess his folly. One
OF his intimate friends. however. Wilhelm
kappert says that Wagner held tho memory
OF his first wife in great honor. and that 1t an
noyed him to read disparaging illusions to
her. Although she was a prosaic. domestic
woman. who had no conception other husbands
greatness. she bore. especially in their first
years. the trials OF life without bling. and
was an excellent housewife. Wagner has
himself said in his autobiographical sketch:
The year which Ispent in K6nigsberg was
entirely lost to my art through the pettiest
cares. wrote but single overture. entitled
Rule Britannia was In love. married In 1T
OF obstinate recklessness. tortured myself and
others under the disagreeable influence Of n
homo without tho means to keep it VI, and
thus sank into the misery which ruins thou
sands upon thousands" Tho present biog-
rapher deems It fortunate that this marriage
was childless. for had the maintenance and edu-
cation Of large family been added to Wagner's
burdens in his early manhood. tho world
would probably have never seen the series Of
music dramas which have revolutionized
modern taste.
Ill luck pursued Wagner at K6nigsberg for
there. Also the theatre became bankrupt
and he was again thrown out Of employment
In the autumn OF 1887. however. he was in
vited to become the musical director In O the
atrical company organized in the Russian city
OF Riga. and while here determined to plan an
opera on 80 large scale that he would not be
tempted to try 1t at a provincial theatre. where
even success would not be likely to be moro |
than local. With this purpose no sketched tho |
i've acts Of "Rienzi." and. by the spring OF |
1899 had the first two long acts completed. |
He was. nevertheless. unable to go on with 1t |
Just then. the loss OF his place and his pecuni- |
zry embarrassments making life in Riga I'M
oearable. But when he endeavored to leave
he town. he was informed that he could
lot have pass until he brought proof
hat his debts were paid. Finding that
ie could not leave Riga openly lie re-
'oved to do 80 secretly. His wife was in
tiated into the plot. and one day she disguised
herself as the wife OF lumberman. and as
uch was conveyed across the Russian boun-
larry into Germany. Wagner soon followed.
ssisted by his theatrical friends. and. meet
ne his wife at Pillau. embarked on a small
essel for London. 1t was bold undertaking
or an impecunious artist to leave his native
ountry. where. at least. he was sure OF his
ally bread. and plunge into the wilderness
I an unknown city Wagner himself. how
Yer. was too sanguine to feel any doubts
bout the result OF the expedition. He felt
apaGle of producing great things and be-
owed that all he needed was to arrive in Paris.
here great things would he appreciated. Tho
oyage through the Baltic and North Sea
roved OF artistic value to Wagner by pro-
ding him with the local color for the poetry
nd music OF The Flying Dutchman."
vi.
Wagner spent only week In London which
as much too expensive a place for his lean
lrse. He crossed the channel to Boulogpe
i'd stayed month there because the man I
no could best help him along In Paris was
'ending the summer in that town. This WAS
eyerbeer who received him in the most I
niable manner. examined the mnnuscript of {
10 two acts OF "Rienzi." and promised to do c
he could for him in Paris The i'm N edlate {
suit OF Msyerbeer's announcement WAS that =
agner look his wife to a restaurant and or t
'red his !avorite beverage. champagne al d
ough he could afford only pint bottle. :
D Wagner champagne represented the per- i
ction OF terrestrial enjoyment. Provided by c
eyerbeer with letters OF introduc ton to opera L
rectors and concert conductors. Wagner en- +
red Paris. and by curious coincidence I
'nd lodging in the house under the roof of s
hch Moiere was born. For two years and II
half. from September. 1899. to April. n
42. he lived in tho French capital. 4
id this period OF his career may be I
scribed as one OF hopeeRs stru1oIo .