New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-02-18
MUSI(,.
AN OPERATE LESSON.


Walter Damrosch conducted. and the principal
characters sung and acted by artists who have
long been identified with the Wagnerian drama. not
only in New-York. but abroad. The Brtnnhilde
the original creator of the role at the festivals
in Bayreuth. Nine. Amaa Materna, who, We be-
lieve sang II for the 27lst time In public on this
occasion. The Segmund Anton Schott. the
original representative OF that character at the
Metropolitan Opera House; the Wotan. Emil Fis-
cher. who is so completely identified with the part
in the local mind that 1t Is difficult to imagine the
god with other features another figure and voice
than his The Hundng of Conrad Behrens was
another familiar presence. and altogether there
was much in the affair to arouse memories of brave
days in the proud lyric establishment of upper
Broadway.
1t will easily be imagined that while there was
much In the two representations TO stir the b!ocn
and quicken the emotions Of the listeners. there was
also much to awaken regret. The stage Of the Music
Hall is III adapted that well be thought
Of for a dramatic representation. The scenery was
tawdry, Ill composed and III painted. and all the
stage appointments were the sCrriest kind or make
shifts. 1t Is indeed question whether any honor Is
done to the admired work Of the great poet-com-
poser, with its tremendous sweep OF passion and its
tumultuous play Of the emotions. by performance
which every factor is and felt to be "cabnc,
crabb'd cOnhn'd" every step OF the dramatic de-
velC pment Bur the managers OF the affair felt That
they were doing a work which the public wished to
poyed into it heart and soul. and the people in
the boxes and stalls accepted the result with an
cagcrness and testified their pleasure with such en-
thusiasm thar 1t seems churiish to dwell upon the
shortcomings which were unavoidable. II woult be
unwise. however. pass by significant an oc-
cason without some words Of discriminating COM
ment. and some rele ctons touching its bearing on
the question which comes to the fore with the ap-
preaching end Of the season Of Italian and French
opera at tho Metropolita" opera House
Concerning the manner in which the drama
sung and acted there IS little to be said when.
has been Indicated the abilities OF tho persons
ployed well known. Madame Materna
though she has lost Of the vocal and dramatic
power which she possessed during the years when
she the standard and supplied the model for all
the Brinnhildes OF the German stage. is as devoted
TO the work. as intelligent and convincing in her
manifestations of artistic ideal ever she was.
For Herr Schott 1t is impossible acquire n liking
II one be convinced OF the reasonableness Of Wag-
ners demands upon the voice. lie Is IL ruinous In
nuence and n greyous excmplar II he be set
down as n representative OF the Wagnerian manner
of lyric defamation there be no answer TO the
charge that Wagner wanted his singers t. shout.
not sing This every well-informcl person knows.
Is not the case. Faulty intonaton. the besctting
vice OF Herr Schott is no more dcfens!be In Wag-
ners music than in Rossinrs. And faulty intona-
ton is Inevitable 50 long as a man or woman sings
with the dreadful method which this man employs.
hddle-by main sirength-and his voice has cold
stcely quality that never reach an emotion. I'M
less one II such there be. which responds 10 mere
dynamic force. Then his habit OF biting on every
syllable Immediately Il Is uttered, acquirei
probably because OF desire 70 enounce dis
tinctly-an excellent thing in all music
and a primary requirement IN Wagner*-
is cxcruciatlng and rasps the nerves Ike he.
His singing t. Ike the successive explosions OF
mu.tIcharge gun. AMI has just as little charm or
poetry. What contrast In every respect Is inc
suave sustained. musical singing " Herr Fischer
one OF the great surprises Of the reires'nt'ti'h
was the admirable singing and acting OF Nine
Koert- Kronold. indcfatgabe artist. whose IN
stlncis are true whose zeal IS boundless ana whose
intelligence and temperament enabled her to make
Of S!ogndc. a character worthy or the best eHor'S
OF her experienced colleagues. surprisingly good
too especially in view Of the !mprovised nature
OF the performance were the ,a.kyrioT. enac'"h
by Charlotte Walker LA Klein Helena hFfh'''
Marie Maurcr Mildred Cooling Anna f'''F' NINA
Hartmann and Lena Gocttch. In spite oil '"' "
ccllcnt manner In which Mr.. Damfosch h'H ms
instrumental army together. the orchestral part
,vas Mother a., rich nor as homogeneous Ia sound
as (. ought - have hecn owing largely 10 inc
wide dispersion Of the PLAYERS VINO, oil c'"'''' "'
hollow. the silge In tho concrrt-rooIl ..
II "a perhaps not surprising that inr or no.
that two such splendid and cnrapiur'l huil'n.'s
should have gathered 10 hear what was a, p's' ~
,cntn,ive performance Of die Walkure' has been
interpreted Sign 81 inc popsn' ''s'ir 80 ,t,,,
10
we have no disposition to quarrel. bat an element
must not be- left out OF the EQUATION. The per,
had much to do with the size 81 the audiences es-
ucclaIiy last Tuesday. Yesterdays audience was
T. Iat,sr ,ns, and III. conviction OF Mr.. Damrosch
in the matter is disclosed in the fact that he has al
ready planned perormnner Of fo ,so brnct ~
charity in the Metropolitan opera HoHse on Mar ni
Again he T can IN ms "rr pera House e COM
members Of the MeropoH'"" opera "'''' Wv"
P.rherc ia Lesson in this far more significant and
III IA. degree
Wagner and il is one that the sincerest ana best
infSrmri champions Of German opera have long
,nn5ered lad there been more experience. knowi-
edge and discipline back ~ the German opera uu,ns
the seven years Of ts regime al the Mrirois,lltnhn
NewYork would now have rsImanen ,b opyr nriG
etabishmen as sood aS r ,S other German man
ager been at the head Of the enterprise, ether
for himself or az The servant OF ,hr ccessf
such a manager would have been able To- secure ar
lists at much smaller honoraria 'ma n r cnia
manager negotiated his contracts. demanded not ony
habit Of getting but collected also commissions for
themselves and for the Intendant"n. The singers
caus,. 70 them NewYork was the lani OF soli; anu
Mr.. stanton. being helpless In the hahis Oh 1ic
COS, several times as much a. the great Court hnI
Municipal theatres Of GERMANY are IN the hapt I
season was Il contribuory factor. pun tnis niRht
have been changed had the s'pckhodrrs Zen mai
ing All that was necessary was a iongrr season.
and the adoption Of roncy LOOKING soM n,fea5 Of
four months. That such policy woili htve p,' -,
upheld by the public was plainly enough nuica,s VI
the steady growth OF the season subscrlptlohs nsn
DR. DamrOsch began for the directors IN 1921 VIZ
subsc riptIon amounted to Ss,vJ when MI stanton
vns Ordered Ia make an end OF German opera, ana
the house was turned over to Messrs, Abbey, Schoei
fcl and Grau the subscription was N2Vo, Jus' nlic
times as much Now thOSgh have no German
opera we are able at Will to summon a Sui,iSient
number OF German singers OF ability Iine anu eA-
pcrjence every one of whom was az one tnl" or
another connected with the Metropoutah csthnIsn,
ment. to give performance OF p ..T and
Ole (i0ticrdAmmerung" or even IrSiah anu
Isolde" They are here because. even win such
occasional cngagcmentS rs they can get TOT con-
certs they can earn more money IMAM inc! can !"
Germany. . ..,,ao
the most sceptical person what might nave pen
done 10 build up artistic structure OF " t
New-York and the whole country w0uu nave peeh
proud In the years that gone? 1t - useless 10
crV over lost Opp0rtuntcs. but there may De sont
heneot derived from rejecting on these thinGs
operate problem has not PeGh soSea ny fe
side the season Is not over yet, ana It's incl1ents
ali point TO the necessity of building on d nflre ,
-..Lf liz