The morning call., 1895-01-13
TAVARY OPERA COMPANY.
Martha for the Matinee Tam.
hauSer" Last Evening.
Successful Rendering Of Wagner's Much.
Debated WOrk-The House Crowded to
Excess and Very Enthusiastic.

The Tavary Company gave US what may
be called an antitheiical operate expert
ence yesterday-that is, Won Flotow's
pretty little Martha" for the matinee and
Wagner's grand "Tannhauser" in the
evening. Il is needless to say that
Flotow's work drew a full contingent Of
those who appreciate the purely melodious
opera, but in greater numbers the devotee6
Of Wagner came together in the evening,
and while the rain was descending in tor
rents outside they were happy within
listening to their fayorite composer. The
presentation of these Two operas, so dis
timely different in their motive and style
of comp position, and TO both of which much
justice was done, serves 80 show how CON-
pletely equipped for operate purposes Is
the organization controlled by Charles ii.
Pratt, and the attendance of the San
Francisco public manifesls how richly his
singers and himself are appreciated.
Wagner brought out "Tannhauser" orig
inaIly in Dresden. 1916. and afterward, III
1861, tried it in Italy, where it met with
against the German composers operate
ideas. The opera has a motive deeper
tn AL generally apprehended. In the strug-
gle of the Knight Tannhauser against the
aIlurements of the terrible goddess Hulda.
called Venus, and his remorse for the
seven years wasted in her company, Wag-
ner wished to bring out the eternal strug-
gle between the flesh and the spirit, the
brute and the angel which being il man
dispute his soul; and this he does with
clearness and grandeur. The incident Of
Tannhauser's love for the gentle Elisa
beth. niece of the landgrave. pervades the
opera with sense of chaste rep0se.
THE DISTRIBUTION.
Hermann landgrave OF Thuringia.
wolfram from Eschenbach.
Walter Won der Vogelweide. ,lMinstre, Knioht,
Heinrich der Schneider
Reinmar Won Zwoter. -. -.
Elisa beth, niece of the landgrave.
Venus.
young shepherd.
-Four noble pages
Chorus of Thuringian mobiles and knights, ladies.
elder and younger pilgrims, sirens, naisds,
nymphs and bacchantes.
Not the least attractive features Of this
grand opera are its magnificent choruses.
The principal act is the second. showing
the hall of the minslrels at Wartburg,
where, after Tannhauser has an interview
with the gentle Elisabeth. the knights
assemble to engage in a contest of song,
the prize of the victor being the hand of
the Landgrave's niece. The chorus pre-
cediDg the competition was the best OF the
evening. The audience insisted on an
encore. Nine. Tavary sang the role of
showed it to be somewhat a tax on her
vocal powers. Nina Bettina-Humphrey
as the Goddess Hulda, or in her malefic
form, the siren Venus. sang with great
sweetness and certain power she has not
been credited with. Payne Clarke, as the
false knight Tannhauser, also carried him.
self well
Mertens was strong in Wolfram, and
the other mem ers of the distribution ex-
eTted themselves to the utmost to meet
each the responsibility Of his assignment.
The opera was voted such a genuine sue
cess that the management have resolved
to repeat it on Friday night next.
For Tomorrow evening Rossinrs will
liam Tell" is marked down.
'Lohengrin" will be the opera for next
Saturday evening and not "Tannhauser. J"
as originally intended.
Tannhauser Will Be Repeated.
Owing to the great success of Tam