New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-12-02

tragic hero in order that the pity excited by his
sunerings shall overcome the idea of justice in
the catastrophe. Wagner has done much 10 purge
and purify the old tale OF the guilty love OF iris
tram and lseut by making the passion of the lovers
antedate .he drinking OF the phitre. and by dis
carding the figure of the second lseut lie
has also established the faint OF guilt re-
quired by the Greek conception by having
his hero set aside his love for Isolde In favor OF
political glory and honor before men, The progress
in his tragedy is therefore indca ted, from the
proud knight able and willing TO sacrifice the love
which existed between him and Isolde, to the man
who is all lover. The knowledge OF Tristans con-
cealed passion has made a strong appeal TO NJ. de
Reszke's nature and dramatic predlections' and IN
his anxiety to publish 1t in the first act though ne
has brought It nearer TO the hearts. he has weak
ened the character in a factor which Is essential
TO its dramatic development and the philosophy OF
Wagners poem. This weakening is disclosed In his
agitation in the presence Of Isolde, his unwilling
ness to meet her eyes his momcntary tepdation
before drinking the cup after the pledge as Il ne
were debating within himself if II were not p>''er
TO declare his love and live than to meel the ue
ma nds of honor and pride and die though ne n"u
frs, proclaimed his intention to drink II sender
Wank'), and his permitting his voice 10 pe0o'i"
sufused with tender feeling when the obviously
rroper tone is that Of the naughty pride Dehind
which Tristan had taken refuge.
I'm, n this be one Of the hecis in the dazzling
marble OF NJ de Reszke's approximation IL serves
AN amiable purpose in compelling the greater al
mlration for his acting and singing in the last act
II he forces to forego some OF the steps OF the
nrogress which seem to be essential TO the unfold
ing of Wagner's purposes, he shows US later de-
velopment up TO. and a publication OF the dramauc
climax Of the third act. which are simply De!onu
praise In the opinion of Wagner as We kno"
from his eulogum of SchnOrr Won Caro'sfeld, the
crx OF the role lies the speech Of Tristan wnich
ends with the curse especially in the lines:
Den furchtbarcn frank,
der der DUAL mich vertraut.
ich selbsi, ich selDst-
Ich hab' Inn gebraut!
Aus Naters-Noth
ind Muiter-Weh,
aus Liebesthrtnen
aus Iachen ind Wene-
Women und Nunden,
hab ich des Trankes
Gife gefundeh'
All this speech is delivered by NJ de Reszke with
pathos and eloquenos that would call for RHAPSODY
were one TO undertake to give estimate upon this
detail OF his performance; and his pronouncemeh'
of the curse on love has an agony OF demoniac IN
tensity which sends a shudder through the auuleh'e
almost as violent that caused by MS nah''c e"-
nosure Of the wound which loses little in effective
ness by reason of the fact that it stops short OF the
horrible realism with which Herr Niemann used
70 invest il and which is not imperatvey demand
ed by the text.
It was disclosed on Saturday afternoon that NJ de
Reszke's Tristan is in a formative state, and also
that it IS tending toward the ideal which We nave
permitted ourselves think was in Wagner $ mind
The changes which may come it will possibly
affect his delivery Of some of the music to the eN-
tent Of changing its emotional color. Improvement
In his singing from purely vocal point oil view can
only be imagined with difficulty for II already Illus
trates a conception Of the most elevated character
No one has taught more peTsistently IMAM NJ.
Jean de Reszke that mere vocazation is not sing
ing but never has he enforced the lesson with such
convincing puissance as now. with MN song Is
what IL seemed TO Swinburne when ne wrote OF MS
Tristram:
Song spreng between his lips and hands ana shohe
Singing and strengthened ana sat down lheteO"
As bird settles 10 the second fight,
Then from beneath his harpng hands with might
Leapt, and made way ana mad IL M Slu 49,
And all whose hearts were fed upon IL sShed
Silent and in them all the fire OF tears
Burned wine drunken no. with bps nht ears.
Until his conception of the dramatic contents OF
the character becomes completely fixed. however
# will be possible TO Soy that his shortening in the
first act is Nine Norlicas opportunity, for II
bles her 10 dominate the scene and bring INTO
startling vividness conception of Isolde as ira =
edy type already ripe FOR destruction when nlst ~
Comes into the observers eye. We nave a4ItauA
6weIt on me merits Of her impersOnatOn, nut the
occasion seems 70 require II no more az le5S. d
passing tribute 10 an artistic nature 50
SO capabe OF development Dy a hooie ann 80
Tho rrieyous things In the representation are pro
vided by the scenery, the stage manage neht me
chorus and Signor kaschmann, VINO peTslSSLS IA ~
snong the superb opportunity ohered 10 MN ny
the ballad in the first act by giving II OUT CUM
brousiy and without spark OF It's foik-song chaI,
Scter How singer. who is German IN spite Of
his Italian career, can 50 nsconceVe me sPlIt ~
the ballad and sing so much OF the tender music
We tbir6 act SO we'll despite the fact that the
vices which have been charged against the ilaIlan
contingent at the MfIrepo'a and ssde Viii be
given for the third time on THURSDAY evening oi
this week