New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-08-18
COMPANY OF PEASANT ACTOR&
LIFE IN THE BAvARIAN HIGHLANDS TO BE PiCN
TIRED AT THE METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE.

LIFE IN THE BAvARIAN HIGHLANDS TO BE PicN
rprn At THE METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE.
In the village of schiersee. about an hour and
halfs railway journey from MUNICH OH VI. - sna
of the same name. Konrad Dreher founded' IN i's-'
a neasant's theatre. in which plays dealing with inc
life and dialect Of The Bavarian Highlands are pro-
duced The unusual feature OF TINS Undertaking
les in the fact that all the members OF the com'
narv are natives OF schliersee or its neghborhood
The Bavarian Highlanders are born ACTORS anu
singers; every community OF any Importance nAs
alwavs had its musical society. its club or associa-
ton existing largely, II not chiefly, Tor the pur-
nose of encouraging musical and dramatic repre-
sensations. - 49,.
Konrad Dreher himself native OF Muhlch' Out
nossess,ns a thorough knowledge OF ana aitectioh
for the Bavaran peasant folk, mad Always pr
ticuIar attachment to Schliersee. and for t"eNe
wears from 1880 he carried about the idea OF ouno
ing a theatre In which not professional ACTORS anu
actresses but real Bsvartan peasants shouio 'dHe
tho characters in pays dealing with Bavaran
,aas,nt life At length he was enabled TO procure
= si,a on which 10 erect his long planned theatre,
rd ba then proceeded 10 form his company. Naver
Terofal the local butcher: Willy Dlrnoerger'
nainter from the neighboring village OF N'eSoaon'
Michael Dengg a guide and ferryman JOSEF Me.n'
va,hias Calling. the gardener Schmidkouz. the
,,ooar,an waldschiitz and the tailor Sigmund Wag-
ner tho wives OF Terofal Dirnoerser ana Dehss'
Anna Rail the washerwoman Riedechner-these
were Drehers pupils. and quickly, under MS tui-
ton they developed the talents Win "hich nature
had gifted them. The undertaking was looked
unon as huge joke by those who heard OF II, but
that view was changed ai'er d 'e'S ie" P@'''''
ances In the new theatre.
Durln0 his first season Dreher wisely connned
himself TO his theatre, but the second year
OF the enterprise so markedly successful that
ar offer 10 play IN Munich was MADE 10 h'H anu
so great was the enthusiasm with which the COM
Qf
that the time OF its stay in Munich had to be con-
s,derablv extended rhe result OF this enthusiastic
reception was that other offers began 10 pour IN
upon the Schlersee company. during the summer
however the company remained at home. playing
only in it's own little theatre but with the winter
offers TO play in other theatres were accepted.
,nd -, ~ seotember. 1884, the company had given
altogether rs performances in the various towns
po,, ,ress and public were full OF admiration
FOR the talented and weschooled peasant actors.
Tho scenic arrangements the disbursement OF
rho "star'' system and the al-around excellence
q, rho company everywhere insured success. finan-
c,aI az well as artistic. In the theatrical Of
1894 Il visited thirtysix theatres. The programme
Coz 1904 az was even more extensive The repertory
includes the following plays: $ Leserl Won schiller
see" "Jagerblut." "Protzenbauer' 'Schlagrins."
Standardization" 'Girgl ind Waberl." "Almen.
rausch und Edeiwess," Der Aussestossene."
..Gundl Won K0nigsee," Der Rothe Hannukel' and
Observation-Disclosures
Konrad Dreher who. by reason OF the many calls
upon his time, cannot always personally supervise
the produc tons of the company has found n rep
resentative his former colleague at the Gartner.
patz Theatre In Munich. Ludwig Anwander. Herr
Anwander lives at Schllersee in the summer and
goes with the company on the tours which do 50
much to acquaint all Germany with the manners
and customs. songs and dances OF the Bavarian
Highlands.
season OF iss-ss in Rmei.ca. beginning az TIE end
OF September at the Metropolitan Opera House.