Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-09-07

lNl and Parisfal but sew
en- times during the
celebration, assures an invariable success
OF the undertaking, Notwithstanding that
the unpretentous little town in which Wag-
ner thought hit to erect a building for the
exclusive production of his operas is in
remote corner of Bavaria many miles dis
tant from the leading musical conters of
Europe. During the six weeks of the fes-
tival especially chartered trains convey the
menbers OF the different Wagner societies
to Beyreuth, where, upon their arrival IN
the depot, they are welcomed by the inhabi-
tants. In these poorer sections of Bavaria
the little additional money accumulated in
the summer by renting out the humble
quarters scarcely large enough for the own
ers themselves means much to the populace
during the long months OF winter. For Bey-
reuth the festival is a great boon and
biesslnS-rob 1t OF its operas it will become
an insignificant little town like its numer-
Gus companions in that section of country
known as the Fichteleebrg No doubt the
sreat composer foresaw the good that he
was comforting upon the community which
revererced him. when, in the year 1876, he
erected the Wagner Theater with funds of
his own. those provided by King Ludwig of
bavaria and contributions donated by his
musical admirers in Germany.
Nagner's Thcntcr.
Having full license to build a struct ire
as he deemed proper, he caused theater
to rear its walls .-rahodying those ideas
which he had entertained for many years
but which he had never been able TO carry
into execution. Wagner. whose whole life
from earliest childhood had been identified
with music and the stage and who was an
ldealist of the most pronounced type, de-
termined to build a model opera house en-
bracing features which had never been seen
or thought of previously. In order to OBJ
80 hes hs. y-cS will
to sacrifice space-the capacity of mis- opera
house should not be more than thirteen
hundred at the extreme and there should
not be a single seat from which there was
rot perfect view of the stage. HIS or
chestra should be invisible during a per
Torrance. while the curtains We're raised
the house should be in complete darkness;
there should be no illuininations of any
kind, With the exception of that upon the
stage. These details, which have been car
ried out in every respect, have made the
tkeater, even though one of the plainest,
the finest structure of its kind In the world,
and the performance the most novel upon
the continent. Wagner is to be studied to
the best advantage in EeyFeuth, for the
the supervision of his widow in q manner
strictly to his wishes.
The scenery.
The original scenery. painted under the
direction of the dead composer by Paul Won
Joukowsky and the Bruckner brothers,
the foremost scene painters in Europe, as
we'll as the costumes designed by Wagner
himself and which are said to be historic
allv correct are to be seen only In Bey
reuth. The singers Materna, Winkel,nan
and Grensg who sang for Wagner, or their
worthy SUCCESSORS, Van Dyke. Malten. No-
gel and Plank, are to be heard, while Rich
ter, the greatest living conductor, is wont
to preside with an orchestra composed of
the most eminent musicians.
The Location ana Construction.
The theater, situated in q park upon a
broad plateau on a lofty hill half a mile
from town, occupies commanding site,
from which there is a splendid view of
BeyTeuth and its environs. Buried In a
cluster of trees and reached by winding
road, the continuation of the prin-
cipal street, 1t is an ideal spot for the
many bridal couples which flock to Bey-
reuth. OF composite architecture, built of
wood and stucco. it resembles one of those
continental farm houses IN which the cross
ed pieces of timber imbedded In the walls
form the only decorat ton. 1t consists of
two distinct structures, the stage in a
building of its own and the large bow
shaped edifioe containing the auditorium.
either of which may be separated from the
other by lowering the iron curtain between
the two. on both sides of the theater there
is an open arcade, so that the semi-circular
lobby is inclosed only In front. Seven
doors on each side of the auditorium COM
with the lobby, thus reducing the
danger of loss of life in case of fire or
a panic, and making it possible to empty
the theater in few seconds. Electricity
is employed to Illuminate the interior,
which is extremely plain, being almost en-
trely destitute of decoration.
The Auditorium.
The auditorium proper may be compared
to the segment of 2 fan, the sides corre-
IN ha ibS S1OnjOrr floor
to the intervening space. Where the sec
ton is narrowest is the stage, where 1t
is widest the last row of seats. There
are no galleries, but TO compensate for
their absence there is a gradual uninter-
rupted rise of the floor. The orchestra is
in front and nearly twenty feet below the
stage. lofty parapet, reaching to the
level of the footlights, excludes it entirely
from view. The seats are ranged in thr-
ty continuous rows, accessible from the
only aisle on either side of the house
With the exception of these unusually long
tiers of seats no fault can be found with
the theater. An aisle in the center would
remedy the evil, bat that would reduce the
seating capacity Of the house at least 100
which would be a great financial loss to the
The Roomy Stage.
The stage, which is one of the largest and
most complete, appears small, on account
Of the proscenium arch, the width of which
is not much more than fifty feet. 1t Is,
however, SO roomy in every direction that
a complete scene can be arranged during
or before the performance upon either side,
as well as in the rear or the hidden loft
above the stage. Rapid and almost instan-
taneous changes are thus rendered posi-
Bile. The curtain is one of Wagner's origi-
nal ideas. It consists of three distinct
pieces, one piece which unrolls from the
top and two which approach the center
from the sides. When the upper curtain
falls and, simultaneously, the two curtains
from the sides are brought together the
effect is so beautiful that the scene dis
solves itself, as it were, from view. Like
wise. at the commencement of an act, when
the central curtain is raised and the others
drawn aside, the gradual appearance of
the scenery is almost as pleasing.
Announcing the Performance.
Half an hour before the performance two |
heralds clad in medieval costume, take
their stand upon the hill in front of the
theater and blow upon their bugles. They
appear again five minutes before the time
set tor the play. Immediately after the last
bugle call the seats and benches on the out |
side of the theater are deserted, there is a |