New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-04-23
MUSIC-THE DRAMA.
,,r ,,E1sTrRSINGER IN ITALIAN.

IN pursuance Of their rather puzzng policy OF
oso-vine some of their most important and inter
sting productions for the final days and hours OF
,be season. Messrs. Abbey N Grau brought lor"aIu
mt Nelsters!nger" in the Italian version last
,,o,ine D.. the Opera House 1t the first time
{, has been heard from their company this season
,i that IL was a potent attraction TO a class o.
rrusic-lovers not quite the same as those VINO pat
r,nlzed tho Italian and French performances Oh
Mr. Abbeys company was made plainly eVloeh~
u was IL very large audience, and one h'Ghy APP
nreciat!ve OF performance which. While IL Add
many shortcomings and anomalies. presented ai7O
naly aspects OF extreme beauty
The Italian and French views Of Wagner s great
comedy have been made familiar to THIS puohc pl
the few productions OK the work enec'ed ias' l'''
and In 1ss2 That they cannot and do not Reproduce
and assiInilate its poetry and humor anu sat''i0
force in the essentially German spirit in which II Is
moulded S not matter for surprise Inc ci'"i'
ter and motives of the individuals concerto" '' ''
picture o. German life ana all the lHlpIlcd''oI'' "
The historical background. the local color and the
Teutonic atmosphere that surround ana cohul'loH
the drama. not TO be possessed ana rea4i1e'
M, actors 10 whom these things do not come as d"
natural heritage But a performance OF Die
1festersnger' that eulists the services OF arustS
of so sincere purposes and high Ideals so "ppio''
o,iye OF the dramatic element IN music as the TWO
Messrs de Reszke and Flancon and OF so c@'"o'i'
ard sympathetic a conductor as Signor Mdhc'hci'N
must needs have very much TO please ana 10 S"'
isfy the most exacting lovers of Wagner 'HUN''
even If the results be not in all respects d" yin
bodlIneA, Of Wagner's conception. n.
The merits OF last nights performance wy
mainly UPON the musical side; and it Is seldom
that the musical investiture of Die MeisterSlhse'
has had more beautiful realization The chleI II"
;erest centred in the first appearance OF NJ EooN"
de Reszke as Hans Sachs 1t may De S"u ~
once that he fell short OF embodylng the C''"'
acter of the drastic yet genial a. be-
trayed by Wagner. There are many uIliiO" 10
setiing even accomplished an artist as VI - "S
I'eSZA Hiov rcIn6ved from the operate roles with
which ne is Identified and he PLAINLY shoMVI IL
Ia MAS treading on quite unfamiliar ground ms
Sachs lacked JUNCTION and humor, and indeed ialIGI
In most Of the qualities that explain ana man. an
nossiblr the development of Wagners story. he
sang the music magnihcenSy, howeNer-Wlth a
beauty OF style and prodigaiity OF vocal eNpcnd
The Walter OF Jean de Reszke is well known, IRON
his previous performance khlSHIl 80 -
aDuniant passion. but oHcr-sentimental IN some
points Mmc Eames. as Eva. was wholly charm
tng. and Mile Bauermeisters MaSd4leh4 , Satl'
o. MI Lloyd Daubisne. which part he, too, as
suned for the irst time, was capital IN oieeP'.o"
ton OF Pogner and the spirited kotlner OF Slen'r
Campanari are also worthy OF hlsh pia'av' &c
Beckuesser OF Signor C3Fcone STANDS al " "A Do.
ciderahle distance from me u-ure drawn by Vas
ner bat in this respect il is not inferior TO most o
charArter that have become known here. .-tnor
Mancinell conducted with great ener5Y, Hlei4l-e
and evident devotion aILhou=h i.S t'','pi u"v arc
altogether such as we nave learned 10 h'loM Hl e
ricbt or the chorus. the less SAID the ut ter ana
the stage management missed many OF me inGSt
obvious and telling points that should go 10 MAKE
~ rbere Was nfIch enthusiasm on the part ot the
audience. but it. was tempered by an aiiTec!ation
applause. Indeed, EdouaTd de iteszKe must nav
felt the novelty Of making his first entrance WIN
Of The scene and to finish his several solo passages
with the same silence on the part OF MS hearers
acts when the principal singers. well Signor
Mancnelli. were called forth repeatedly