New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-05
THE DAuROsCH OPERA COMPANY.

Mr. Walter Damrosch's German opera company
gave It's second representation at the Academy OF
Muse last night. The opera was "Lohengrn.
which Ito dispose Of the poor features AT once ana
hnally) was most shabby staged and made A.
most uncomfortable in its choral parts by the false
lntona tons Of the choristers Mr.. Damroschs temp
were also extremely heavy-forted at times, which
produced the result that more than three-fourtns OF
the time between o'clock and midrignt was USED
up before the third act begun. The house was
crowded with listeners. AMI spirit OF enthusiasm
permeatei everything, that the general enect
OF the perfor nance that Of most emphauo
triumph for the cause which Mr.. Damrosch has
taken upon himself to champion The circumstance
Is all the rem arkable because Of the excel
lence OF the "Lohengrin representation in the Met
ropotan season recently brought to close
Mr. Damrosch had obviously resolved 10 give the
public the best opportunity judge OF the artistic
strength OF his troupe by employing its best MEM
bers In the OPERA which OF all the WagLeran crea-
tons. is bes, known and most popular. His deter
rnation Injured the benefit Of the representation.
worked some injury 10 Fraulein Ternina, who
compelled at her first appearance before Met
ropolitan audience to submit TO comparison with
Frau Kiafsky. To the younger singer as matter
OF course assigned the role OF Elsa, which, az
the general sentiment goes is the role which APP
peals most 70 popular sentiment. But the dramatic
singers of Germany who are made OF the genuine
Wagnerian fibre have very different notion OF the
relative value OF the two female Characters IN
''I.ohengrn" Nine Klafsky Is OF them. and.
like Nine. Materna land Nine Lehman.
though she has never appeared in the paro. she
knows that the part Of ph and moment Is that
OF Ortrud. That fact never before 50
clearly demonstrated 10 New-York audi
ence It last night Frauein
Ternna was In all respects 4 most charming Elsa
but her circnmspect singing and conventional acting
were completely effaced from the minds Of the audi
cree by the mpetuous performance Of Nine
kafsky who exemplifed most wonderfully the ele-
mental force which lies in the character OF Ortrud
when rightly conceived and fully bodied forth.
Again and again she broke down the conventional
restraint which rests upon a public gathering. ana
compelled an outburst OF enthusiastic paudits even
when the continuity OF the performance threat
ened by the unusual demonstration There was
SIMPLY no resisting the appeal which her eloquent
gestures and thrilling voice made upon the emo
tions OF the audience. To hear two such singers
though one had inevitably to suffer from the
comparison was a most admirable demonstration OF
what German opera really means.
1t wac a managerial alteration, pardonaole enough
under the circumstances, to describe the list OF
performers as All Ideal cast" upon the house Dill
toned Wilhelm Gruening. Emil Fischer and DEM
Popovic. who had all commanded admiration
on Wednesday evening were so concerned in ,ns
cences OF system like that maintained at the Met.
ropolitan Opera House. singers mbued with the
proper spirit and capable OF doing justice to
fictitious help. Herr Gruenings singing was brill.
ian, and powerful but his voice wants the &C.
cents OF tenderness Pepovsi was strong and Inn
nfied( tunefu King OF Old and Wilhelm Mertens mo
stranger to stage. but surrounded with
such worthy companions as now) an eficient Herald