The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-29
NINETEENTH ST. & SIXTH AVE.
VIEWER BAYREUrH WAYS.
Moro Fashion, Hisher Prtces, ana Maybe H
ter Singers to Come.

More Fashion, Higher Prices, and Maybe Bet
ter Singers to Come.
III writers have not exaggerated the state Of
affairs at Bayreuth during the recent festival"
said a man who has passed several seasons
there. 1.-The social atmosphere OF the place must
have changed completely. AS far back as Eve
years ago the way Of living had begun to DO
more elaborate and prices were going up. But
there was still sim plicity enough about the place
TO make the enjoyment OF it unique. The 40
commodations were indeed wretched. but that
seemed all right There WAS good plain food to
be had At moderate prices. and only the lodgings
were unsatisfactory. But in view of the fact that
for q month every two years the sleepy lituo
town was overrun by q horde o; strangers. Iii 10
else vas to be expected Then the most eNpen-
sive hotel charged only two marks and a half.
which is about equivalent to 62l3 cents. for the
table d'hote. Only the most unpretentious res.
taurants. including that one near the opera
house. were to bc found in the town. and the
price OF living was cheap-as cheap. indeed, as
anybody could possibly expect to lind 1t.
All the society OF the place was most In
formal. There was no rule OF dress. some Of
the women would put on light silks or foulards
for the opera, but as many went In travelling
dresses. l have seen Ene,ishmen and Ameri.
cans there in fannels. / have read that Siez-
fried Wagner now objects TO the presence Of
Englishnen in knickerbockers. That must indi-
cate a difference in the conditions. Formerly
the only persons who attracted attention by
their dress or their .pIury IN sayreuth wer.
taking apartments there for The whole seaeon
and entertaining ou a scale thai was elaborate
to- the place. Tho only notable persons were
German, and their encourage is usually moder-
ate enough. So the atmosphere OF Bayreuth re-
PIT bc presence Of the Princess o, Wales and
other English persons OF tit;c and fashion has
brought \ new element into he life o. the town.
accurately stated in a description which was
published in an English weekly. nut it certainly
takes a cismal view OF the situation. Here is
so The place is becoming n mere fashionable
A.mJortas could be come here az ain: the women
seem to change thsi- dresses for every act OF
t s3fDE ope ara i 1Sn,g gTiG TIs,S Of ! 10 e.. N5 t0Sdi cs and
preach on SUNDAY 10 The Enx.ish visitors; ono
in process Q. incubatiop; aud s~iex,ried Wagner
conducts. With infinite labor Wagner built
ehine in the word Tor tho reprodact!on Of sreat
art works: and Mrs. Wagner has given Il rs
a toy to her darling sou that he may Tmuse him
4 gets a TOY, siegtrled Wagner is breaking It to
pieces to see what there is inside. Unless it is
taken from him until he has spent a few years
B.y srssthhHs xi j qppiieeEE!y1 ks de serted L. q Alr %.tn 1t i
reuth. Tor reasons already given; but fashions
change. and the people who COMO here because
Il is the fashion will not be long IN finding other
resorts and those who want Only to SOC
the music plays adequately performed will
have learned that this IS not the place for them
With one voice the ab.est German. French,
and Dutch critics are crying against the prescn'
state Of things; and II is certainly the duty o
every English lover ot Wagner to refuse 20 take
tickets for he performances that are TO he con
duCte.! u Wagner : soa. Bay .cGth promises u:
the best artists. Whether some OF the singer,
are or are Hot the best artists Is largely t. matte
OF taste. But that SiegtrieI Wagner Is IN" hes
conductor pruCurahle in Germany Is too pre-
postcrous a proposition TO he con siiered for
moment. He may be some day; but that day /
far off.
There Is ore feature OF tho fashionable
aspect Of The place which. 1t seems to me. ough
TO produce good results after a while, Opera |
Away supplied By the best singers when IL |
most ta-hiOnahle, and this new atmosphere a
singers than those who appear tberc nov. Nine
Esmcs's engagement Tor the next season seem
to me TO indicate already such a policy. Who
these people OF wealth and fashion make tn
Journey to Bayreuth they will want TO hear IA
nous singers there. not sons OF the nue. ~lioCritie
who lave lately 6ren put forward. These at
dieuCcs mny know nothing OF the qualities c
the singers. but they will At all events WIN
To see names or the programmes. This m
lead TO an Increase IN the number. or distlf
guished artists engaged there in the future. an
r. II accomoli shes that ma ybe there will he no'l
ing 10 complain OF on the grounds OF more fash
ion and higher priees OF living