The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-09-25

IHuuluS vi IdAluly, prIAClk1iI .yh;la
with close following of English Wills
the German tongue was noticeabiy d aD-
sent in comparison with the others. ~
Princess of Wales, In an extremely sinp h
black and white striped silk gown, ~ usL
ed past us, followed by her two oangn-
ters. Victoria andPrincess Charles o. De e1
mark. Later we saw the Prince OF wares.
Seidl stood near us DUSTY ~
ladies, and appeared to be in high spirits.
Siegfried Wagner sauntered by puo Me
were disappointed in face whicn lalieu
to show the strength Of character 30 az
parent in his fathers features. ana WHICH ~
also makes his mothef's strong personalii-
ty SO noticeable. Can we leave bayreuon
we said the first day of our stay ana noo
see Frau Casimir Wagner, Liszt 8. oaugn-
ter, whose executive ability, rare ]uog-
ment, and discriminating tastes olrecs
and control all the performances ana
whose life is devoted to fostering ner
husband s fame. OF course we saw ner,
most gracious though commanding
presence, soft voiced and with winning
smile that attracted all who approacneu
her.
While talking three trumpeters TOOK
their position near the entrance, ana sooh
the blare of trumpets told us that the mo-
ment had come to leave prosaic,, every
day life behind us and wander Tor inc
next five days in the enchanted realm
OF. myth, inhabited by god-like men ana
women. We hurried to our numbers ana
stood looking ouriously about. Inc seats
extend in a half circle across the theatre,
the rows are raised one above the other
with no aisles between but many en-
frances at either side of the building.
In twinkling the lights were practically
turned off, and with loud CHATTER loOo
people or more flor there was not one
vacant chair) turned their seats ana
dropped into their places. Not musician
of the orchestra was visible but we heard
far off trembling, quivering SOUND as
of water. Yes, it was theaa Rhine, telling
us of gladness and nirth with now ana
then an undertone Of sorrow, and as the
curtain slowly parted we saw the river,
and the three Rhine daughters dart1ng
hither and yon; for they guarded the
treasure, the Rheingold, that was seen
glistening from the rocky heights. The
murmuring music became gayer, as with
bursts of laughter the nymphs circled and
played about the ugly dwarf, Alber1ch,
who longed at first to win them, but
after catching sight Of the Rheingold,
abjured love and finally stole the treasure.
For hours without one fall of the curtain,
one beautiful scene melted into another
before our eyes, and all the while raylsh-
ing music told us the meaning. The
Rhine .maidens, floating in their native
element as they lost their trust sank with
despairing cries, and through mists we
saw arise the home Of Wotan, which
later with the loss of Freya, goddess of
youth, gave way beneath dark clouds to
the Nebelungen cavern where burning
fires melted and moulded the stolen
Rheingold into the tarn helmet, sword,
and magic ring. Heavy vapors then as
cended shutting all things from our sight
~ ola 1u oil roy ool n6
Walhalla and the shining rainbow bridge.
With long drawn signs of pleasure we
reached our abiding place and waited
impatient for the morrow. Wagner at
Bayreuth Is a most jealous master, and
will brook no halfway worship 80 we gave
ourselves wholly to his absorbing spell !;
the only place we visited, Save the theatre,
being List tomb which seemed plain
to barrenness, although the four walls
and floor were covered with faded
wreaths and emblems, sent from all parts
of the world but it SO happened the few
cards we glanced at bore the word Amer
lea. There is a glamour about the per-
formances at Bayruth, which while one is
there will not allow criticism. We would
not premit ourselves to see that Sucher as
Seglinda was too mature in form. though
in fine voice, acting with grace and spirit.
For our taste she was infinitely superior
to her Sigmund, for Vogl as that hero.
was STACEY in walk and gesture, falling
far below our ideal in his rendering of
the love song-the most perfect ever writ
ten. 1t goes without saying that Die
Walkure- was as always, magnifcently
staged. What person, however unmusical,
can listen without shivering to that wild
weird exultant Ride Of the Valkyrie?"
We gave vent to our feelings on reaching
number three and ''hayotohoed" till
Humid howled and Baedilah fled to the
roof.
1t is the determined purpose of Frau
Wagner that the attraction of the repre-
sensations shall be entirely due to the
perfect whole rather than to any one or
more singers, however famous; and often
parts are assigned to vocalists having
little or no stage experience, as in tina
way there are no preconceived ideas to be
overcome, and every pose and gesture can
be insisted upon according to the Wagner
traditions. Burgstaller the Siegfried of
the last cycle was a protege of Madame
Wagner's and until recent years was
matchmaker having had but compare
lively short time for study. He looked the
part admirably and in the Forest Scene
especially where he cuts the whistle with
his sword, acted with vivacity; but was
hardly impassioned enough, we should
think, to awaken the slumbering Brunhil-
da, the noblest, grandest OF Wagner's hero
ines. Wnllo every parG VI Ine Ming
is attractive, some portions inevitably
stand out more wildly than others. The
Nornen scene in Gotterdamerung was
one of the most impressive. 1t is rarely
if ever, given outside of Bayreuth, as it
adds greatly to the operas length, but no
music is more characteristic of Wagner,
and no effect more appealing to the i'm
agination, than when in the dim light of
the stage, those three dread beings weave
the destiny of mortals. We listened for
the first time to 'Parsifal' expecting more
than human genius had power to give,
though we feel that the meaning OF the
music may come with many repetitions.
The shifting scenes that were transformed
before our eyes from Klingsor's garden
to the castle of the Grail, filed US with
wonder and delight, yet expecting more
than pictures for the eye, we went with
hearts uplifted, feeling that we should
receive from bthe mysteric meaning of
the whole, an inspiration beyond our
power to estimate; but the imitation
washing of Christ's feet seemed profana-
tion, and the Grail scenes, almost saorjleg
ious.
1t was while waiting for the opening
scene of Parsifal that we first saw her,
,ro,,,on aJrnnn thousand