New-York tribune., 1899-01-08


fa'h.' 49, which finds itself inside Bayreuth has
SUI, sense OF trouble. too
is CIV" .,s mud and the rivulets Of dirty water
..s smells have been accepted. the chief
-. is in getting supper to eat at rea-
-. hour. The reasonable hour comes. most
w.. w." seem 10 think. between the second and
~, oc.s OF the opera. when the intermission
NE" .-s- less than fortyfve minutes. and is
times a trife over an hour To supply the
..,a for suppers at this time there is large
-..r-snt near the opera-house. 1t is alleged
" ,,,erested persons. and supposed by unin-
- ,ersons 70 be Lar sc enough 10 accommo-
80. al the people whom the opera-house ac-
''-.-,oaates. but il does nothing OF the kind.
-,onv persons take their meals at the houses
:. .,s town where they lodge. and others at the
-. sown the hill, and yet the restaurant
ovs- every evening, and no places can be
-. =. the tables between the second and third
-. rnless they have been engaged in advance.
"a here begins the trouble OF the supper.
r.s,e ia law that no table shall be engaged
=. .aranee. but the waiter will show you where
- csn sit and Will turn down a chair for you
y vou give hin little fee. or il he thinks from
,or- anpearance that he can trust you TO give
. 70 him afterward. 1t may be remarked pa
,.,.hetjcally that the method Of reserving places
,,s,s is the opposite Of the one which is familiar
,.,s In Bayreuth the chairs which are not en-
,.r.d lean against the table. and those which
A.. engaged stand on their four feet. This ar
rsngenent with the waiter you make after the
s-s. act OF the opera. and at the same time you
order YOUR supper, and when the curtain falls
er the second act you run 10 the restaurant, to
hs sure that YOU do not lose the place after all,
and the waiter has your supper either on the
table or just ready TO put on. If you have not
made this arrangement, through not knowing
how you stroll about and try to get near enough
10 luncheon counter to buy a sandwich and
boiled egg. but it is not easy. because Of the
crowd Of other persons as ignorant as yourself.
better way still is TO dine at the restaurant
a the top Of the hill early in the afternoon, and
then and there engage the same table where you
st and the same waiter who serves you, for your
supper between the acts. Then you liDger com
tgtably. at your ia ble and sip your cooling cof-
ice and watch the procession Of carriages and
hct passengess coming UP the hill as the time
.Os the opera approaches. And 1t is Interesting,
TO- II you feel bit lazy. as you do.
Then there breaks upon your ear an harmonI-
Gus fanfare OF trombones They are in front OF
the opera house, and they are playing phrase
from the opera which is TO be performed. II Is
The signal that the opera is 10 begin in a quar-
lT Of an hour. 1t is repeated three or four
tines In quick succession. II this is your hrst
Day In Bayreuth. You probably hasten 10 the
epe!a- house and to your seat. If il is not your
trs day, you probably wait for a second fan
fare which comes ia ten minutes or SO. But
you might better not wait long after that, for If
You are not in your seat at the time for the be-
ginning OF the first act you cannot enter the
house at all till the act is over.
There will probably be no fanfare at the Met
ropOitan II has been suggested that the iron
svning which extends from the front Of the
house would afford a good position for the mu-
lcsns. but it IS rather slanting to stand on
and taen SO much noise right out In Broadway
might make the opera-house conspicuous. But
10 get back to Bayreuth.
The opera house is divided into sections. and
your ticket tells you a. which OF some dozen
doors you must enter 10 reach your particular
scdon. You realize that you are not in the
Land Of the Free and the Home Of the Brave
where you might enter by what door you would
md stay as long as you would, and you go to
The door designated and take your proper seat
fOr your finding and taking Of your own seat
yor own honor Is trusted. for the first time
rrce you entered Germany and for the last time
before you leave II. for there are no ushers You
d. down with the thought-pleasing to your
sense OF adventure-that II you were taken with
epilepsy or heart failure you could no more get
sut before the end OF the act than you could
Gel in after the beginning of it.
Then the opera begins, at just o'clock. II
5oa shuttle foot II you whisper word, II you
TAP the arm Of your chair, IL you smite one palm
spon the other until the act Is done-lt Is sim
ply unknown what will become Of you. for no.
BODY has ever tried IT. IT is likely that these
rules viii be less stringent at the Metropolitan