New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-10-29

Many and amusing are the stories when nave
come from Bayreuth OF late years concerning the
rnetanorphosis which Wagner's Ring o. the
Nibelung" has undergone since Nine Wagner as
sumed artistic direction Of the festivals The ira
ditons established by Wagner have been thrown
to the winds. and. according 70 a most dN'i'llb
anecdote related by Nine. LIN Lehman. VINO
was made TO feel the dspoasure o. the Madame
because she refused TO change the readings which
she had learned from Wagner himself IN 1916. when
controversy has arisen Il has been ended by hp-
peal 10 the iecollectiOns % 81 sfrio1 Wagner w"o
was five years old when the first festival was given
The newest contribution 10 the of told tale Of
Nine Wagrer's mcddung shows mat her desire 70
get her finger into the artistic pie began long be
fore Wagner's death i Is contained IN some
"reminiscences Of the festival OF FRO published bv
Professor D0pler I'm the 'Deutsche Revue. Pro-
fessor D0plcr Is the artist who at Wagnors request
designed what may be called the externa's OF the
characters I'm The Ring Of tho Niheiung lie
fitted them with costumes and accouTemenis. very
much the admiration OF the oet-composer but ~
seems not wholly TO the satisfaction or the poet
composers wife Professor Doplers task was an
extremely difficult one for IS known he strove
/ 10 illustrate the period back 10 which Wagner ha J
moved the N.bcung legend in the dresses and
arms of his gods and eoddesses. To this end ne
studied the relics Of the stone and the bronze
in the Northland and designed the figures as
all old Wagnerites know them. II was not long
after the dress rchcarsals had begun. says Irofcs
sor D0pler in effect that he began 10 hear on al.
sides a lot Of learned talk about an improper use
OF blue IN the costumes improper said the wise
acres because blue unknown color AZ the
period IN which the tragedy was supposed 10 play
At that time. said The amateur critics. blue would
/ have been considered black. But JET Professor
DOpler continue although much VIII be- lost in the
translation. along with The German idiom ana the
dialect Of one Of 'he speakers.
one day received a call at the theatre Jus, he
fore rehearsal from "a lady. Frau kathy p. wao
ihN'eu Hue ,"' & 'tio,ic Si,G T.," Af,er
had accepted the invitation she began 10 pay M
f the most extravagant compliments on my achieve
menls, particularly my neN!lhes, ana sD'athl
/ asked me why had done much syinuOlziua
with blue hao heara " ge5l OF Wh'sler'ns a".rl
blue and black and c"ncl hded at one ihat m,
/ question had originated IN AN entirely different
! Quarter seized the lifie hand Of the amable
| and pretty lady and patting and strokng It th'
In a fever by worrying over unlaid eggs and make
my compliments TO Frnu Cosima Goodby. mus
Bu, Frau Cosima was not ye, satisfied soor
after came Her EXcelency Frau Won S. anC
then the old Countess tsedom' with attacks upoi
Put tell me Professor. tlurted out the Countess
YOU have painted the sheet Of costumes so mag
uhcenty. hut tell me had blue been discovered al
that period|
The original is really too good to be lost Thi:
was the aged Countesss speech "Aher sasscn Sic
Professor Sic habben grossarrg die Blatt del
Kostum gemali. aber saCgen Sic mir. War del
Blau damas schon crfgndenr" D0pier kissed TIE
old lady's hand without "a word and turned away
Nine Wagner's anxiety 90 review Professor Do
piers work grew as the rehearsals went on She
found fault with the shortness Of the sword whicl
Siegmund pulls out Of the tree in Hundiues hut
which was an exact copy Of the longest Gcrmani,
sword found among the archaeological relics one
Gay she drove Up 10 the theatre just as rehearsa
al
out and kissed her hand Thcreuuon she furrot
10 him ana handed out a large quario with ihs
remark; You see my dear Professor there f. .
longer sword than that sticking I'm the tree Tn,
oook was treatise on the collection OF antiquite.
In Mayence D0pler nonplussed for the none.
at The Illustration pointed out by Nine Wagner
and asked the loan OF the book for an hour A,
soon as be looked at 1t his room he discovered