The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-13

The Bayreuth performances have not aroused
great enthusiasm this summer. and there
emphatic complaints from all sides that the
casts contain fewer great singers than
ever before. Seven -eghths OF the visitors
come from England so far and the usu-
ally Inadequate preparations to house
them seem to have been made. The
greatest praise went to singers we'll known at
the Metropolitan and familiar as ordinary par
Elephants in the operate performances there.
These were Nine. Schumann- Heink and NJ
Van Rooy The Nibelungen Ring" was fol-
lowed by production OF Die Meistersinger."
in which even the most loyal critics could find
little to praise. Ernest kraus sang Wdhher
and is said to have been in poor vocal condition
Nine. Gadski's Eva did not please. In tho per-
Torrance OF the trogy the scenic features
are said to be beautiful. and the iumina-
ton In all these difficult operas contrved with
new and wonderful effectiveness. Costumes as q
whole are less elaborate than those used in for
mer years Medocyity is this characte ristic OF
theprincipal performers. white the orchestra
the choruses and the dramatic features Of the
opera are still looked after in a way that makos
the Bayreuth representations as characteristic
as ever. The critics. however. thought that
''Parsifal" as 1t was sung this year showed a
sad degeneration from the days in which the
best available artists used to be engaged for
Bayreuth Nine. Wagner is accused this year
OF having deliberately excluded all English and
American singers as well as those who have
made themselves famous in either country.
Marion Weed is this year the only American to
take part in the operas. NJ Van Rooy was en- :
gagged because Nine. Wagner regarded him as
an especial product OF Bayreuth and Nine.
schumsnn: Hsink returned for The same rea-
son. The performance OF Parsifal' was brill
liant only far as Mile. Ternlna 8
share in it was concerned. Herr schmedes;
s5c. Injured fs A'f Himself ssR''Ffa IL Ai e9G 5T
accident. and German humor disported itself
for some time over the incident He comes
from Vienna. and will appear in place OF NJ.
stalier. who has been trained entirely by Nine
three years before he was allowed to sing the
role has this year been heard as S,e9mund in
ana hr h9Ss an n9Gner Was
talents in comparison with the crudeness OF
the young man. are said to have been in
tvaI and for the succeeding one have already
been announced. Next. year only "Lohengrn,'
hauser" viii be given The following year viii
be the twenty-lith anniversary Of the first pro;
duction OF me "Stbclungcn KinG. and y will
be sung exclusively with occasional perform
ances Of "Parsital"
During the performances OF Tristan and
Isolde " to be given next Otober in Paris tho
representations will not be announced. ns the
management desires the public to take an in
terest in the work itself and not in the inter-
prcters. This, at least, is the reason given. al
though there may he something In the fact
that none OF tho performers is very distn-
gushed. The Opera Comique Ia to produce
Humpcrdincks "IIaensel and Grete " as tho
second novelty, Of the approaching season: Il
will be preceded by GuStave CharpentioTS
Louise md followed by Baron d'ErlAnGer's
10 Jut Po!onais,' and lie RouX's vii liam
Radcliffe" Aino Akte tho Norwegian prma-
donna of the Grand Opera. has sister shortly
to make hor debut IN Paris. When the free
performance was given on the i"te day last
| month on" Of the barltones sang the "MarseIl-
laise,' and delighted the audience so much
| that no was compelled to repeat the air four
| times. .Naint-Sa"ns has returned from Rio
| LanrirO after an eNtrayagantly prosperous
| concert season there TO conduct the repetition
| OF his "DcJanlrc In the arena at Beziers The
| performance will be more elaborate than il
| was last year. Three orchestras. two hundred
| choristUrs and ballet Of two hundred will
| take part with tho most famous singers an
actors in Paris.