New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-13

"DAS RHEfNGOLD.

TIL. s.r,al nerformances OF Wagner Nnslune
Tetralogy-the "cyclus" as II appears 70 be neoes-
sary to call t--had their beginning ~ the Metro
nol,tan Opera House lat night with the prologue.
"Das RhenroId" Before the series il ended there
will be occs sion for talk s-plenty on tho points
which so serious undertaking raises for u"
present little more than record must sufnce II
vas tuststen years ago that "Das Rhengold had
its first representation In America on me stag
that saw its revival last night. Within the decade
IL has had a dozen repetitone. but they were All
confined 70 three seasons-thaf OF l&- ". which
saw ifs first production: that Of 1880 ithese IN
der the original German regime). and that OF nj.
under the direction and MANAGEMENT OF water
Damrosch The earlier representations were
many respects admirable. the revival OF two Year,
ago little better than nm absurdity. II was hafc
20 formulate any definite expectations for the per-
formance OF last night and for that reason is
success which was emphatic was all the more
&. atifying On the whole. the original production
was surpassed There were better singers In sew
eraI parts-a better Lose, a better Erda oetfss
Froh A better Alberich and an equally good FricmL
In the rest Of the list the honors w-~
about equally divided The original stsss
pictures were as effective as those of lsH
night but the improvement OF the mechanism
necessary to the MANAGEMENT OF the nixcis In the
drst perhaps the finest, fruit or recent enos~ ~
Bayreuth, added much to the poetry ana realism OF
the first scene For reason hard for the unln''
tiated 10 understand except SO far as the RAINBOW
bridge is concerned). the Walhaua scene Is looked
upon as crux, but this was overcome 10 tns
amusement of the critically minded. by the s'mpls
expedient of emitting Walhalla Castle. This arch-
tectural pile of unknown style being put out Of
sight the rainbow could stretch Itself In proper
grace instead Of in cramped and ungainly seq
ment Of small circle. Its property as bridge
was left to the imagin ton. and. therefore. X
could he a picturesque reflection Of prismatic coors
instead OF a clumsy practicable" arar. Another
crux was overco--e by making the first trans
formed shape Of laiberich a monster OF an un-
known age fully fifteen feet long which wrsHed
It's way across the stage In a style that greatU
heightened the fary-taIe element OF the play. Tho
descent into Nibelh and again the ascent 70 ths
mead below the supposititiousW ahaila were accom-
plshed behind wells which concealed the stage 70
the grief no doubt OF the stickers for the intes-
rity OF wagners ide1s 0or the music IL cond-
toned on the changing picture) but IL was better
not to try TO do It than to do II badly and II may
be that the Metropolitan stage will not permit the
needed mechanism.
hurried word about the performers. Excellent
were all that we have mentioned but NJ van DyeA
dominated the representation as no Loge hs
dominated II before. not even the admirable I'M
personation OF Alvary nor the much more admire
bic one Of Vogl. whose name is indelibly connecten
with the role. Dramatically. all that NJ. Van pyck
has done here has been full OF beauty and sus
gestiveness but nothing has been so picturesque
subtle. thoroughly wrought out. profound conv'nc
ing as this After all OF New-York's experience
this was yet revelation The fresh. clear tenor OF
Herr DIPPED. the supexb dramatic intensity OF MI
Bispham the fine sorority and perfect enuncisuon
OF Nine Schumann- Heink and Herr Van ko@
and the fine musical quality OF Miss Brema az
contributed to a performance when must % -
down among the proudest OF Mr. Graus ach''"