The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1900-08-07
OBERAMMERGAu, BAVARIA,
july 9. 1900.

OBERAMMERGAU. BAVARIA, |
July 8. 1900.
The thousands who saw the Passion
Play yesterday were Impressed as
never before with realization of the
human side of Christ. with all his
higher attributes they saw that after
all he was man and that he suffered
as other men do. The thorns that
pierced his brow brought just as much
pain to him as they would to any man
today and his pitiful parting with his
mother was as anguishing as the last
words are in the present day. And
that is what the play aims to present
To show how farcical was the Saviour's
condemnation to death: how he was
hurried from one governor to another
by the blood-thirsty Sanhedrin until a
sentence was secured how he was tor
tured py the soldiers and hooted at by
the mob and how cruel was his cruci-
fixion Yet the play ends with the
triumph of his resurrection and ascen-
sion.
The village was early astir Sunday
morning. for at six O'Clock the per-
formers all go to mass at the little
church and the thousands who had
come to the play wanted to be on hand
early for the performance which COM
mences at o'clock, and then with an
hour and half for noon the plays ends
at p. M. The rain which had been
falling all the day before and through
the night. still continued its cold and
chilling drizzle and up on the noun
tains round about, snow that had fallen
during the night could be seen mant-
ling the rugged SUBMITS and extend
ing far down among the trees.
Before o'clock the people began to
move toward the theatre and for an
hour the street leading to it was crowd
ed with pedestrians and carriages
All sorts of people were hurrying
along, from stylish Americans to the
peasant pilgrims: the women in vide,
short skirts. their shoulders encircled
by little shawls and their heads COW
cred by gaily embroidered kerchiefs,
and the men stalking stolidly along in
high heeled boots. short coats and vel
vet vests with a double row. of immense
silver buttons down the front Noun
tanners in their short, velvet knicker-
bockers. bare knees and ankles and
their penchant for huge silver watch
chains and charms given full sway,
moved with the rest, while men OF
Tyrol towns, in long.caped overcoats
and narrow-brimmed felt hats, each
with a feather ornament, splashed
through tho muddy streets. Though
English ana Americans were evidently
in the majority there were as many
Tyroleans and Germans in the audience
of 4 900 persons which filled the great
ampitheatre, for the tongue of the
natives and the play is German.
Until this year the seats as we'll as
the stage have been open to the sky,
but now the spectators sit beneath a
steel arched structure which is open
only at the end toward the stage. The
prices vary from so cents to 50. so for
each seat, there being five degrees
varying SO cents each. Rugs, overcoats,
capes and even the blankets from the
beds were carried to the theater but
even with these much enjoyment was
lost on account of the cold for with one
or two brief intermissions the rain con
tinued all day long. So punctual was
this crowd that when the stately Choir
us OF fifteen men and twenty womer
advanced from opposite sides of the
stage and standing in semi-circle eX
tending across the front burst into the
first song. nearly every one was in hi:
seat. The music of the play was nj
less remarkable than the spoken part
for it has a soler grandeur and beau
ty all it's own. The score has never
been published and is kept secre
among the singers and the splendid or
chestra. Though the chorus came OF
and went off the stage as many as
score of times and stood and sang il
the driving rain ora chilling breeze NJ
sign was manifested of discomfort no
did the weather seem to effect tn
white and gold robes they wore drape'
in mantles of different hues The OF
fee of the chorus is to sing the stor
of the tableaux from the Old Tesla
ment which are interspersed and &
tell the connection between the pictur
and the scene in Christ's life which i
to be enacted afterward. These Twin,
pictures we're certainly the most re
markable ever saw In some ther
was as many as 400 or 500 men, wome
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