The San Francisco call., 1901-12-04
OPERA TRISTAN AND ISOLDE"
HEARD HERE FOR FIRST TINE
Wagner Taxes the PHYSICAL Power of Grau Singers
Calves Farewell Takes Place Tonight.
BY BLANCHE PARrrNoroN

II DID not take my prayer-mat down
to the opera-hOuse last night To knael
and listen thus to Tristan and
N Isolde, as Wagner's young adorers
IN the tatherland used to listen to
the new "Lohengrin," p but I felt that one
would have come in handily during the
evening. 1t is one of the world Iove
poems. fitted to music of the most IN
unately beautiful sort, by the master mn
sician at height Of his power. Wapner's
genius finds here its most characteristic
expression its ripest, noblest form and
in all music there is nothing so unsn-
proachably lovely as some of its divine
measures 1t is an epic of the loves of
the elemental man and woman. primitive
powerful, al-pOssessing, welded to theme
ana harmony that paint the lovely story
IN al its wealth of brilliant and subtle
suggestion with miraculous power II is
hooded with color, dazzling and yet most
delicate, odorOus half-tones and scarlet
otes OF passion color dreamed. and the
lash OF the brown Of earth. Strange chro-
hanc intervals dominate largely the mel
2Glc scheme of Tristan and Isolde" and
w wagner obtains thus the distinctive effect
CT lne muSlc-drama. The characteristic
lhemeS are almost all of this elusive char
acoer, crystallizing the undertoW of emo
e.On not perSOnltylng action. The music
drama is the eighth Of the Wagnerian Sc
Iaes 10 De given here, four of the Ring
cycle Die Fliegende Hollander," Tam
AaOser, LOhengrin" and die Meister-
singer" the Others and it compares with
l1e rest as Romeo and Juliet compares
with the other Shakespearean dramas
the love story Incompatible.
Ihere was poor house to greet Iris
ian ana Isolde last night. The cast, de-
spite its masculine strength, lacked on
the feminine side, and so. despite the nov
city of the music drama, the crowd stayed
away Van Dyck was the Tristan, and
was a stately and noble figure He sang
hoe h1Wn hnfN
his voice holding out to the last colossal
requirement of the role. Again his pow
erfui dramatic faculty helped to make
an uI11IorgeJtSble portrait OF the knight,
ana The whole measure of Van Dyck's
attainment here is Of the largest. The
scene when the love philter is taken
aboard the ship, with its quivering or
chestral accompaniment, was acted with
splendid power the love scene in the
garoen was nlled in with an ardent and
olgnlne0 grace, and the scene where Iris
tan, dying, secs Isolde in a vision was
marvellous bit of work. Tristan is
long time dying-Van Dyck is credited
with thlrty-nlne minutes as against the
conventional fOrty-but the singer holds
the interest in a truly remarkable fash
Ion. be is pretty great man. Louise
ReuSS-Belce we must be thankful for as
without her the opera could not have
Geen heard here. She is one of the few
Slngers who can attempt the tremendous
<)lea ana really did some surprisingly
strong work last night; but the voice
Sard, strained, shrill-hurts the ear, and
one can only surmise what it may have
been once and regret that its day has
gone But she has undoubted power, lifts
10 a nne climax and acts, if not always
with nne art. at least with sincere and
earnest intention. The effort Of memory
alone is immense. and altogether Reuss-
Belce's work last night is entitled TO a
sincere respect
M Blspham's Kurvenal was another
excellent portrait in the Bispham gallery
and his vibrant, sympathetic voice was a
particularly valuable addition TO the ef-
tect De Reszke was Marke, and in
noble voice and form. He was a, mag
ulncent picture usual. and delivered
his epic Of reproach TO Tristan with a
splendid strength and dignity. Louise
Homer again showed what she can do, and
more, what she some day is going TO do
II the music drama as Brangene- She
sang with delightful sympathy and acted
with considerable truth of inspiration.
Damrosch conducted with reclamation
and others who added were Mr. Muhl-
mann as Melot and Mr. Reiss. whose
clear, pleasant voice came in valuably in
a shepherds part.