The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1901-11-16
presentation of wagner,
p

/ S% HE presentation of Wagner {
! Die Walkure" last evening at
the Grand Opera-house was not
! III listened to by as large a house as
was expected by the worshipers
of the famous German maestro. Sad to
relate, there were vacant boxes and seats
in the theater, and the memory of last
i seasons performance of the same opera,
before a crowded house, was wildly re-
| called.
Is it possible that Wagner's operas are
not as attractive as they were a short
year ago, or was it that the fistic en-
| counter of brawny giants elsewhere af-
fected the attendance at the Grand Opera
| house?
Society was well to the front, however,
| last night when Director Damrosch start
ed the orchestra in the weird strains of
the NEUROLOGICAL composition and the
scene of brilliant gowns and costly gems
Of the fair sex was again witnessed. d
The story of the mortalS and tmmortals
was listened to with rapt attention The
marvellous musical recital was well worth
the price Of tickets, and though 1t was Is
was voted success by all.
Singers and Orchestra Cheered.
! There were cheers last night for the
singers and for Damrosch and his orches,,
| ira. Artists and vocalistS both earned
their shares Of applause. Gadski. Reuss-
BEIGE Scheff and Schumann-Heink, to-
gether with Bispham. Blass and DIPPED.
interpreted the Wagner music as only
| singers of absolute merit could do.
Singers and orchestra were themes of
conversation between acts. Many men
in the audience gathered in the lobby
and dozens of ladies were In the upper
| promenade and they discussed the effec-
tive work that had been listened to dur
! ing the previous acts.
The house was not an enthusiastic one
at the start, but when the divine notes
! of Gadski and DIPPED closed the first
scene there were encores in number. The
same scene was repeated after the second
ers summoned to the footlights, and Dam
| roSch came in for an ovation when he
was called to the stage
| The most ardent opponent or the Wag-
| rer school could not help but be moved
by the magnificent iWalkyre chorus"
| that opened the last act. The alternate
| Wailing and sonorouS bursts OF melody
from the orchestra seemed to hold. the
audience spellbound, and thunder OF APP
plause greeted the ending of the con-
certed song of the maiden messengers OF
Odin as they hurled their summons to
the warriors, destined to fall in battle, to
enter the halls of Walhalla-
Audience Laughed at Magic Lantern.
The magic lantern effects showing the
Walkyres riding on the clouds were not
IN harmony with the scene Ell, The audi audi
flashed on the cloth drop, and the Wag-
nerites shuddered in horror. 1t is not to
be expected that the intricate machinery
used at Bayreuth or at the Metropolitan
Opera-house in New York to carry the
Walkyres through the air could be
brought here by Manager Grau, but the
| little magic lantern should have been
eliminated. 1t was blot on the per-
| Torrance.
This afternoon Faust will be given,
| with Sembrich, Campanari, DIPPED and
De Reszke in the leading roles. Tonight
| Sybil Sanderson will make her first ap-
| pearance in ''Manon," and society is
| waiting expectantly to see what the Cali
fornia girl will do. "Boheme' is to be
sung tomorrow night.