New-York tribune., 1902-02-25
MUSIC-THE DRAMA.
DoINGs AT THE OPERA.

The prologue 10 Wagner's tetralogy. The Ring
OF the Nibelung" was performed at the MetrOpoh-
tan Opera House yesterday afternoon all in German
0here being call for chorus. and the strident
and stridulous English observations of the stage
carpenter not coming fairly within the field OF dis
cusson) and les Huguenots' in the evening In
French German and Italian. With the admixture
OF the first and last OF these languages in operate
performances the New-York people familiar:
for Il has been as much the rule at the Netropoi-
tan during the last decade German
and Italian at Hamburg when Handel began
his career there. and English and Italian in
London when Addison made merry over Operatlc
polyglot in The Spectator" and failed in his effort
reform with 'Rosamond." The afternoon rep
resentatiou the beginning of the only serial
performance of the Nibelung dramas to be given
this year and the mechanical department seemed
10 take very little interest in it. Certain it is that
the stage management never more sloveny
than this occasion. circumstance which pre-
sented itself in a peculiarly deplorabe light from
the fact that outside Of this feature and an un-
accountable sIuggishness in the orchestra the per-
formance was excellent one. Mr.. Van Dycks
Loge. Mr.. Van Rooy's Wotan. MIR. Reiss's Mime
and Mr.. Bisphams Alberich incom-
parable and exhibited at their best. while
the giants Of Messrs Muhlmann and
Blass we're wortny companions. The symmetry
OF the women contingent was destroyed 10 some
extent by the fact that Nine Seygard the second
of the mikes found that she could not endure
being swung about the wires and sent in a
proxy to do her swimming while she sang
Cealment. The result was disturbing To the
musical : well the dramatic effect But her
companions. Miss Scheff and Nine Schumann-
Heink. made good her deficiencies so far as they
could, Ike dutfu and affectionate sisters Mime.
Reuss-Belce commanded a large measure of re-
spect by disclosing an intelligent appreciation Of
the dramatic contents of the part of Fricka. and
Miss Marly fresh and lovely as a May
morning in the character of Freia. But the nota-
Bile things of the representation. which il would he
difficult to overpraise. the defamation and
acting Of Messrs. Van Dyck and Reiss. Mr..
Damrosch conducted.
Les Huguenots' has been heard before at the
Metropolitan Opera House this season in the one
tongue understood less by all the people of
the company-italian. The German infusion came
last night from the fact that Mime Suzanne Adams
was taken i'll, and the only suitable substitute that
the management could hLd was Miss Esteue
liebnig, who had learned the part OF the Queen in
German. The young womans stage experience has
not been extensive. but she Vent through the
ordeal without sign Of trepidation. and sang
with good effect where the faults of her voice
and training worked injuriously. On that point il
would he Improbable. and possibly also unknd.
TO enlarge. Mile. Breval the Valentine OF the
occasional correctly conceived and well executed
representation. and worthy of admiration as her
somewhat antipathetic style singing would permit
to be There is much self-cOusciousness about
all the ladys activities though it is tempered with
obvious earnestness Mr.. Alvarez robust
and pussaut Raoul Mime Homer a pleasing page.
Mr. Declery fairly efficient de Nevers, and Mr..
Journet a dignied Saint-Bris
MR. KELCEY AND MISS SHANNON
to