New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-09-21
AT oBERAMMERGAU.
PASSION PLAY VILLAGE AND PEOPLE
QUEEN ESTHER" PRODUCED-WED-
DING OF ANTON LANG, CHRISTUS
OF LAST PASSION PLAY.

even MANY OF the religious ceremonies WIN "hiHh
Rome is ever vibrating. but since then the h.'ie
village like some celestial comet. might nave De-
come lost in an unknown orbit so completely mas
fl been forgotten-and forgotten II seems oes.inee
10 remain until the ten-year round is comiietu
and II again flashes its holy light upon the world
Yet here it is to-day. continuing In the siilpie
tcnor of its WAY IL the village has been forgotten'
the villagers DO seem aware of IL for thes a,e
quietly maintaining the ideals which the Moiiu
has ascribed them-simplicity and piets. ines
are like children with chldlike faith ana cohH-
oence and childlke appreciation Of the holy pay
which it is their privilege 20 give 1t is Win INC
eager giadness of children. too that they open
their doors 10 stranger and they lavish upon MIN
such wealth of kindly hospitality that II is as re-
freshing ones heart TO come among them as 'ie
mountain air in which they live is refreshing 10
ones lungs They seem to belong TO a tne tna'
has long gone hy-a time when people hNeo iiioie
Simply and confidently ana happily, ana the h'tie
sunny haired children. growing up to the inheri'-
ance of the sacred roles TO belong to the
Golden Age.
It is delight TO among these people III
is good that their piety is not pose; that
they are Just the same whether the eyes OF the
world are on them or whether they alone IN
their mountains. II is treat 10 go among 'hell
and be taken for what appears TO be- 10 hho"
that no speculations will be made on prooaoie
dark record. a to hear them recount
their experiences during the play to be let into the
inside workings of the productions. The prlihaht
auditorium of theatre has its fascination; SO mas
Oberammergau when thronss from London ana
New-York and Paris surging through Its
streets witnessing the solemn play But there
is fascination-the fascination Of the thea
tire behind the scenes when the auditorium is dark
and when hears stories which never reach the
outside world; and 1t is just this that gives the
potent spell which OberaTnmergau can exercise at
such time this.
You will want to stay with Anton Lang! an
oured one CT the Apostles who met me at the sta
tion You will find him much changed His hair
is not long now, is he thin and hollow checked
He be married Monday week
How familiar the old street is with its white
houses and red roofs, with their spreading eavesl
The mountains, soft and green moss, rise behind
the roofs, eliminating In the kofel which STANDS
like perpetual benediction over the village It's
cross now golden In the sunset light. Anton with
smiling. open face, out Of his pottery 10
greet me, wearing his apron, but no hat His
father. Rochus Lang, who plays King Herod, is
also there, and Anton's stepmother and sisters,
and half a dozen children crowd around extending
tirnid hands and echoing "Gruss Gotti' after their
elders. It IS like getting into the open again after
a lifetime in the city.
You have come to Esther ?" Anton inquired,
after the greetings were over ..s 70
1T is very beautiful. is ii not?" asked
I'VE think So he replied. simply; and then the
people relate the various features OF
the play which they thought would appeal TO
with the eagerness Of children in telling Of
pastire. II seemed If they would presently
take my hand and lead off to it, even before
j had had my supper! --=s --
The people here. it seems. do not by any means
limit their festivals 10 the great which comes
once in years but il is their custom to produce
a modest play nearly every year This sum-
z,aer they doing Esther Biblical drama In
four acts. by Froher, from the fragment left
by Gr1Iparzer. Although hardly any outsiders have
come to the performances even from a
place Munich, this fact does not worry the
villagers. The applause of the world has not
spoiled them in the least They do without it
-t. Rod,
and these little plays given simply for their
entertainment and for those living in the country
round about. il has been presented five times al
together, and each afternoon when il has been
- given country people flock TO the village If
there were TO be c!rcus-nnen. women and chill
ydren, the latter with just bright expectant
= faces If elephants and tumbng clowns were
waiting TO make them laugh. instead of a very
solemn play in blank verse, with long speeches and
awesome death scene 10 make their eyes bulge
out.
Have you seen Esther'g' heard one woman
ask another in lower village on the day before
The final performance. es=-,7 ---.-s-
The others face clouded over IT have tried 20
go every time" she replied but baby is ailng
and could not leave him. My husband" visit
fully. has It twice. and he says it is -wunder
bar
II viii tend the baby for you Tomorrow" offered
the kindly dame who had first spoken: and the face
OF the little matron lighted up If the one treat
o. her life had suddenly come into view.
arrived in the valley Of the An1rner two DAYS
before the final performance, and have had an
opportunity of seeing just how potently play of
this kind really enters into the life Of the people
And indeed. interesting as the play has been in
Itself, the players far SO
went TO see the cure who. in German Of course
is the Herr Pfarrer. and he received ne as he does
every one. with a beaming face rubbing his hands
together and chucklng in the merrest manner be-
tween his words The Herr Pfarrer is the ruling
genius OF the village II is his marvellous magnet
ism and executive ability which have made the
Passion Play here what il is; and he is now ar
ranging produce play nearly as pretenIious as
the Passion alternating with il every five years
The name has not yet been decided on. the plot
viii be taken from the Old Testament and the
x fo me New Two n Mu nc Literary men
himself is composing some Of the music. The play
but that VIII leave whole year for rehearsal be.
fore il will be given in 1905.
The people here have been called peasants but II
!e impossible TO how any could so nlisnane
them They are far above the average persons in
play good music The orchestra here is better than
viii be found in many places twenty times large
The other night L was returning to my lodgings
from visit to the wood carveT's fascinating shop
iltz who plays the double bass in the orchestra
] could see him sitting before the piano He was
..iohensrinS and from memory. for no notes were
before him the rack Peasants do do these
r,ersfstentiy as are these people who carve exo
quisitely in wood model in clay, draw and paint.
sing great music and produce lofty dramas. II
there are any real peasants near here they are
not those who act in the play
Yet the artistic spirit. which is doubtlessy pos
eessed large degree by the villagers, is almost
entirely dominated by the religious. What they
dertake is largely done for the giorihcaton OF God
Something almost cruel about their many self-de-
mails fer he Church While mo one no matter how
help protesting al the extreHifies which Anton
One talking frankly with the people obtains many
sideiignts on the performances which are apt TO
course. would not discuss the matter with