The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1903-12-31
IMPRESSIONS
OF "PARSIFAL"
Wagner's Opera as Viewed by
a Musician and Dramatist.
WALTER DAMRosoH DISAPPOINTED

He Misses ImDreAsiveness of Bai-
reuth Production and Regrets Per-
Torrance Here-BeIasco Says Bal /
reuth Is Observation-Disclosures Mystic +
Play Is Not eriIegfous--ssAuda-
clouss Yes"-seeond Act Marvellous. t
The following article in the New
York Herald contains two impressions
Of the New York production Of Wag-
ner's opera "Parsifal" from the view
point Of a musician and dramatist.
Walter Damrosch, the musician, re-
cords the production OF 'Parsifal' as q
bold and brave effort on the part Of
Mr.. Conried and his company to achieve
the impossible.
''Wagner's last will and testament
bequeathing 'Parsifar to Baireuth ex-
clusiYely was no idle within, but in
spired by an absolute conviction, born
Of an intimate knowledge Of operate
conditions, that this work was OF a
character 50 unique that proper per-
formance is almost impossible in a
regular opera house and decidedly SO
during a regular opera season.
1T would, therefore, be folly to crit
/ icise this performance on the lines laid
down by Wagner, for, though Mr.. Con-
rled had spent money lavishIy and had
| given the work fine cast Of singers
and more rehearsals than are usually
youchsafed a new production during
an opera season, and though the per-
Torrance moved briskly and almost
glibly along, Wagner's good judgment
was abundantly proved, and / cannot
help but wish that Mr. Conrieds fine
energy and desire to prove his mettle
I had expended itself on some work less
exalted in character and in which so
many fine points Of art and morals
were not at stake.
AT Baireuth performances there were
imperfections-- artists even there have
been known to sing out Of tune-but the
theater is ideally planned. and artists
and audiences alike are enabled to CON
centrate themselves on the work, in
spired by the unique conditions sur
rounding them and undistuTbed by the
trivialities Of ordinary life
Il cannot say that the performance
reproduced on me the Baireuth Inn
preston Of the beauty and solemnity Of
the various eeremonials of the Chris
tian church which are enacted and sym
bolized before us In the first and third
acts. These scenes, which were SO deep
ly moving and impressive in Baireuth,
became duh and almost irreverent 1t
was frankly operate. and the scenes
might just as well have been taken
from some Masonic ceremonial. In the
main lines the stage business was the
same as in Baireuth. but the inner spir-
it was often wanting.
whether it was the trivial manner
in which the Holy Grail was uncovered
or the slouchy way in which the
knights Of the Grail walked or fused
! with their cloalSs or the garish lighting
Of the Hall Of the Grail, there was but
little ill sion and none of the mysticism
which should envelop these scenes as
with a holy mantle Ii was heavily
borne in upon me that a performance
Of an art work dealing directly with
things and symbols most sacred should
either leave the whole stage parapher-
malta to the imagination or by incessant
rehearsals and discipline succeed in pro
ducing a perfect stage illusion. There
should be no betwixt and between"
Mr. Damroseh heartily praises the
musical performance. though he criti-
cises the weakness Of the chorus. FL
nally. he cannot see why "ParsifaI
should not be given frankly as an opera
at ordinary hours, without all this
flummery and affectation Of long inter-
missions and trumpet calls. These, he
says, ''are but externals and cannot re-
produce the Baireuth spirit. These are
! but a mockery Of that ideal which Wag-
| ner tried TO rear In that faraway little
country town and which we. who starve
in great cities, can only long for as
/ young Parsifal longed for a sight of the
Holy Grail in his long wanderingsn
/ David Belasco, the dramatist, says:
Il saw Parsifal' in Baireuth: / saw
the Passion play in Oberammergau.
Transplanting is a delicate underta
ing, and Parsfar is almost as difficult
to transplant as the Passion play. Race,
association, training-alI these have fit
ted Mr.. Conried for this remarkable
task.
There is only one great tragedy III
the world. the divine tragedy. Wag-
ner has been influenced By 1t, BY the
Man of Sorrows and acquainted with
grief. Stripped Of its incidental d
juncts. 'Parsifal' deals with a young
man who, IN The hope that he may
prove a redeemer remains insensible to
+, his suffering until he becomes clair.
voyant by the kiss Of the temptress
Kundry and thereby made to under
stand the meaning Of pity Wagner,
this volcano Of emotions, this creator Of
barbarians and lusty young lovers. has
written a work immortalIzing pity. But
remember he wrote It at the end Of his
life. Already his blood ran cold Par
sifar IS predestined Hence there Is no
complication, no great fall and no great
story that IS, from a dramatic stand
point Wagner's earlier poems Of men
and women who lived to love and loved
70 live are far mo-e dramatic becausa