New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-25
"PARSIFAL."
The Performance from a Musical
Point Of Viesc.

last night az the Metropolitan opera House
wagne-s "Parsifal" was presented for the first
Snae IN this country as acted drama Every seat
IN the house was occupied and was every square
foot OF standing room. The vast audience showed
every sign OF appreciation and enthusiasm When
the last curtain feli the feeling OF this multitude
that Il rad assisted great event The re-
fections that now from participation in that event
are too numerous and too complicated 10 be all
set forth AZ this time and we must content our
selves with brief survey CT the salient points in
memorable performance.
Naturally the question as 10 whether New-yorlx
had eoualle6 Bayreush was uppermost in the mind.
Il Is a question bearing az once upon ethics ana
ssthetics. Wagner believed ne had good reason
FOR restricting the performances OF his drama 10
bayreUtE. and that fact appreciated by his
widow ard his SON. II was net a question OF
money. There has been time since the drama
frst produced when by yielding the right OF
ownership. the Wagner family might not have
earned large sums Proper appreciation OF the
drama Is assisted by. II il does require.
=aosphere such is obtained under the conditions
az Eayreuth. and there alone. One had 10 DO with
out that atmosphere last night. and # missed.
But there were coupensations. and IN respect
least there was justification for certain pride
OF superiority.
So far as spectacle Is concerned New-York is an
Improvement on Bayreuth. Wagner dreamed
things which stage mechanism only gradually made
possible. That illustrated last night in the
second act. Such pictures the scene between
PaTsifsl and the flower maidens were in the mind
OF Wagner, but everybody no has been to Bay
Teuth knows that they never realized there
ss they were in the performance at the Metropoli-
tan The Bayre-th pictures have always been exag-
gerared and garish Last night the scene was beau
ttul. harmonious in color. graceful in action Sc
ductive, the poet intended It TO be- and as beau
tful 10 the eye as the music which accompanies
u Is fascinating 10 the ear. The color throughout
was In good taste q point rarely enough TO be
chronlcled with reference TO operate perform
Rnces anywhere The costumes have been de-
vr-F~E
with the background. But IL the picture was al
ways well within the frame last night IT also
owed much Of Its effect 10 the skilful stage
management Mr.. Conried has spared himself no
pains. and ably seconded by Mr.. Fuchs and Mr.
LautenschAger. has put "Parsifal" before US with
th0rough1ess, we may even say with a perfec-
don, as regards scenery and mechanical contri-
vances by virtue OF which New-York once more
demonstrates its right 10 rank with the chief
musical cities OF the world
But enough OF the external aspect OF this re-
rnarka5le occasion once the experienced auditor
had satisfied himself last night that "ParsifaI' as
work OF had suffered no diminution OF its
surface charm by its passage across the Atlantic,
he could abandon himself 10 enjoyment Of what
was me- IL the work OF the singers and the orchss-
uai and especially for first performance. the
proportion OF what fine in that work was very
-aLBe Inc orchestra was a its best from begin
ming 70 end Mr. Hertz IS not one OF those con-
ouetors who believe in exploiting their own theo-
r1es OF lalosyncrasles at the expense OF the
poser. WHOM II is their business interpret. It
was impossible not TO feel last night that he
reading the score before him as though Wagner
were looking over hts shoulder
II was z reading profoundly sympathetic almost
aUstere in It's fidelity to the broad nobility the
composers Ideal, and yet so flexible. subtle at
the right moments. that rising around the massive
lines OF this great work came constantly those
exqE-sitely tender and beautiful waves and whis-
pers OF sound which Il 'ParsifsI" a. perhaps in
no other Of Nagner's works. have the poignancy
and the magic Of remembered rapture, sometimes
CT joy and sometimes OF pain This is the great
strength OF ''ParsfaI' on its purely musical side
that It rises TO heights Of lyrical joyousness in
moment snc explores the depths OF sombre passion
II the next ny Hertz missed no single point in
the wonderful web OF melody which it his
privilege to evoke from the tremendous modern
orchestra which Wagner assumed indispen-
sable factor when he wrote this drama
On the other side OF the footlights the evening
witnessed achievements worthy Of what was done
b. Ar. HeTtZs Eplendidly managed forces. Mr..
BurgstaIeT is q admirable Parsifal, admirable
because he only sings. but impersonates the
part His voice IS not an heroic one. and there are
moments in which II is wanting. both IN sympathy
and n volume. but at every truly great moment
confronting him he 10 its obligations, and put
into his representation OF sorely tempted youth
z force OF simplicity. an intensity Of fervor.
sno. above all understanding OF the
character which more than deserved the
plaudits with which the audience testified TO its
approval Nine Ternina Kundry is precisely
chantress. who while feminine IN all her allure
nents- steadily preserves that uacabre quality
through which Wagner lifted this character out Of
the ruCk Of operatic sirens and gave her potent
individuality. Nine. Teruins bewitched her audi
ence. she sought bevgitch ParsffaI with lin
pid cong. and again she moved those Who heard her
By her effective OF the deeper resources she
possesses. Anfortas was impressively sung and
acted by Ny. Van Rooy. though he yielded perhaps
shade too much in the temple scene TO his ten
eency toward q too sentimental tone. Mr. Blass
q creditable Gurnemenz as little tiresome as
the habit OF that character Of retailing stories IN
nOuoronOus tempo would permit
k1nEsOr was pictUresguely embodied by Mr.. Otto
Goritz who made his first appearance in New
York last night and by the excellence OF MS voice
and the ora,natic point with which he presented
the part proved himself welcome accession TO
Mr. Conried's company. The subsidiary parts were
fairly wei taken care OF by III. Muhrnann and
others The ehOruses were beautifully sung. and
the effect OF the boys voices in first third
acts = not exactly celestial certainly ade-
GUste n fulhlnent OF what we believe 10 have
been the composers purpose More in regard 10
the details OF -PsrEifsI' : MF. Conried presents
q must be deferred 10 another time The drama
IS to have e number OF repeuuons Every one OF
them ls bound be well attended for last nights
performance made Il plain that New-Yorkers nav
row study one OF the greatest masterpieces OF
modern AT under the most favorable conditions
II view of the Importance % the event we append
TIE fun cast;
%Alnory AEne Ternina
Farsita Burgstaller
S-.Leia-l- Robert Blass
Ozs nrst appssrsaas IN his coaatryJ 'O----
szszs Miss Moran
s@--@s