The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-08-30
ROW OVER PARSFAL
SHAKES ART AND
SUNDI / FRIENDS
hs
Musical Europe Is ScandaIized
Over Heinrich Conreid's Pro-
posed Production of Wag-
ner's Sacred Opera In Amer
ica-Wagner Scores Artists.

| Only The Hague tribunal can now
| settle the international operate row
| over the proposed production of Par
sifaP in America, and unfortunately
for the Wagner disciples at Baireuth.
that great occasional court is not likely
| to disturb itself with troubles of this
sort. The incidents leading up to the
| presentation Of Wagners celebrated
work here are just now crowding thick
and fast. They are rich in possibilities
| and SAVIOR somewhat Of scandal. They
| have developed from what at first ap-
peared to be a controversy between
I Heinrich Conried and Cosima Wagner
1 over the right to produce the opera,
until well known singers have become
involved and personal friendships have
| been severed In addition to Conried
| and Wagner's widow, Nine. Ternina,
| Herr Burgstaller,. Anton Van Rooy,
and others familiar to Chicago grand
opera goers byI reason of their sue
! cesses at the Auditorium have come
into the lime light and each day sees a
| new manifesto: from the Wagner
| stronghold. tts
When Mr.. Conried succeeded Maui
rice Grau as director of the Metropoli
| tan opera house, I'M New York 1T was
| expected that there would be some OPP
cratic revolutions. Mr.. Conried had
been known as a producer of daring
methods at the Irving Place theater in
| New York. and he had from time to
| time brought to this country many
noted stars of the German stage. He
| Is not man to Qwofk in a groove, and
while there was ne reason to doubt
| that such good old grand opera stand
bys as Faust and aida" to say
nothing Of "Trovatore," would occupy
their usual place in the annual roper
| toire, 1t was believed that Mr.. Conried
4 would stir, something new and novel.
And he has principally Cosima
/ Wagner
Promises to Produce "Parsifal."
! :, No sooner was Mr.. Conried at the
head of operate affairs than he an
| nounced that during his first season
| at the Metropolitan he would not only
give the Wagner Ring dramas in their
entirety. but would also add "Parsifal,"
| a work never heard in this country.
For years "ParsifaP has been the
sacred opera Of the Wagner enthusi-
! aSts. It's performances have been con-
fined to Baireuth, to which place it has
been customary for many people, the
world over, to make pilgrimages. The
| scenes OF these performances have
| been depicted by many celebrated
| writer's, and an operate education has
| always been considered incomplete
without visit to Baireuth. For here,
with all the accessories Of great
/ theater that made the complete staging
i of the work possible and with the great
| singers of the world for it's leading
roles, "ParsifaT' has enjoyed a distinc-
ton as unique as the Passion Play at
Oberammergau. That an attempt
should be made to produce the work
elsewhere naturally created a storm,
i and that the attempt should be made
| In America, where, in the view Of the
/ average rabid Wagnerite everything is
sordtd and, all art tainted with gold,
has turned the storm into cyclone
4 Mr.. Conried appears to have gone
about his task with the utmost calm.
| Reports that he intended to produce
4 "Parsifap' at the Metropolitan and at
the Chicago Auditorium had preceded
him abroad. When he arrived In Eu-
/ rope a few weeks ago he was immedi-
4 ately the center of interest. sg
Was it merely an American pleas-
i antry, this threat.
No. Mr.. Conreid declared. It was
quite true that he would stage the
| opera. o. ~ tt3ssE
Had he the consent of cosima wag-
/ ner. the widow OF lthe composer?
4 Unfortunately not, but he hoped to
secure it. fSs saa91s 80
Musical Europe thereupon grinned.
| Mr.. Conrefd could not possibly secure
1 the consent of Cosima Wagner And
| he did not. But -thereupen the episode
did not end. nMr. Conreid announced
that he would produce the work any
! way. He called attention to the fact
that the Metropolitan stage was even
| then undergoing alterations that would
cost some $135.000s for the perform
ances of "Parsifal." and that he had
engaged well known singers and had
them under contract. He did not care
to displease Cosima Wagner, but then
i-"ParsifaP would be given.
| Shocks Musical Europe.
Musical Europe was at once scam
dalized. Particularly scandalized was
Cosima Wagner. Not alone would it
be outrageous to consider a perform
| ance of the sacred drama in barbar-
| Gus America, but what would become
| Of the pilgrimages to Baireuth? A
great many Americans went to Bal
| reuth. And "Parsifar' was undoubted-
| ly wonderful property Frau Wag-
| ner issued at once a protest against
the dissertation" of the sacred work.
and friends flew to her support. Euro
4