The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-10-29
HERB TO DIRECT OPERA IUSIC,
ENTER, HERR FELIX MOTTL,
NORTHUMBERLAND CONDUCTOR.

says a. Once He Won't Conduct ''ParsiTal."
Though Ho went Object - Supervis-
Ing Its Rehearsal-Cemes tho Holy
Grail Bearer. Too, and Mime. Gadski.
Felix Mottl, the noted Wagner conductor.
who has been engaged to take charge Of
the music at the Metropolitan Opera House
FOR the next five years, arrived yesterday
on the Kronprinz Wilhelm. On the same
steamer were Johanna Gadski. who went
to Boston to appear In concert; Poppi Won
Possart, one Of the sopranos OF the COM
pany and daughter OF Ernst Won Possart;
Enrica Vasari, the new ballet dancer Of
tho company, and sigmund Meyerwitz
new rehearsal master, who for several
years has been associated with Herr Motif
at Bayreuth and in Carlsruhe.
Herr Mottl, who speaks French and Ger
man. but no English, Ia powerful looking
man with glasses and with hair that is be-
ginning to turn gray about the temples.
He came a week earlier than had been ex.
pected Mr.. Conried introduced him as
general music directory Of tho Metro
politan Opera House
mir. Motif holds tho same post here
Mr.. Conried said, that he does in Baden,
where he Is general music director of all
musical proceedings in Carlsrlhe. So he
Is to be responsible for all that takes place
In the Metropolitan Opera House, whether
it be French or Italian opera. concert or
oratorio. He has entirs control Of all the
musical performances OF every kind
Herr Motif bowed ~ II this sounded Ike
q rather large order. but admitted that 1t
was true. Ho then FASTENED to deny that
he had any idea Of conducting Parsifal.'
MY close relations with the Wagner
family make that impossible he said, as
l am not ungrateful for all that has been
done for me there. began with the master,
and have been there every year since I
conducted from time to time every opera
that has ever been sung there, and have
been invited to conduct 'Tannhasuser' next
summer. So 1t was impossible for me to
consent to conduct this work 80 long a.
here. l shall look after the rehsarsals
however, and do what can to make the
performance az nearly perfect as possible.
Then will hand the orchestra over to Mr..
Hertz. who Is going to conduct the opera.
Nine. Wagner will never ask me to con-
minute, she knows it s impossible to prevent
its performance. I saw her only q day or
two before sailed, and she again asked me
under no circumstances to consent to con-
duct the opera. She will never ask me to
do IT,
A rash amateur asked Herr Motif what he
thought OF the plan OF giving -Parsifal'
here.
'Mr. Mottl begs to be relieved Of answering
p lnss Hs is tss friend Of the Wa nu1er
Family, which Is opposed to the production
of Parsifal, and he Is my friend, and am
going to give the opera. He is the general
music director OF my theatre, and that
seems answer enough
Mr.. Conried said that he would also
beg Herr Motif not to answer some ques-
tions as to the comparative merits Of Par
sifal' and the other Wagner dramas, on the
ground that II he said the work were su-
perior 1t would sound like puff whereas
1t might hurt business If he said Par
sifal" were not so good. SO Herr Mottl was
silent on that point,
II have twice been invited TO come to
the Prinz Regents Theatre In Munich as
conductor" said Herr Motif, -and the
first time declined. have been invited
again since the death Of Herr Zumpe.
have left the question O. acceptance or
Mr.. Conried for five years, with the priv
ilege of withdrawing at the end Of a season
If desire to. ! have now only q leave
of absence from Carlsruhe. MY wife IL
to leave the company soon, but IL Ii false
that she has been compelled to retire be-
cause ] have come TO New York
Signora Vasari is graceful young woman,
who is going to carry the Holy Grail In
,"Parsifal," She is to dance In ths ballet
on other occasions
Herr Motif was born near Vienna and Ia
only A to-day. tie sang as a boy In
a church choir. and his fine soprano voice
WAS a sensation in the Austrian capital.
He WAS graduated from the Vienna Con.
seryatory with honors End was immedi-
atey called to conduct the Academic Wag-
neryerein. He also played accOmpani-
ments in the conservatory for Nine. Mar
chesi, who was u teacher there. In 1880
he succeeded DessoH IN conducting the
orchestra at the Grand Duoal Opera House
in Carlsrihe and was made general mtisio
director In 1893, He went TO Bayreuth
~ conductor Ia chief In 1855 and has re.
peatedly conducted there since.
He Ii well known AZ o travelling con
duotor and has given concerts In most Of
the European cities. He has oompossd
three operas "Agner Bsrnsusr,' ~ uerst
und Saenger' and 'Ebersten and has
also prepared versions OF Berlioz and other
composers His wife, who has Just re-
signed from the opera company at Carls-
rlihe, IL u soprano, known In Vienna as
Pauline Henristte Scandinavian They were
married IN 1892