The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-03-15

her great patrons to visit them on her re-
turn TO Europe. This she will do after a
short stay at her home in Brussels.
Miss Ruegger would seem TO be one of
the natural phenomena of musical genius.
Her father put little cello into her hands
before she was six years old, and the size
grew up. until, after her first appearance
in Europe as a girl virtuoso, her Russian
friends presented her with the old, beauti-
ful and costly cello that she now plays.
solid success has followed Miss Ruegger's
early triumph, and it is illustrative of the
fact that reward is sure to find the musical
genius that persists. however uncertain
may be the end of the person gifted in the
other Grts.
Miss Ruegger's programme for her In
annapolis engagement will be announced
seats will begin week from tomorrow at
the Starr piano store. but seats may be
engaged before that time by application to
Mrs X. l.. Talbot, jr. Mrs. S. l.. Kiser
will be the accompanist for the young
'celloist.
Miss Ethel NJ. Smythe, the only woman
composer of grand opera to have her work
produced by the greatest singers of the day.
is the author of the libretto of "Der VALID"
as well the creator of the music Like
Wagner. Miss Smythe believes that COM
posers for the lyric stage should write their
own librettos. The story of Der VALID
is tragic and poetic. and has strong SYM
bolic leaning. The action begins and ends
in the woods, according to the title, which
in English is 1.-The Forest" The story of
the opera, which received its first Amer
lean production last week at the Metropol-
itan Opera House. New York, will be of
unusual interest. to all music lovers 1t is
as follows:
A brief prologue shows glade in the
primeval forest, with hamadryads Offering
sacrifice to Pan. They sing chorus, of
which the gist is that the Joys and griefs
of mortals are feeting, while
We. the immortals. fade not. neither perish;
Are old as the heavens and young as the bios
That herald bounteous Spring
A transformation follows and the nymphs
fade away. Then begins the tragedy,
which: though short. is intricate. Helm
maid. He has killed deer, and the pun
ishment for this is death. He conceals the
deer in a we'll, but peddler, who chances
to be lettering about, sees it. The peddler
plunges into the forest with his trained
bear Iolanthe. the beloved of Landgrave
Rudolf, the owner of the forest, comes TO
the hut of Roschen's father and sees young
Heinrich. She becomes enamored of him
and tempts him to leave the humble forest
maid. He spurns the temptress but awed
by her passion, goes into the house to bid
Roschen farewell.
The landgrave arrives and Is enraged at
the evidences of his lady loves infidelity
He seeks to punish Heinrich. but lacks a
cause till 1olanthes huntsmen come on
with a prisoner. the peddler, and accuse
him of seeking deer. He denies it, but thew
decide to duck him. When they haul the
well rope up they find the deer at the end
of IT. The landgrave is about to order the
peddiers death when that poor fellow de-
clares that he saw another man, whom he
did not know. sink the deer The landgrave
tair hat
and rejoices that he has his vengeance in
his hands.
When Iolanthe learns the state of affairs
She too, rejoiceS. because she believes that
now young Heinrich will kneel to her TO
save his life. But he returns from the
house with Roschen and refuses to sue
Roschen. terrified implores him TO forsake
her for Iolanthe and save his life. but he
says:
Our life is passing shadow
But Love is mighty and deathless
The enraged Iolanthe orders her hunts
men to STAY Heinrich. and they do SO.
Roschen. crying. Love has the victory,
Sacred Forest, take thine own sinks life
less upon the corpse. Night has been clos
Then the mysterious light OF the prologue
pervades the scene and the altar of Pan
reappears. with the nymphs and hama
dryads about it singing the former chorus
telling of the shortness of mans delights
and their own Immortality.
There is a possibility that New York will
be enabled to hear Wagners last work,
"Parsifal,'' at the Metropolitan Opera
House next season. 1t has never been sung
in America. The new director OF the grand
opera in New York. Herr Conried. thinks
that he can bring about the production
through persuasion backed by financial ar
| guments II is a well-known fact that
| Frau Wagner, widow of the great compos-
| er. has put an embargo on the performance
except at Bayreuth by reason of the fact
| that IL Is the one great attraction that
draws musical pilgrims thither. AL other