The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-12-27

New York Dec 0S-ParSifafS scenic
r,itcbe,v ,s n constant carcss ro the eve
S-,.:s.;.
"e hitting anu siii''ii'etiHs iiai Feis VI
imagery woven about the production mark
a triumph of the mechanical art as an
-, 81 -. ;,,.,,,,,.;,.o .,,.o.,.
au'onc. 10 the MUST IMPRESSIVE present
rnelt of the genius of the playwright.
With the vision enchanted the ear
,,.ra,, ,vI,r .o,,,d or5 Nh, CON, owl h,,
"i"t' "i'it so'N 'iie '-'e SUI a"ee ~
the deep religious sentiment enkindied, the
spectator Is lost in a bewiIdering sense.
r.aI fo- +ba ,,,o,-ont of ba,,iac -d,x,
60, i'i '"e VI uas
dreams come true.
In the loft. temple OF the Grail the col
e, .,,,-,.,,,.
OTIS were Oh q r'ch anu ornate character,
and the scene, when the crystal cup OIL
the Grail ylcwed like a ruby, was very
beartifpI No, q, oil orter J.eo,.rdo a,
-, ~ nv. al al, altei ,o.-'.4u ua
Nihci, but quite medieval, not suggesting
the Lords Supper so much as some rite in
n lsniphtlv order Of true believers The
-
of the silver goblets, were all in good
tssta tho only, fa,sa note be;n,, tho .o,,ar-
,- ~ ~ a. - ~ oeile '.le
huse silver Wagons ana amphora tnat hs-
trei in the ceremony too prominently.
otherv-isa tb;s Roupd Tab,e scene with
-.''.,. - - -
us suggestion Oh an ai'ar' hish-Vaul,ed
arches, the soaring DOME in varying illu-
r1,uatiors. made an impressive picture.
-. -. - -,
IL tne hIst preiuGe ser the nlooo OF Ceep
music painted Wei IN the scene when me
secona act was on. me easlle OF lilas is
Saraeen.c type, Dnl suggesting me
Geird. WIS a gloomy ana n.uns rack OK.
SrSuhu LOT tne e'ocauon OF huIury as lhe
neipless: haPiess servant OF evli; ana when
IN, me casIIe uissppearea, IN the ar, rather
100 patiently ana danglingly, the contrast
10 the lovely Alhamb-alike garden of flow
ers, with its exquisite Alpinelike view IN
me distance. the charm OF 1t made deep
IMPRESSION not only in the scene itself
pu. IN the syiphlike hover maldens, ciad
IN nimy gowns OF delicate tints. horeated
ana wreathed, VINO thronged TO enchant
Parsifai
IneIe was here the widest departure
rom Beyreuth methods. and successfully
since the BaFreuth garden has been Sc
Nereiy cIiticlsed as In bad taste and tawdy
70 the last degree. Nothing tawdry or
as with the approach of Kundry. the en-
chantress another floral drop kept up the
Illusion, the eye was continually pleas
ured; and when. at the close, with the
e rag r. Oh me curse ana fsfsltars es-
crumbled. the effect was most strikipe
and was a triumph for the management.
In the last act we were once more in the
mans hut and here the sfaee effects
We're again very lovely. quite in keeping
with the dramatic and musical demands
rocre and treas INA sn ,isseT atu the
reedf,,i backsronnd tn The so.caiiad mn, mn,
sic Of the Cod Er,dey sneIi ,rhict n da-
nicts nstrre snrinrtiSs ~ hIoo,S, th,n,,n,,
renentance Hare areiU oi tbn M ,,oy.i,, u
sce1ar,, tronsnar,ad pa.,~,sai nv 'ii i
sn grsy , tfaspS,,eo Parsaa, now IN
h,,t s.;T a., aro,, 80 E,n5, NJ a.; y, r
brnurn oil afsac,;,,a i, .l,,t IN pu ~ 81
s omh, at enegeNe Color c9htrasts, 10 .ne
ttemple' atter the oapusmai scene by the
60, ,,,.,,
rel amfnrta. on his Htter e tba " Inipbts
and The nau,comars n+ The "a Ne ,,lade ,,T
sen any ro,r h n me ne .apts laue up
t,osi,. " Sup, Wilt .ue orSnss.ia was
si VI tne new Si .... uilu, uhques
as .ne GIai ,BioMeu me Cove
"a t III s,d;, nv maS
81, ~ -, $50 lauishes. anu .he laii am
az ,,i,i Mas ,it. me eieGt was one
natsed ali other males g tbat W Ssp sg
res', III, III ounSr liiaies tiial wagner
senlus mas evoiVeo.
Inc Ionowing are9inenl OF farsiIai
LIS oeen MritSen py Cnarles Henry Melzer,
bretto Ssbict bss hea1 trane.t to5 me IN, u
pre.,o. wnic1 mas Desl .rah hSssh py d.
p,i nr,u = Sotuer anu Pup'isneu Wy :
The Argument.
Act LIN the first scene we are on the
,-s--. = ,,or-.,,,.. LII, -.-,o.. -.
ooi eeis Vi Aioiisa o., n"o iee'oii Which
the composer OIL Farsltai may nave
,yhe,e a., n,or.,,o,,, sra;, .ho,,e-,, 10 49,, !,
"i.eie ~ Noi .iieih spaiii' .housn ne was
careful to avoid lettering himself by say
ing There. in the heart of dense for
est, hidden from the vulgar gaze. is the
temple raised by the pieIy OF T'iturel in
honor of the HOLY Grail, the wondrous
CUP of which Tennyson speaks in .'The
Idyls of the King''-the CUP from which.
according to the Arthurian and Proyencai
myths the Savior drank at the Last SIM
per The angels are srpposed TO have
given the Grail into the keeping Of I'll
lcrel. after he had fought with Klingsor.
the great Enemy of Good. With a Com.
pany of true knights. marvelously free
from sin. who obeyed him as their Kine
'riturel has guarded the Grail until. grow.
ing old. he has intrusted it to the charge
OF his son, Amfortas At some period he
fore the opening of the play, or music
drama, Amfortas has been lured into the
Enchanted Gardens of his foe. Klinrsor,
Yielding 10 the seductions of the beaiitifui
flower maidens who people the gardens.
many of the knights Teu,plars of the
Grail have fallen from grace and bpcome
slaves of Klingsor.
Amfortas himself. though armed with
the blessed spear which was once thrust
: INTO Christ's body as he hung from the
cross. has succunbed TO the sIIurements
Of Kundry strange creature half
witch, half penitent who changes her.
shape at will-souetimes snnea rine aIn,net
horrible at other times transfornine hoTt
self into being of yoluptuous charm. II
SIS may be assumed. there are Inder-mea n.
ings In "Parsifal." In is nossihIa thai IN
Arnfortas and Kuniry wa gner .,,nhoI
lied humanity; with its confiicting roed