New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-12-04
MUSIC.
Die Weisteranger uon NarRberg. "


The highwater mark OF Mr. Conrieds achieve
ments since he took possession Of the Metropolitan
Opera House reached yesterday afternoon
when Wagners ''Meistersinger'' had it's first per-
Torrance. Doubtless there many in the audi
ence who only restrained by loyalty to the
old German regime from saying that IL was the
most varied and beautiful representation that the
opera ever received in New-York. which has seen
many notable representations. Should any of them
have thought without giving the thought ex-
preston, they shall be gainsaid. All the
stage attire new, and all OF it beautiful
and effective. except the first scene in the
church for those who sat the left side of the
audience room From them the glimpse of the nave
of the church. in which sat the congregation, visi
Bile through 2 grill opening obIiquely from the
vestibule, shut off. and therefore for them
Wagners pretty device OF turning the organ inter
ludes of the choraIe into music accompanying and
indicating the filtration of WaIther and Eva
lost The picture a handsome one. but the
change OF the old of doubtful value to hun
dreds who, II unfamiliar with the comedy must
have been doubly astonished at the bad manners
OF the Younker in accosting 4 lady with i'm
pertinent a question greeted the goldsniths
daughter Fortunately, the lady like the rest of
Wagner's herotnes. not easily embarrassed.
AS for the picture. If was, like the majority of
such scenes. puzzling to those who tried to figure
out its architecture One thing it emphatically
not: II was not the interior Of the Church of St.
Catherine in Nuremberg. That church is not
d
any Nonconformist convertible in England. Wag-
uer seems never to have taken the trouble 10 visit
the Church Of St. Catherine that is indubitabiy
proved by his stage directions. 1t is one Of the
concal features of scene painters stage
managers ard operate impresarios that they
persist in perverting natural scenes and places
which have historic interest, though mimic re-
production Of them would not only give veri-
sinilitude TO their stage pictures, but also de-
light the eyes and stir the fancy of the thousands
ritaf-o
We have yet to see the enanence IN the Thurinstan
valley, crowned so magnifcently by the Wartburg.
it stands i'll its picturesque grandeur; or the
hall OF ninstrelsy in that castle; or the Grdth,
where the Swiss Hberators gathered the shore
of Lake Lucerne, though these places seen
annually by thousands of pilgrims to Switzerland.
And so on for quantity But discussion of these
things would lead into a sidewise excursion which
is scarcely inviting under the influence of the
pIeasurable emotions aroused by yesterdays per-
Torrance of Wagners comedy.
Begging then the question Of historical
curacy. let it be said that the settings, handsome
they all were. easily forgotten in the pres
ence OF the people of the play. their sayings and
dongs Here, at last, mad the long promised
excellence of ensemble, IN dramatic representation
well as musical utterance. Under an inspiring
force which prevailed in every department of the
institution. all the people in the cast whose work
has been Iauded before, took additional artistic
stature Mr.. Van Rooy himself TRANSPORTED
If with rejoicing at the opportunity to champion
SO sweet voiced and spontaneous minstrel as the
new tenor Heinrich Knote. proved to be. A fine
singer. with a real tenor voice, pure in quality. in
defectihe in information free from affectation and
other vocal vices. ample in volume, tireless. He
a delight Another Of the newcomers in the
opera. Herr GoritZ, equally admirable in his
way. Out oG Beckmesser he made the character
that must have been in Waguer's mind; griraac
ing buffoon. but Of intellectual parts great
enough TO command the respect and admiration OF
his fellows, albeit bitter. narrow bigoted, pedant1c
and constituencies IN the pursuit of a wicked aim
The part has never been well acted,
so well detained. tunefully sung with
all requisite character. but without carcatUre
Herr Goritz acted. acclaimed and sang it yester-
day. Similar praise might also be spoken Of Mr..
Reiss's David. If in the speaking were not COM
PEELED to compare it with his previous perform
ances, which have always been admirable Mrs
Homer. as Masdalena grew with the extraor-
binary occasion and disclosed unexpected apti-
tude for comedy. Mr.. Bass's Pogner and Mr..
Muhmanns Kothner alone seemed to move on the
old plane. though theirs some OF the benefit
which flowed from the superb playing OF the or
chestra and the excellenty nuanced read
ing of Mr.. Hertz. To him and Professor Fuchs.
the stage manager. should go the same need of
praise to the principal singers for theirs were
the greater and more complicated tasks. Nine.
Ackte essayed the part of Eva Her voice had an
appropriately youthful tinnbre and though her
poses were frequently stted, she made a sym
pathetic heroine. But she could not and did not
carry the quintet to the success which has scarcely
ever failed here. The audience, though that of
Saturday afternoon. was early stirred enthu-
siasm like that of the old German period. and
each act and after the final fall of the curtain.