New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-12-02
"PARSIFAL" AGAIN.
Nine. Fremstad as Kundry.

The second performance OF ''ParsfaI' this sea-
son occurred Yesterday afternoon ami evening at
the Opera House, a performance made notable by
the first appearance Kundry of Nine. Olive
Fremstad, whose portrayal last week OF Carmen
much favorable attention a I'D increased the
public interest in her appearance the paradox
cal heroine OF Wagners drama A new Gurne-
MANI disclosed in the person of Mr.. Gourmet,
and Mr.. Greder became the second Knight of the
Grail Otherwise the cast was the familiar one
including Mr.. Burgstaller as Parsifal. Perhaps as
a result of Nine. Fremstads appearance. the audi
cnce was somewhat larger than last week Vacant
boxes and many vacant seats downstairs Wis
ible but not many at the opening perform
ance this year and. after all. the ecial prices
which still prevail for Parsifaf seats. II is hardly
necessary to jam the opera house TO the doors in
order to keep the wolf the other side In the
attitude of the audience last night curiosity seemed
to have given to more satisfactory state OF
mind and heart, and the performance. as whole,
too went more smoothly. more beaut fully in the
orchestra and in the cnorUses even than last
week when It both smooth and exquistely
beautiful
But the new Kundry was. of course, the chief
feature Of interest The devotees of "ParsifaI'
will have an extraordinary accumulation of i'm
pressions touching this character to disentangIe
separate and weigh before the season is over. Nine
Tcrnina stamped her seal upon it with great dis
tinctness last year Miss Weed made essay
which invited sympathy, both because it disclosed
Nine. Nordica put forth her strength in the per
picking role last week and proved the dtscrimnat
ing that she was aiming high in all respects and
that she had found intelligent ideal which obvi-
limitations OF manner and vocal capacity and in
experience alone prevented her from reaching. She
left her judicious friends in pleasurabe expecta-
ton without in the slightest effacing impressions
made by her most eminent predecessors in the
role Mime. Materpa. Fraueln Malten and Nine
Ternina each Of whom also disclosed short
con1ings in one feature or another. Last night
it fell Miss Fremstad to undertake the difficult
task How we'll she acquitted herself shall
undertake TO say in the midst OF yesterdays
steal hurly-burIy. lest injustice be done TO
Wagner. 10 ner and to her associates in the
part Her voice gave her advantage in
the first act over most of her predecessors
except Nine Krkby-Lunn. who must also be con-
sdered. It left her at considerable disadvantage
in much of the music OF the second But Kundry Is
not merely singing role. There is not trace OF
the conventional operate marionette in it, and In
the things which mark the line Of difference most
broadly she gratifying. Hers is the sort Of
dramatic intelligence which Wagner calls for; hers
is also the intelligence. quickened. warmed
inspired by feeling and the whole hearted
devotion She did not attempt to body
forth the first phase of the contra t-ctOry char
acter Of Wagners compound creation by vocal
explosions in her curt speeches and wiIdness of
gesture. but by eloquent defamation In the
ond act when she is compelled to range through a
world or moOdS ana pdsSIo"S' sHe D'ouSH' lheIl 10
the consciousness OF all by her treatment of the
text and her impassoned acting, when she
could not conceal the fact that her voice under
a severe strain. II triumph Of spirit
matter, and the lovers OF ''Parsfal' were made
glad NJ Gourmet has the requisite voice for the
part of Gurnemanz. and he enunciated it's words
with dstinctness peculiar 20 intelligent people
who use a foreign language. But Gurnemanz is
another WOtan; he only be made drama tically
interesting and unsteady toerable by the highest
skill in poetical utterance: and this still
waiting for in New-York.