The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1904-09-09
Miss Mabel Ferry's Description o.
the Great Opera.

Miss Mabel Ferry's Description of
the Great Opera.
| The following is from letter writ
ten to her parents by Miss Mabel Fer
~, who is studying music In Germany:
My Dearest People: l have written
that Sevcik said l might come to
Prachatitz for one lesson In August.
1t was a long tedious journey, but l
finished the Tchaikovsky concerto to
his satisfaction and worked awhile on
the Bruch Concerto. but will not fin
lisa 1t before the term begins In Octo.
Der. He told me soon after l arrived
that he would give me my lesson at
once, so l might take the evening
train back to Prague, but after ten
hours ride on those hard wooden seats
was In no mood to return, particular
ly as would have to change cars
twice In the night. So l hunted up
Miss Bankhart tine English girl who
gave the tea parties,) and borrowed
her cape, for there had been sudden
drop in the temperature and / was
freezing.
| When l arrived In Prague next day
found a letter from Ivah Peterson
saying could have the ticket for the
Wagner Fest at Bayreuth. So after a
nights sleep 1 started to join her
party.
wish you could see my round trip
ticket. 1t was as voluminous as the
Declaration OF Independence. 1t
was done up In an oil cloth and folded
in mock leather case. l could hard.
ly realize that l was on my way to
Bayreuth and would hear l"Parsifal"
-Wagner's especial favorite-the next
day, so suddenly had this good fortune
come to me.
l arrived In Bayreuth about 5
O'Clock, took carriage to the post.
office wheIe found letters from Lolita
and Ethel, then went to the hotel
where Ivah's party was and woke Ivah
from nap. Everyone remarks how
we'll 1 am looking, and they all think
It's fine for me to be studying music
with the most famous teacher in
Europe, and picking up the language
on the run. AS 1 can talk Deutsch
more than any OF their party, they in
stalled me Interpreter at once.
1 was little sorry Parsltal was to be
given first. But as l heard so much
Wagner music in Berlin last winter, l
was more prepared than 1 could
otherwise have been.
This little town Is much smaller
than l had pictured it aud the build.
ings are lower. Everything was in hol.
iday attire and the shop windows load
ed with souvenirs. We went to see
Wagner's house and his grave. 1t is
in great garden or woodsy place
not very we'll kept-and the grave has
a great granite slab laid fiat on the
mound. This was covered with
wreaths and flowers. 1t is protected
from too close scrutiny by a high
fence.
The fountains and statues In the
streets are black with age and boast
no great amount Of beauty anyway.
The Wagner opera house, which is not
very imposing in itself externally,
is quite a way from the town.
After late dinner we wended our
way towards the hill all green and
shady, where 1t stands. The people
were promenading in front Of the
building-Some in elegant toilettes,
and some in plain ones-until the five
trumpeterS appeared and gave out
the "motif" of the love feast, then
we went in. 1t was really interesting
to note the feeling, the atmosphere Of
subdued expectancy that pervaded the
audience. Soon the place was dark
ened and In the twinkling OF an eye
that great audience was hushed so one
could actually hear pin drop. Then
the overture began,
Not musician could we see, but the
music seemed flowing out from every
where in general and nowhere In par
ticular. Somehow 1 did not feel tuned
up then, but from the time the cur
tain rose I was held spell bound. The
scenes where the knights of the Holy
| Grail partook of the communion were