Evening journal., 1904-12-12
Theatrical Notes
THE PARSIFAL PRODUCTION
Presentation Of the Festival Drama"
Was Superb Throughout.

HOUSE on CdAuIuA1s II IL safe u NdN
that no production ever given IN a Del
aware amusement house has equalled
this in artistic finish and in elaborate
setting.
Henry W. Savage has long been i'm
pressed with the idea Of presenting OPP
cratic masterpieces in English holding
that cur own language offers as perfect
a vehicle FOR the portrayal Of all the
shades OF sentiment as the German
The audience OF music lovers which
assembled ON Saturday evening were
naturally interested in the experiment
of presenting this great Wagnerian pro-
duction in the vernacular but there
was no feeling Of failure for its sue
cess was pronounced from the first
strains of the orchestra tin the con-
Guiding picture. with the knights as
scmbled IN the great temple, all In an
attitude Of deep devotion and Parsfal
holding aloft the Grail,
The announcements stated that Mr..
Savage had searched through Europe
10 secure artists adapted to the great
work of Interpreting the parts. Voice
as well as great dramatic instinct are
required: and in addition to these. the
nystlcal religious flavor demands a pc
cular temperament In the interpreters.
one hesitates to compare the several
vsices. a. each was superb, and the re-
ligi0us atmosphere was preserved
throughout. without any violent or
questionable expedients.
As to the opera. or festival DRAMA
Il is like Hamlet" in that it captures
tho imaslnatien and produces an i'm
preston that grows until the final cur
tain. and follows one afterwards. It's
mysticism and its awful solemnity leave
an impression that touches the intel
lect not, but that goes far deeper
reaching primal Instincts
A host Of critics discussed "Parslfal'
during its production in New York last
winter, so the public is familiar with its
motif. One does not leave the theatre
satisfied; no realizes that here is a
theme which he yet imperfectly under
stands. Perhaps It Is the greater art
for that. and perhaps the Parslfai of no
age and no time is but another proof
that the unreal Is yet the most real.
The one Incident Of the plot to which
objection Is most likely 70 turn is the
evident Intent 10 represent IN "Parsifal"
the Christ The typical face Of the
Christ painted by thc old masters, ap-
pears in this knight OF the Gsai. and
tke posture OF alteration assumed by
knights aNd attendants as ths sacred
vessel israised aloft leavesoae douhting
little as 10 whsther II j. rarslfal or
the Grail that Is receiving tie homage.
liut there Is nothing that tn. most de-
Won't can construe into a lack OF rev
ereace for things held sacred. The
great fundamental notes arc righteous
ness ana worship
When the opera was givcn in New
York last winter there was much dis
cussion as to the propriety Of produc-
ing it in any other city but Bayreuth
IT was said that IN that city is the at
inosphere nj which hlone Il can be given
in the spirit Intended by Wagner. But
the setting is as foreign to Bayreuth as
10 New York, ana as Shakespeare's
masterpieces find a congcnial atmos-
phcre IN Berlin, Paris and Chicago. so
FWsifal' " not out OF setting among
people Who can appreciate IT'S spirit.
u Is q compliment TO Wilmington that
so elaborate a production, appealing so
peculiarly TO the highest musical and
artistic ipstincts should have hecn
brought here, and ii wnl long be- re-
nembered as a distinctive ffiumph by
those who braved the storm to witness
Il.
To the Walnut street Theatre. Phil
adelphia. tonight comes Home Folks 30
for run Of two weeks. comedy
drama by c. r. Dazey, author of IN
old Kentucky" Home Folks" Is I'm
four acts. and some Of the scenes arc in
rich farm lands on the bluffs above the
Mississippi the swimming hole down
by the old saw-mill and the picnic
grounds OF the Mississippi.
Over seventy-five people are con-
cerned In developing the story. and Il
Is not claiming too much to say that the
east Is the strongest ever selected for
this style Of entertainment including
William Ingersoil, Thomas A. Wise.
sam Reed. Arthur Lahders. Charles
Stedman. w. s. Hart Walter Thomas.
Charles Lamb, Charles Mason. Jack
Ryan, Howard Sloat, Morton McKim.
Rebecca Warren. Ida Waterman. Julia
Herne, Frances stevens. Rosa Marston.
Alice Braham, Desirie Lazard. Belle
Daubo, Myra Brook.
The success in New York. Boston.
and Chicago Of Candida" the most
brilliant comedy seen I'm recent So,
sons, which will be given at the Gar
rick. Philadelphia. tonight. speaks more
for the real elevation" or the stage
than any effort in that direction for
some time. From a moral standpoint
j. Is upheld by the best class OF theatre.
goers. AS a dramatic story CANDIDA
involves the deepest emotions and goel
home TO the heart like an arrow to iti
mark. As a comedy II is filled with de
licious humor-not the cartoonist brand
perhaps, but rather the keenest wit o
that brilliant Irish writer, Bernar,
shaw
There IS continued bubble OF mer
riment from the beginning to the en-,
Of candida"
Mr.. Arnold Daly's stay at the Garricl
this week viii include Monday. Tues
day Thursday and Saturday evenings
Wednesday and Saturday matinees
Candida" Wednesday and Frida,
evenings a double bill. The Man q
Destiny and How He Lied TO He
Husband" two other of Shaw's strik
ingly original and amusing comedies.
The Baldwins are coming 10 town
The marvellous Baldwins. The Whit,
Mahatmas. The cleverest entertainers
in the world in their line. Their new
mystery entitled "ClairvOyant Rever
les will be the biggest sensation in 10
cal amusement history. They acquires
il during their recent tour Of the Orien
somewhere near Delhi or Smla. ava.
up In the Himalayas. where the wonde
Workers-Mahatmas Fakeers and Yog