The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-03

NEW YORK, Jan. 1.-Two performances
of Richard Wagner's ''dedicational festival
play" entitled 'Parsifal," have been given
at the Metropolitan Opera House, on Thurs
day evenings, and eight more are sched-
uled. In no other city, this season at least,
IL is announced, will ii be presented. TIL
production is the prime accomplishment of
the new administration, under the direction
of Mr.. Heinrich Conried. Frau Wagner at
tempted to prevent it, but her suit for in
junction, in the United States Court, failed,
because the protection of copyright never
had been obtained. Until now "ParsifaP'
has never been performed outside of the
Temple Theater, at Bayreuth, and public
interest in the representation here has been
at a high point.
The newspapers have done their full duty
in the satisfaction of curiosity since the first
performance. at the opera house. on Christ
mas eve-the scenery, the acting, the sing
ing, the orchestra's part. have been criti-
cised in detail; the libretto and the music
have been dissected; the question as to
whether the sentiment of the music drama
is of Buddhistic or Christian asceticism. or
both, or neither, has been argued; il has
been told how the audiences dressed, and
how they got their dinners between the first
act, WHICH DbBdn at D III the dILtEItOH, alu
closed at $50. and the second, which began
at $50. The most important question re-
mains to be sOlVed-after the violation of
the wish of Wagner and of his heirs, after
the investment of a great sum of money
and energy in the production of "Parsifal"
In America, will it prove a popular success
out of the special atmosphere of Bayreuth?
This letter is descriptive of the first per-
formance here.
The throng that was admitted to the
opera house in the afternoon saw, on the
rising of the curtain, the forest surround
ing the Temple of the Holy Grail. What
took place in this first act was in the ma
ture of a prelude to the subsequent two acts.
Gurnemanz, an old Knight of the Grail, dis
coursed historically. He told how Amfortas,
having succeeded his father, TitureI. as
chief keeper of the spear that had pierced
Christ's side. and the cup that had caught
blood from the wound, had failed. He, Am
fortas, had succumbed TO the charm of a
woman sent in his path by Klingsor, a
knight cast out of the Grail realm and seek
ing revenge. Klingsor had obtained posses
sion of the spear and had given Amfortas a
wound that would not heal. The temple was
shrouded in gloom, Tfturel could not pass
into a peaceful death. but must remain
PROSTATE and living on his bier; the only
possible savior would be a pure fool" en-
ny ply"
Various important personages appeared.
A lad, Parsifal. who was so ignorant that
he knew not his father or his mother, and
who had just committed the crime of muir
derOusly attacking a swan, was brought on
the scene. The grooming Amfortas, borne on
a litter, was seen and heard. Kundry, a
wild and miserable woman, the unwilling
tool OF Klingsor, entered with a balsam
that, she hoped, would heal Amfortas. Cur
nemanz speculated on the possibility that
the strange lad had in him the making of a
redeemer. and led him to the Temple. Their
passage through the forest was illustrated
by a skillfully contrived and operated
transformation, which ended at the Hall of
the Grail. which was filled with the lamen-
tation of the knights. and the act ended
with the thrusting out of Parsifal, who COM
pretended nothing.
The opening of the second act revealed
the magic palace of the evil KlingsOr. He
felt the approach of danger, and in a dark,
weird place he summoned, by an incanta-
ton, his slave Kundry. She appeared,
moaning and shrieking, behind a blue flame,
and received instruction. The scene changed
to a flower garden, inhabited by a score OF
women In Bayreuth the flowers had been
huge and garish. and the maidens had been
gaudily attired ard in short skirts. but here
the effect was more natural and more pleas
ins. The women wore long. diaphanous