New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-03-11
MUSIC.
%Toefferaarmmcuug" at the Opera.

r,,,.,.s :, the closing part 81 wagner's Nibelun-
cen story move toward rle appointed climax with
,-1, tragic celebrity. Ieryor is everything 10 iher
e5eouate Interpretation, and this. happily was
rhe element most noticeable IN the performance
-+ the Net-ouoIltan last might. which In many ways
-eg-fea6 20 the energy and artistic fire preserved
l,v AR C0urIels forces down 20 the end OF the
-aasor Lovers OF the opera have now an opportu-
nifty f0r reuose They may beguie themselves else
-,ra~e until TIE Nibeluugen matinees are given IN
April and the final performance Of "Parsifal,' Tor
Mr. CouricIs benefit occurs. Meanwhile they can
r-eserve In the memory az last nights proceedings
8 peculiarly gracious souvenir q what mas Deen
so largely az the opera. a Wagncrian season.
The evenings work began i1auspiciously. In the
--os,lbuIe pacards had announced the unpleasant
news thar Nine Gadsh, being inoisposed. would
not after ALL !mpers0uate Brunnhide-a very reaI
disappointment for the prospect OF seeing her Tor
INC first time in this part. 60 this stage OF the
cycle. had excited a great deal OF curiosity. Nheh
she curtain rose the prologue there was further
reason Tor regret provided 10y Nine Terminals OBJ
yioas fatigue and by Mr. Krauss's infeicitous oe-
-.ar4r ON his entrance This singer is rarely good
ir hs entrances. he is too self conscious ana ls
100 narrow BOD scope as regards gesture but IL the
performance bean hv threatening 10 be uneven. IL
soon took "a more inspiring turn, especially on ITS
dramatic side and Boa the long run eNerted the
charm Of an artistic achievement possessing some
thing like unity. For this cheering issue Mr. Hertz
was IN great measure responsible All that is mas
rerfaIy plastic. all that Is Eloriously plangent In
the score De brought 1ividy 10 the srrfacc-and
fused with the frmCst touch the defamation OF
she singers and the fine playing OF She musicians
On the orchestra
The iustrumontalists were responsive throughout
save Tor a few passages in which tho wood wind
wanted the sweet sorority called for. The singers
IL they now and then fell short OF the fun measure
% strength required OF them generally effec-
tive and made mp for all their vocal inadequacies
as has been Indicated above. by histrionic sincerity
and skill Nine Terniua was superb. even when
her voice showed the strain Of using IL one night
5f-a-tI, after another Her performance Of Brunn-
rise is that 81 a born actress. Her carriage is
rerfect At times she is a figure q pure passion
and again she has che immohile dignity OF a creek
statue The nath0s OF the part has never been bet
ter expressed on the New-York stage than she eX-
presses IT, Good as Nr. Krauss's work was it paled
beside hers. paIel in color and in distinction
or tho other singers IL Is 20 be said that every
one of them contributed conscieutiously and with
spirit 10 tEe ensemble. And the stage2 Il was
fued iu each scene with p delightfully."- romantic
picture handsome In design and judiciously re-
strained in color save I'm the Rhine landscape OF
the third act which was wofuIly crude and garish.
The management OF all this was on the whole.
smooth. though Brunnhlde's horse was a little
o5strep1rcus. and Mr Conried's practicable boat
was perhaps too clearly not n Cts native element.
on minor defects however we need not dwell. The
only serious cause for complaint the cutting
out 81 the scene with Waltraute. and even that
might be overlooked. since 1t was duo TO nothing
more than a desire TO spare Nine Ternina
much exerti0u as possible. The house was packed
and there were many recalls after the fan OF
each curtain. in taking leave OF the performance
we may note FOR the sake Of the record, the fun
cast