The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1904-02-02
Calumet
Baking
Powder
The Standard Of
Perfect 0aklng.
IMPRESSIONS
OF "pARs|FAL"
Wagner's Opera as Viewed by
Musician and a Dramatist.
WALTER DAMRosCH DISAPPOINTED

reuth Production and Regrets Per-
formance Here-Belasco Says Hal
reuth Is Oatdone-Declares Mystic
Play IL Not Sacrilegious-"Auda
ctousf Yes"-second Act Marvellous.
The following article in the New
York Herald contains two impressions
Of the New York production OF Wag-
ners opera "Parslfai' from the view
point Of musician and dramat tist.
Walter It>"osch. the musician, re-
cords the production of "ParsifaP as
bold and brave effort on the part of
Mr.. Conried and his company to achieve
the impossible.
"Wagners last will and testament
beQueathing 'Parslfal to Baireuth ex-
clusively was no idle whim, but in
spired by an absolute conviction, born
OF an intimate knowledge of operate
conditions, that this work was of a
character so unique that a proper per-
formance is almost impossible in a
regular opera house and decidedly so
during regular opera season.
1T would. therefore, be folly TO crit
icise this performance on the lines laid
down by Wagner, for, though Mr.. Con
ried had spent money lavishly and had
given the work fine cast of singers
and more rehearsals than are usually
vouchsafed a new production during
an opera season. and though the per
Torrance moved briskly and almost
glibly along Wagner's good judgment
was abundantly proved, and | cannot
help but wish that Mr.. Conried's fine
energy and desire to prove his mettle
had expended itself on some work less
exalted in character and in which so
many fine points OF art and morals
were not at stake.
AT Baireuth performances there were
imperfections- s-artists even there have
been known TO sing out of tune--but the
theater is ideally planned, aud artists
and audiences alike are enabled to con
centrate themselves on the work, in
spired by the unique conditions sur
rounding them and undisturbed by the
triyialjties of ordinary life.
IL cannot say that the performance
reproduced on me the Baireuth I'M
preston of the beauty and solemnlty OF
the various ceremonials of the CHRIS
tian church which are enacted ana sym
bolized before us in the first and thlrd
acts. These scenes, which were so deep
ly moving and impressive in Baireuth.
became dull and almost irreyerent III
was frankly 'operatic,' and the scenes
might just as well have been taken
from some Masonic ceremonial. In the
main lines the stage business was the
same as in Baireuth, but the inner spir.
1t was often wanting.
"Whether ii was the trivial manner
in which the Holy Grail was uncovered
or the slouchy way in which the
knights Of the Grail walked or fIssed
with their cloaks or the garsh lighting
OF the Hall of the Grail. there was but
little illusion and none of the mysticlsn
which should enyelop these scenes az
with holy mantle. 1t was heavily
borne In upon me that Il performance
things and symbols most sacred should
either leave the whole stage parapher
MALTA TO the Imagination or by incessan'
rehearsals and discipline succeed i'll pro
ducing Il perfect stage illusion. 1here
should be no betwiXt and between.
Mr. Damrosch heartily praises the
musical performance, though he crit
..Ft tl,A al.
nally. he cannot see why "Parsifaf
should not be given frankly as an opera
at ordinary hours, without all this
fiummery and affectatlon of long inter
missions and trumpet calls. These. III
says. ARE but externals and cannot re
produce the Baireuth spirit. These ar
hut mockery Of that ideal which Wag
ner tried To rear in that faraway LITTLE
country town and which we who stary'
In great cities, can only long for al
Young Parsifal longel for "A sight OF th'
Holy Grail in his long wanderinGs
David Belasco, the dramatist, says:
II saw 'Parsifar in Baireuth: l saw
the Passion play in ,Oberammergau
Transplanting Is delicate undertaa
ing. and .Parsifal' is almost as Difficult
to transplant as the Passion play. Race
association. training-all these have nj
ted MIR. conried for this remarkable
task.
..There Is only one great tragedy II
the world the divine tragedy. Wag
ner has been Influenced by it, by th
Man OF Sorrows and acquainted witt