New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-04-19
N USIC.
Last Performances at the Opera.

The concluding series OF performances at the
opera, supplementary the subscription season.
and devoted exclusively to Wagner's dramas, began
at the Metropolitan Opera House yesterday after
noon. They to be Eve IN number, are to take
place by daylight and give serial representation
with an interruption for "Parsifal next satur-
day. to the Neurological tragedy. THE Ring OF the
Nibelung" The prologue. 'Das Rheingold' was
given yesterday. Though It had not formed
feature Of the subscription season, had received
only one performance under the new regime ala
had been proclaimed loudly, II attracted but s1Ial
attention II the attendance were to be taken as
an augury OF the interest felt in the Wagnerian
cycle It would hold out sorry promise But Il
need not be thus taken. Since the Close Oh uIe
first season OF German opera at the MeroPoh'an
onera House 'Das Rheingold' has not been
popular work. Many Of those VINO ma theii IN
terest in the Nibelung tragedy strangely su1uia'eu
by the announcement that the constituent oraiiia'
are to be given 'in cycle" (Which they never az
still find 1t possible to forego the prologue W.
not ALWAYS So When "Das Rheingold was nrs'
brought forward in America Qt was In the seasoh
Of 1855 's9) though Il came in the middle Oh Ihe "
SON. Il had nine performances INSIDE Oh ten VIZ" ..
and was surpassed only by 'GoIVeF"aHii
and ~TannhAuser" in popularity. year a'er -
was stil fifth in a list of nineteen WORKS anu .ooN
precedence Of "TannhAuser." the Frying -,
man" .G0tterdammerung" and Die WalAue
to conhne the comparison to the Wasneriah Nsr
Evidently the people Of New-fork Io'eu -
Rhengold" more fifteen years ago InAn 80
now Did they have reason to do soE N0s' uo
o,5a5lv Tbere has been much talk about latter
day performances Of The Ring Of the NloeIuns -
about the better scenery and improVeo sNaee .,.
chinery and what not-but the beauILul sP4A1
which breathed through those early performances
has never yivihed performance Since 1He'
r,,do and troublesome contraptions with winch
Seidl Motif and Fischer regulated the moVelh"n'S
of the Rhine daughters In Bayreuth IN A''O' 80
those which came TO New-York dozen years LA'oI
were no better. But Wasners lntenuohs weie
better carried out with them In spite OF Ihen
clumsiness than they have ever been done win
the new system OF swinging the singers on IN
visible wires. The rumble OF the cart Wheels over
the boards used to be disturbing. but there was
life and illusion IN the old scene 90 have whloh
hack we would give all the pretty penduloslues Vi
the new Besides the new apparatus is used 70
no dramatic purpose. No attempt Is made TO pre-
sent the graceful and animated picture TOT Whlch
Wagner provided ravishing musical accompanl-
ment. The music was wretchedly sung yesterday
but had # been given with the charm with which
LIN and Marie Lehman and Fraulen Lammert
imbued It at the first Bayreuth. and which 10
Judge by an article in the Stats zeitung OF last
Sunday is still haunting the fancy OF Mr. Mott'
IT would stin have failed Of its dramatic effect
because OF eglect to consort with II its suppe
mentarv dramatic scenic elements
Here are the Incidents OF the first score as Wag-
ner conceived and created them. After the instru-
mental prelude with its intAmlnable pedal-point.
action the curtain parts and Woglinde Is seen
swimming in graceful circles about rock which
rises from the rverbed, in the centre or the pct
ure WeIgunde calls to her from above. and re-
ceivIng an answer. dives down TO eaten her. out
Woglinde eIudes capture. While the two are chas-
ing each other about Flosshilde joins them and
then follows a pretty game OF what the children
would call tag While they thus engaged Al
barfch chambers up on a rock in the lower darkness
and watches the frolic OF the mixes When he
rFr nh0f9 n n
proach the nbelung to get a view of him With
an exclamation OF disgust the three swim up to
the top OF the central rock and from this point OF
safety answer 20 his calls In turn Woglinde, Well
gunde and FIosshllde tantalizs the dwarf. letting
themselves down almost into his arms. and then
tcerinE at his efforts to catch them Finally
he begins a chase OF all three. they swimming
about in different directions. high. now low.
Tired Of the game he stops in a rage. shakes his
fist with imprecation. then stops In amaze
when a ray OF light lights the peak OF the rock
into a golden radiance OF dazzling splendor. 1t is
the glod OF the Rhinegold which the SUMS light
has reached AS they spostrophize the treasure the
mikes swim gracefully round and round the rock.
continuing the movement one after the other
prattlcs away the connected with the mai c
gold. After the rape Of the treasure the three dive
through the waters after the robber.
Was such spectacle even suggested yesterday
Not for a moment Three women OF them
obviously IN, an agony OF pain. laboriously
swung about IN midair until compassion and In
dignauon cried out for the end. The whole first
scene with all its fresh and ingenious tuneful-
ness went FOR naught. and killed the mood for
joyment 30 that It refused to respond even TO the
excellent singing Of Miss Fremstad and Miss
Walker, the hne singing and acting OF Herr Goritz
and the superbly subtle and picturesque imper-
sonation OF Herr BurEstaller Loge. These feat
ures of Mr. Conried's representation were praised in
this place six weeks ago. when It also possible
to include Herr Van Rooy among the gracious
capables; yesterday he plainly I'll, and sang
with an effort and little OF his ordinarily I'M
quenchable zeal.
YOUNG GIANTS
those little Ads. Of the People" in making bust