The San Francisco call., 1905-04-16

-o' eHOuSu 1rock-c0aJeQ and Strid-
ing through the un-Graii like splen-
dors Of the st. Francis lobby. 1 should
defy any one. however, to recognize
IN Anton Van Rooy the Amfortas of
this weeks ''Parsifal." Checked like
a girl, with chin heavily dimpled, clear
and merry eyed and with Teuton gold
In mustache and hair, 1 found the AM
fortas at home. A cheerful gray suit
IN place Of the pale blue opera cloak Of
Amfortas still further smashed the IL
fusion, and one rather gasped at its
going.
Inseparables on and of the stage are
Mr.. Burgstaller and Mr.. Van Rooy.
One would as soon think Of finding one
without the other, those that know
them say, as Of catching Mrs Pat
Campbell without Nanky-Poo.
1t was after the first act of 'Parsi-
fa1' last Tuesday that I wandered
through the falling temple Of the
Grail TO ask Of them the privilege of
chat for the day following. Both, in
big, simple, kindly fashion, consented.
They set the time for the morning, as
! knew they would. alleging for the
afternoon a sacred and unbreakable
engagement with the ocean. I told
them that Mr.. Greenbaun had already
Informed me that they lived at the
Cliff House and ate at the st. Francis"
and that the morning it should there
fore be with my entire approval
We first found the unrecognizable
Mr.. Van Rooy. the picture-maker and
myself, then with the Parsifal curIs
and the boyish. kindly smile, Mr.. Burg
staller came to Us from the breakfast
room.
so much to do there was" MT. Van
Rooy explained as we went UP to his
rooms; ''rehearsals. letters, singing
and then interviews"
But you are not always in the
cast" I laughed. I'VE are. Mr..
Van Rooy sings, the newspaper person
writes; Mr.. Caruso sings, the newspa-
per person writes; Mr. tries to
sing, the newspaper person writes The
dog Of Mr.. - stands longer on it's
hind legs than any other dog, the
newspaper person writes
"Ach Gott, it is true" laughed the
big man. and looked down with some
sympathy at the small newspaper per-
son beside him.
A moment later we were in his room.
a maid was just draping the blankets
over the biggest armchair
Mr.. Van Rooy teutonicalIy requested
a her to put those there not" and to
Tgait e few moments generally. Then,
the photographer requesting more light
for his picture, the BARITONE and tenor
tossed the piano away from the win
dow as though tt were matchbox
AS I watched them, giants both, it
seemed as though there must be some
connection between vocal genius and
inches.
think I asked them first II it were
as easy 10 sing Amfortas and Parsifal
IN America as in Bayreuth I asked
how Mission Street affected them. 1
asked as to the comparative adequacy
Of the American and Bayreuth produc-
tons. particularly Of "'Parsifal" had,
truth TO tell even after a wide expe-
rience Of the distinction between men
and their work, expected to find more
than little awe in the atmosphere sur
rounding the Parsifal and Amfortas. 1
found none. Distinction there was in
large measure, and the simplicity that
= =
for any mysticism. any odor of cult,
any evidence Of Wagneriana, there was
none.
Very simply Mr.. Van Rooy, who does
most Of the taldng-Mr. Burgstaller
contenting himself mostly with a boy
fish smile and an occasional yes" and
''no"-told Of the inevitable difference
in conditions between the performances
at Bayreuth and anywhere else in the
world
Before the season there" he said,
eve rehcarse every day for month,
living among the scenes where Wag-
ner lived. rehearsing under the eye Of
Madame Wagner. and in a theater spe
cislly adapted to the needs Of the mu
sic-drama and soaked in its traditions.
The stage itself is double the size Of
that Of any other theater, and the me-
chanical appliances and so on are as
near perfection as possible. Then
again you don't see the musicians;
the orchestra is hidden from sight.
There is nothing to distract the eye
from the picture The music comes
Mr.. Van Rooy turned 10 the boyish
face Of the Parsifal beside him for in
spiration, and got 1.-THE music comes
as II from another world"
There was the Bayreuth note after
all There was the echoing reverence
from that little hilltop from which the
new gospel OF music was preached TO
the world. One got IL again as the
singer continued: You cannot help
being more impressed there yourself.
and the productions are therefore nee
esssrily more impressive. But" he
shrugged his broad shoulders and
laughed here. Il like to sing in Ameri-
ca 700. ] like America. Your San
Francisco I like-ohi she is very beau
tif5iI-eh, BurgstalIer?" And Burgstal-
Ter twisted his giant figure on the little
piano stool. smiled his sleepy, kindly
smile. and said, "She was very beauti
ful"