The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-12
WAGNER'S MODEST DRAMA.
CHRISTIAN IND ISOLDE" THE
FIRST TINE TINS SEASON.
knote sings Tristan In a Mystical style
and Gives Dlgnlned ImpersOna-
lion NOrdlca Apparently Tired, but
Her Isolde a Splendid AchieN ement


Her Isolde a Splendid Achievement.
1t was pretty CLEARLY demonstrated at
the Metropolitan Opera House last night
that the great popularity Of Italiar opera
as eypounded Chiefly by the olarion-Voiced
Carliso has not quite driven the Wagner
drama out of mind Tristan und Isolde
was sung for the first time this season
and the auditorium was crowded IL was
splendid audience, and IL paid the tribute
of intense enthusiasm to performance
which was filed with ealnestness and devo-
ton If not with the most successful achieve
ment
II was one of those performances such
as we used to have in the days Of German
opera under Mr.. Stanton. when the true
Wagnerian spirit was projected into the
auditorium and trusted to supply the place
Of perfect singing and acting. Let not
this he misconstrued There was SING ing
VI higher quality in last night perform
ance than ,hcfe VAS IN most of the early
presentations Of Tristan und Isolde. =
but the feeling of the Interpretation was
unquestionably greater than the expression
Several causes combined to bring about
this result In the first place, Nine, Nor
dlca, the Isolde was not In her best voice
She was palpably tired and sang with
effort This caused her TO chop some
of her phrases. but it brought about other
and more excellent results. for in certain
tonal climaxes, as in the rage of the first
act, she sang with such resolute energy
that she amazed her hearers.
II may have been due TO her WEAKNESS,
too that she slipped from the pitch on one
or two occasions and also that in one place
she seemed momentarily uncertain in her
memory But lapse OF memory VIII
happen once in a while To the most expert
enced singer or actor in part long familiar.
In spite OF these misfortunes Nine. Nor
dica presented once again "A notable inn
personation Of Isolde Her study Of the
role has always been marked by intelligence
and sympathetic insight. II was not lack
ing in these vital qualities last night.
40 II not likely that many persons expected
aheUic Trii1n from Heinrich Knote This
tenor has quite enough voice for the part
and his tones have dramatic quality.
Furthermore, he is not devoid Of tempera-
ment. But his characteristics are lyric
rather than tragic. IL was therefore to
be expected that he would sing the music
OF Tristan with a good legato, for which 1t
oamors and which il seldom gets, but
hardly with that passionate utterance
which is required To send IL home Ia every
hearers heart
Expectations were fulfilled but Mr..
knote impaired to the role a fine dignity
and solidity which were not in the antici-
pationS Of his friends. Not a great or i'm
posing Tristan this, not altogether The
eostatic lover and dream haunted wreck
of Wagner's marvellous vision; but a nobly
melancholy figure. a victim Of fate set apart
for a sad end, This also was a recognizable
Tristan, for the hero of Wagners mightiest
tragedy is an eptome, and in him may be-
found many men.
Suitable companions for the protagonists
Of the drama were found in their two 1850
clates Miss Walker as BranGdpe and Mr..
Van Rooy as kVrteudi These are imper-
sonatlons already well known TO this public,
and hence II remains only to cali especial
attention to the tonal optIlence ~ Miss
Walkers delivery Of her music Mr. B.ass
was the King Mark and Mr.. Muhlmann the
Moiof
Alfred Hertz conducted with plenty Of
warmth, but there we're occasions when he
was somewhat generous with his sound.
The orchestra played with zeal and artistic
care, and some of its achievements, such as
the accompaniment Of Einsam wnchend"
were uncommonly beautiful. The vcrspiel,
however, was very tamey played.