The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-02-19

] treat us 10 u SUNDAY HlBHl VOiANN'' III Wv
! second act.
! Is this a sensa ton or il it uof Il Mr..
Conried mistaken when he takes himself
seriously Is he not really an operate
/ captain Of industry? Yes, he wins al
mrution by the nature OF his farseein6
| calculations. tho fore OF his combinations.
/ II may or may not be true that he told the
/ assembled managers at their dinner thA'
I he paid his stage hands sos 900 year, or
that il cost many dollars to keep an or
, chestfa. or what not All these neon
+ testable facts fade into in7ignilicance IN
the presence OF the festival performance
Of Die Fledennaus. in which all those
expensive singers appeared for nothing
They did not on this occasion cost Mr..
Conried u cent They cost the public only
$40 seat.
This sensational presentation of Die
fledermaus put out Of sight and out OF
mind the painfully weak and slipshod
performance of "Segfried. which was
given in the same theatre the previous
day Poor old Wagner. Not only was
his -Parsifal" stolen from his widow, but
his huge tetralogy. offered az something
very special outside the subscription list
for devotees of the true art. has been pre-
sented in a style to make the master ehudder.
! Yet il draws money. and even manager
who spells ART all IN capital letters. and
who procams the advent Of such an en-
semble as never before was known in New
York il willing to give a respectful con-
sideration to the treasury department
That "Fledermaus performance will
dwell long in the memories Of those who
perceive the comedy in the passing life
of the town. The roar Of laughter which
swept through the house when the some
time Interpreter of Tristan and Siopfricd
skipped across the stage in dance revealed
the fact that many persons we're surprised
by the spectacle Perhaps, too, they we're
interested in the appearance of certain
! singers in street costumes Mr.. DIPPED.
in his frock coat and ascot, looked very
much like a successful operator IN wall
Street When he donned evening dress
and went out for his fling at the ball he
had the genuine Tenderloin swagger
Perhaps Reiss astonished more people
than any one else did for he was last seen
as Mime in a makeup hideous beyond
| description. In a sack coat and DERBY
hat he was a dapper looking little chap
! and rather attractive than otherwise. Goritz
and Greder showed to fine advantage in
street garments Bella Alien astonished,
not only the audience, but even her ASSOC
ciates by her clever singing in the last act.
Sembrich was adorable, as she always IL,
and she sang Strauss's music with com
plete appreciation OF it's charming piqusncy
and melodic sensuousness
But Dippe was. after all, the bright.
particular star of the occasion. very
good light comedian was lost to tho German
stage when DIPPED discovered that grand
opera career was open 70 him. II he should
lose his voice, he might easily make name
for himself as an actor even yet. His
Eisenstein was worthy Of the Irving Place
| Theatre
Somehow or other there was a strain OF
melancholy running through the perform
ance. There was a broken string IN the
| harp. or rift in the lutte or some other
deficiency OF that lamentable sort. Far
! back in the dim past when the press agent
began to promulgate his information about
this wonderful performance, it was an
nounced that the Herr Direktor Conried
would himself enact a small role in 1t.
In the course of time as the preparations
became more elaborate and the scale Of
the performance moro extended, 1t was
perceived that no small role would be in
harmony with the directors importance
I on this occasion Only a large role would
be suitable What was to be done? Mr.
Conried. up TO the present time, does not
sing. He still believes that he has no voice.
With that idea in his mind he could not take
any of the leading roles. Therefore. he
wisely decided to content himself with the
H.. Ill a. - - 10. AL.
In this part he achieved one of the great
est SUCCESSES OF his career The role suited
him perfectly and he enacted 1t with an
JUNCTION and natural humor which we're
beyond all criticism. His singers showed
their appreciation Of his performance by
their admirable doings in the concert scene
Long will remain in the minds Of those
who saw it the spectacle of Nine. de Mac
chi's expression of delight while she sang
the cayatina from "Semrsmide. the beam
ing happiness in the countenances of Burg
staller. Blase and Van Rooy while they vainly
tried 10 find in what key Pollock was singing
in the quartet with them. the delirious joy
of Nine. Aokte as she appeared in that
beautiful Sentd gown which she has never
! had an opportunity TO wear in the opera.
the ecstatic rapture which caused Caruso
. 10 close his eyes while he sang in the quartet
from -RigolettoT that he could not Zee
Giraldoni but could hear Nordica and
Homer. the infectious gayety Of Olive Frem-
stad when she gave imitation Of herself
In Carmen" and remembered her first
season in the Conried company, and the
. bliss that shone in the eyes Of Emma Eames
when she wore her Ballo in Maschera
costume and remembered the number OF
performances she had been enabled 10 give
Ia that opera
Behind the long table that stretched
across the stage sat other singers who did
not sing except in the ensemble. They
we're there TO testify by their presence to
their featy to their intendant One could
read the Joy of Lemon and Ralph in their
speaking countenances and see Weed =
bosom heave with emotion.
Then there was the opera school OF which
one member had a small part in Die Fielder
maus.- The school looked we'll from the
generous tenor down to the skinny soprano
- well. and OH so happy. Why are We 50
happy, teacher, in our opera SCHOOL, You
could hear them singing that refrain even
in the midst of Du und du.' And how
beautiful was the spectacle Of the forming
l..