The Washington times., 1905-01-17
"PARS|F HEARD
WITH REVERENCE
National Crowded With
Deyotees of Wagner.
MEN WORE EVENING DRESS
Dilemma as to Clothes Solved by
Calling Gowns and "Swal-
low Tails"
MEN WORE EVENING DRESS

Richard Wagner's unfolding Of the
legends of the holy grail, the festival
drama ''Parsifal,'' was disclosed to
Washington last night by company
of extraordinary musical and dramatic
strength The work was received rever
entiaily and sympathetically; and the
audience, which filed the National The
ater. was recruited almost exclusively
from the CapitaTs most intellectual and
musical classes.
Popular interest has been focused on
"Parsifar' by many circumstances.
Since the first performance of the work,
in 1855. it had been performed exclusive
ly at the composers own theater in Bey-
reuth- When an impresario in New
York announced his purpose to present
the work there. the whole music world
was aroused, and the opera made the
subject of an almost universal discus
sion and study It has been attacked
by the clergy as blasphemous. It has
been opposed as the chief product Of a
misguided school of music. 1t has been
hailed as the greatest dramatic con-
tribution genius has ever made to the
world Its length has entafled an inno-
walton in theatergoing, whereby audi
ences assemble before dinner leave the
theater to rush TO a restaurant, and re-
turn for the remaining acts of the opera
And alI these things have excited the
! curiosity and broadened the interest of
the public in q composition designed as
purely religious.
Wagner's theme-the exempliication
; of mans struggle with temptation which
is TO be found in the Arthurian tradf-
| tions-was sufficiently treated in these
columns Sunday. He has, in brief, un-
dertalen to reproduce by music. text
| and stage picture, the clink of armor
the open air chivalry, the primitive pur-
| poses, and the simple ideals of those
knights whose cause 1t was " live pure
| ly and serve Christianity nobiy. He has
dealt with the legends taught in his own
| Germany rather than with the more re-
! fined renderings which have survived
| Old England and have been wonder
| fully transcribed in '"The Idyls of the
King He has made Parsifal or Perci-
vale the chief human influence of his
| drama. and the search of that pure
| hearted knight for the spear with which
| the Saviour was wounded on the cross
| the chief dramatic structure
Audience OF Music Lovers
The audience which gathered at TIE
1 National yesterday afternoon was, as a
rule, musical rather tkan fashionable.
/ Yet il included the charge d'affaires Of
| Germany, Baron Bussche. with Baroness
| Bussche. in a box party: NJ. and Nine.
! Wilenkin, OF the Russian embassy, with
the Countess Cassini as guest: the Wis
! count and Viscountess de Faramond
/ the Eaitean minister and Nine. Leger
| Mrs. Biddle, Miss Bfddle Mrs. Auden-
| rie1. Mrs. Story. Miss Sheriff., DR. and
| Mrs Ralph Jenkins. Mr.. and Mrs. James
Barbour, Commander and Mrs. Hodges
Mr. and Mrs F 3 Moran, Mrs Charlie:
Spaldlng, DR.. and Mrs. Loren Johnson
| Mr.. and Mrs. Charles Early, Senator
and Mrs Martin. Miss Day. Mr.. anC
! Mrs. Richard Goidsborough Mr. ana
! Mrs. Raymond Patterson, Miss Hull
Mrs. Crosby, Miss Crosby, Mr.. and Mrs
| Gordon Cumming Mr.. and Mrs. Wicker
sham, Mr.. and Mrs. Edward Nick oe
! Mrs. Cover, Mr.. and Mrs. Emil Ber.
| liner. and Mr.. and Mrs. Isaac Cans
| All this was evidently knoWu IL
! Washington. There was clearly much
uncertainty as to the attitude IL wouic
assume, the clothes both men and wo
men would adopt for an evening per
formance which began in the afternoon
and the capacity of the unframed cal
to appreciate the most highly developed
music of all time.
The women solved their problem by
wearing dinner or calling gowns. TIL,
men We're generally in evening dress
notwithstanding that many must hay,
LEFT their homes for the opera soon af
ter o'clock.
But the other uncertainties are still
uncertain