Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-13

King of Bayaria.- on his accession. 1864. The
youthful friend and patron Of Richard Wagner
has always reverenced his memory. Nearly
ali of his operas. symphonies and other
compositions are being given in his own
opera house, under the patronage Of the
Archduke Eugene, who has refined taste
for art and music, and has done much to
encourage both. The solo parts have been
taken by Lii Lehman, Nine. Gadski and
Miss Geraldine Farrar of Newton, Mass,
a charming girl who made her debut In
Berlin about three years ago and captured
the seyerest critics of that conservative
and in addition to her exquisite voice has a
most charming manner. Nine. Lehman
was her teacher, and takes great salts
faction in her triumphs. Miss Farrar,s
father was professional base baHeplayer
and occupied the first base upon the Bosl
ton nine for5sseveraf years: After his
daughter had finished her Dusical studies
and was ready to make her debut he de-
serted the diamond and came over to look
after her interests. He has since been with
her. ~ ..r.....
The other performers. the several con-
ductors of the orchestra and the rest of
the staff, have been drawn from the yari-
Gus musical centers Of Europe, and have
given the people an Interpretation of
Mozart that was never heard before. Think
Of seven days of Mozarts symphonies by
Wagner Festival.
Munich is also crowded with music low
ers from all over the world to attend a
similar Mozart celebration, which was An
ished on the 18th instant, and a Wagner
festival. which began ON the 18th and will
continue until the 7th of September This
festival has not interfered with the usual
annual presentations at Beyreuth, al
though 1 am told that the operas are being
presented in a much superior manner here.
This August festival will be repeated an
nually and made the feature of the sum-
mer at Munich hereafter. This year the
program includes five presentations of the
''Meistersinger;;'' the Nibelungen- Ring
series C'Das Rheingolde." die Walkure."
Siegfried' and TGotterdammerung') will
be twice repeated. and 'Tannhauser will
be given several times.
From financial point of view the festi-
val has already been a great success. and
the gross receipts will amount to about
100000 for the sixteen performances. The
Prime Regenten Theater which was built
especially for Wagner operas, seats about
1.5OO people, and was sold out for nearly
every performance several months ago. The
price for seats downstairs and in the first
gallery. numbering about LOCO. has been IS,
while the upper galleries have been sold
for $3.50.
Richard Wagner's brief but brilliant and
sensational career at Munich and his reIa-
tons with the Late Ludwig II. the crazy
young King Of Bavaria. The people Of Mu-
Mich drove Wagner from the city as II he
were a felon; he went to Beyreuth and
made that place famous. For year here
he did not have friend in the entire king
dom except his sovereign: everybody. the
court. the press, the burghers, the must
clans and the people at large. circulated the
most cruel ca)umnies about him, until the
king was compelled by his ministers to ask
him to leave the city. Now there is none
In Pa ri for RI
MUS. and the people of Munich, by this fes-
tival and other means, are trying TO recover
the opportunities they lost and enrich them
selves by taking. advantage Of Wagner's
reputation.
Wagner and Ludwig.
The story of the relations between Rich
ard Wagner and King Ludwig of Bavaria
is full Of interest. Their relations Illus
trate the selfish egotism of the musician
and the peculiar characteristics of that
sentimental and eccentric monarch, who
loved music and nature more than he cared
for the authority and glories of the throne
Ludwig's first acquaintance with Wagner's
music was made when he was a mere boy
through his cousin, the late Empress Eliza
beth of Austria. She was an aren't dis
ciple of 1.-THE music of the future" as Wag-
nens operas were known, and Ludwig
heard her play his compositions on the
piano. They made deep impression on his
music. In 1860, when he was visiting Paris
with his tutor. he heard the first perform
ance of Lohengrin" at the Grand Opera
House. and was so impressed that he called
upon the composer the next morning to
thank him for the pleasure he had en-
joyed Wagner. In letter to friend,
speaks OF the qualification and encourage
ment he received from this visit, and says:
"At the time. when / had just completed
my Tristan. l was wearied out trying to
get my works produced somewhere In
Germany, and finding that / could not
succeed, turned In despair to Paris, there
to take engagements which exhausted me,
as they were quite against my feelings.
In this year the Voung Grown Prince of
Bavaria, Ludwig. fifteen years OF age, was
present at the performance Of Lohen-
grim, which struck him so much that he
has since given himself up to the study of
my musical works and my writings.
He was really devoured of anxiety to win
over to my side his own people.
Then quite unexpectedly the Kin9 of Pa