The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-03-13

wierd NEUROLOGICAL legend, and one of
Gle, was the offering Of the English
Grand Opera company at the Metropolis
tan opera house last evening, and in
spite of the limitations of stage space,
will not soon be forgotten by the au-
dience which completely flied the
house. As Of La Boheme, SO this is
the first production in America of this
music drama in English, and while it
may seem bit homogeneous to those
who have enjoyed the Bayreuth per-
formances to hear.the opera in English,
yet it was splendidly given and thoro-
~ appreciated.
There is nothing Of The snmptuous
and the artificial in the scenery sur
pounding the locale of the legend. The
Eopening scene is that Of Hunding IS cot
tage built of logs, thru which rises the
trunk and branches of mighty ash
tree, and the first half of the act is sung
in semi darkness, which later is dissi-
Pated by the brilliant moonlight that
streams thru the branches and the open
door. The second scene is laid in a
! rocky pass which is magnifcently con-
ceived and painted, with the snow
stretches of the rising mountains in the
distance. The third scene shows the
Valkyrie s rock, the stage forming a
half cave or natural amphitheater
The Valkyrie, = like a number Of
little use for the chorus, and only in the
closing scene, where the Valkyrie maid
ems assemble, is there even a .hint of
choral work. On the contrary, the prin-
ciPals are constantly on the stage. and
carry the thread Of the narrative from
| the beginning to the end. Strange too.
! for Wagner production, there are but
three male characters in the play, Wo-
and twin brother to siegiinda: and
Hund ding, husband of Sieglinda.
| Of the performance itself none but
words Of the highest commentator are
meet. The orchestration, of course. is
wonderful and was played under the
baton of Elliott Schenck as it deserved
to be played, and preserving the tradi.
tions Of the lering.o The Valkyrie
motif was ever present with its wierd
! cry, and the magic fire music was sim.
Where the entire cast was SO uni.
formly excellent, it is not right to sin.
| gle out one or two for special common.
datlon: Miss Gertrude Rennyson SANG
the role OF Sieglinda, and did it beau:
tifully. Gifted with the personal
charms SO necessary to the part, and
possessing voice thoroly ADEQUATE
she won an added triumph by her act
ing and her singing. Miss Rita New
man as Brunnhilde was equally hap
PLY cast. She won deserved recall
after her singing Of the t'Valkyrie 4
cry" at the beginning Of the second
act. 1t was a spirited rendition, an6
sung with a voice clear and true an6
splendidly handled. Her entire per
torrance was most praiseworthy. Miss
margaret Crawford made her first ap
Rearance here as Fricka, the wife O.
i Wotan. Her voice is a rich and eff
fective contralto, and she created ;
favorable impression.
Of the men in the cast honors were
divided between Francis Maclennan
tenor, who took the role Of Siegmund
and Ottley Cranston, who sang tn,
! role Of Wotan. Mr.. Maclennan bega1
In rather unsatisfactory manner. bu
warmed to his task in a grateful man
ner, closing his love song in the frs
act with 8. burst of dramatic powe
4 that demonstrated his abilities. MI
turnout, singing the Wotan music
= which requires basso of 81 extende,
compass, with dignity and power. Hi
voice is remarkably good both in tn
upper and lower registers. The Hun
, ding of Joseph Parsons was sung with
out dramatic power, altho with ade
quate voice. Indeed his singing nigh
as well have been ballad music for al
its dramatic force
The chorus Of Valkyries in the thir
act was magnifcently sung by Mise
Davis, White, Holmes, Van der Wort
Petre, Estelle Davis, Fitzgerald an
Harrington The stage management
, was excellent, especially in the fir
: scene and the closing tableau after tn
) third act, and there were several cur
tain calls after the close of each act.
Fl -HnMard Rnardman