Omaha daily bee., 1907-02-03

acters can comprehend him.
But such as tits, this is the story which
Richard Strauss has interviewer with his
wonderful music into the drama which has
been setting the musical world agog for the
last two years. Much is new in his re-
markable orchestral effects, but the large
array of instruments necessary for the
production is due to the composer having
continually divided the strings. Mr..
bonneville wrote of a performance at
Cologne: 1.-The effect produced upon me
was in no slight measure influenced by the
wonderful text of Oscar Wilde / believe,
however, that the Strauss music furnishes
so faithful an Interpretation and COM
mentary to this text that the latter would
lose in interest If divorced from the ae-
companying musical setting
.
Mrs. Learned. The Bee critic, who was
present at the Metropolitan Opera house
production, said of the music: ut was in
itself gorgeous beyond anything ! have
ever heard-heavenly beautiful, so that
your soul fairly melts. Three places
in the score remember with awful dis
tinctness--the climax after Jochanaan
curses salome and returns to his cisterni
the theme OF the wings of death, pro-
phetic thing that occurs many times, but
most fearfuIly when Herod is begging Sa-
lone to dance; and the place where they
saw off Jochanaan's head down in the
depths. You feel it give and partl And
the frightful drops of blood! done by pick
ing the celios.
Then when Salome comes to the front
Of the stage with the head on charger
and begins her love making, the real horror
commences. The whole house was tense. A
sort of mist of fearfulness held every one.
The music took the heart out Of you. Al
the finish Salome Frustrated on this ghastly
head at the front of the stage!
THE whole house was glad when Heroo
finally took his robe from around his head
and babe the soldiers crush Salome with
their shields after which the great
audience with one accord piled out OF that
nolIuted atmosphere. F'remstad, who was
too good, bowed TO hustling backs, instead
of responding to the expected curtain
calls"
Poor applause this, yet a tribute to her
acting; and that after she has worked since
early in the summer on this role. The
Tribune says of Fremstad: 'She accom-
plished a miracle. A sleek tigress, with
seduction speaking in every pose gesture
look and utterance. she grew steadily into
the monster, which she was when she sank
under the shields Of the soldiers while the
orchestra shrieked its final horrors and LETT
the listeners staring at each other with
starting eyeballs and wrecked nerves.
OF the entire performance, Puccini, who
witnessed II from the boxes declared II 70
be the most finished and brilliant he had
ever witnessed. The entire production was
marked by perfection OF detail.
The setting for "Salome" is an imagin-
alive creation Of the scene painters art
The high steps to the palace door, 70 q, the me
ironic roses In the center, and beyond the
deep night sky and the moonlight on the
distant roofs. Two cedars cut the SKY.
ground Salone moves like a tigress the
Costumes OF the court glow with dun,
baTharie splendor' ana the req 20 1 1h IEom
iii YOU fancy you can almost smell It. Here
was atmosphere like Belasco's, and sat
urated with II the opera moved 70 Us ap-
pointed end. sinister, compelling, disgust
What the opera - is. told elsewhere. It
remains 70 record that IN the audience
hearsal on Sunday. the effect OF horror
was pronounced, many voices were hushed
as the crowd PASSED b,, out l into the p tba
at the rail- q a ship many women were
silent, and men spalSe as II a bad dream were
on them The preceding eon ssl,o was TOT,
opera were banished. The grip OF strange
horror or disgust was on the majority. II
was significant that the usual applause was
Beautiful as II all Is, the music cannot
cover up the repugnant earnality Of the
whole thing. Why put before the public
that which even the. most deeadent Deo-