New-York tribune., 1908-08-16

Homer in his "IIiad," Wagner has a celestial as
well terrestrial plot in his Ring Of the Nibe-
lung" and the men and women, semi-divne
creatures. in 1t but the unconscious agents Of
the good and evil powers typihed in the gods and
dwarfs.
The criticism, however, is weaker here than in
Germany. where ten dozen dramas (chief OF
which is Geibels ''Brinnhild') as we'll as the me-
diseval epics have accustomed the people think
Of their national hero with something like historical
surroundings. In these writings the death Of Sieg
fried is brought about by his alliance with the
Burgundians, whose seat at Worms; the
Gunther Of the legend easily identified with King
Gundikar, who was overcome by Attila and died
A D. 40 Wagner's original draft of 'C0tterdam-
merung' ian independent drama which he called
'Siegfrieds Death'D followed the accepted lines
and it until the tetralogy planned
that the NEUROLOGICAL elements from the Eddas
were drawn into the scheme the theatre of the
play changed its time pushed back into prehis-
toric age and the death Of the hero made to bring
about the destruction OF the old gods-the Rag
nar0k Of the IceIandic tales. The connection be-
tween the death Of Siegfried and the fate of the
gods is set forth in the TWO scenes which
eliminated at this production Of 'Gotterdamme-
rung.' The first IS the prologue in which the Nor
mir 0he Fates Northern mythology while twist
ing the golden stranded rope Of the worlds desti-
ny tell Of the signs which presage the Twilight
Of the Gods The second is the interview between
Brunnhilde and Waltraute the Valkyror.
who comes urge her sister to avert the doom
which threatens the gods by restoring the baneful
ring 10 the Rhine daughters Both scenes high
ly significant in the plan Of the tragedy as whole
but public largely unfamiliar with German and
unconcerned about Wagner's philosophical purposes
much more easily spare than endure them
In later years they were restored at the Metro
politan performances, but 1 make doubt that
Mr.. SeidTs wise abbreviation had much do with
the unparalleled success OF the drama IN its first
season. Persons familiar with the German tongue
.tsl,z
and music or from attendance on performances in
Germany, justified in being disappointed at
the loss of highly important from a
dramatic point of view and profoundly beautiful
from a musical; but II was better to achieve
cess from the representations by adapting the
drama to the capacity of the public than sacri-
fee it bodily on the altar OF integrity.
Nessters opera, Der Trompeter Won Sakkingen,"
which had for nearly five years fairly devastated
the German opera houses, receiving more perform
ances than any three operas in the current lists.
only a success destime. 1t was performed
for the first time November 23 dressed most
sumptuously and effectively cast (Robinson as Wer-
Ser, Elmblad Conradin, Kemlitz the Major
domo, Sanger the Baron, Frau Seidl-Krauss
Marie, Won AIilde Graf Wildenstein and
Meissnger Grafn). but it reached only seven
performances, was fourth from the bottom In the
list arranged according to popularity. and in tho
following year it not included in the reper-
tory. 1898 it revived and received four
of nineteen. Weber's 'Euryanthe' Jared but little
better though a work immeasurably greater II.
too, received four performances, and IL but
one remove in advance of Der Trompeter" To
all !ntents and purposes it to the Ameri-
can stage when il produced on December %,
1881 with Lehman Brandt, Alvary Fischer and
Elrnblad IN the parts Of ELryanthe, Byzantine Ad-
olar Iysiart and the King, respectively. Mr. Seidl
conducted Twenty-four years before there had
been some representations of the opera under the
direction of Carl AnschGtz in Wallack's Theatre
at Broadway and Broome street, but of this fact
the patrons of the Metropolitan Opera House had
no memory. beautiful devotion on
the part of Herr Anschiitz and his German singers
TO nroduce "Euryanthe" at that time and had Il
been possible to break down the barriers of fashion
and reach the heart of the public. the history O
the lyric theatre in America during the quarter
Of a century which followed would, no doubt, read
differently than il does. "Tannhauser and ''Lohen-
grim we're produced under similar circumstance
and even Die Waikure"; but "Lohensrin'
popularized By the subsequent performances in
Italian, and ''Tannhzuscr'' and Die Walkire''
had wait for appreciation until fortuItous cir
cumstances caused fashion, fame and fortune TO
smile for space upon the German establishment