Omaha daily bee., 1908-09-13

we have ever stayed at, the Englischerhof,
and saw our host, the genial Carl
Posch. hurrying to us with a choice
bouquet of beautiful roses. just In
keeping with that Munich spirit
which Is everywhere present, We
could scarcely refrain from a fearful
farewell. DR.. Frank Crane saw us off
after much gentle joking with us about
our bad taste in travelling when we could
have Munich and his company. lie is so
much taken up with the place that he
will stay there several weeks longer. Two
weeks ago we were f~easting on Rembrandt
pictures in the old Pinakathek, or Picture
Repository, when a gentleman stepped up
to me and said gravely: How do you
do?' 1 glanced up from reading a de-
scription Of the Descent From the Cross
in my catalogue and returned the saluta-
tion in a half-hearted way, feeling sure
that someone had mistaken me for an
acquaintance, as so often happens, but
on second glance l found beside me Mr..
Frank Burnley and his two most charm
ing daughters. We were delighted, in
deed, at the unexpected meeting and we
spent many pleasant hours together. 1
advised them to secure seats for the pro-
duction of -"Tannhaueser' that night and
they were very fortunate in being able
to do so. The next day a woman at the
| hotel Offered 10 marks ($2.50) a seat ex-
ira for three seats and they could not be
procured.
The presentation of "Tannhaueser'' was
a most wonderful affair. Maud Fay, an
American. sang the part of Elizabeth with
good effect at times, especially in the
Prayer to the Virgin" Kraus was the
Tannhaueser, and he was very good, but
1 have heard better. The main effects.
however, were in the wonderful staging
and the chorus. In the scene where the
Landgrave and knights find Tannhaueser
recently returned from the arms of Venus,
the hunting effects were wonderful; the
! stage gradually became filled with people
until one could almost imagine that the
whole city had been hunting; retainers
brought deer. boars and other animals,
hanging from poles, actual products Of the
taxidermistis skill, and horses for the
knights to mount, and right in front at
each side of tho proscenium arch came
masters of the hounds, each with four
beautiful hunting dogs held in leash by
each hand, making a total OF sixteen llv-
ing beauties, with their coats OF white
spotted with black and tan. The riot of
gorgeous color in this scene was one TO
be remembered.
But | must only touch on a few points
in these works, and so l pass to the "Meis-
tersingers." Here was also a triumph in
stagecraft. Never shall | forget the eli
max Of the scene where B-eekmesser, the
poor, pltiable Town clerk, has been seren-
aiding. and the row breaks out; from the
narrow streets poured this guild and that,
until the stage was packed with what
seemed hundreds OF people, moving in
kaleidoscope allurement Of color schemes,
and bedlam seemed to have broken loose.
Knote was the walter"
In Hans Sachs" Mr.. Feinhals, whom ]
have mentioned in a previous letter, won
much Distinction; he did his work splen-
didly. Tristan and Isolde" was wonder
fully we'll produced; the orchestra seemed
to rise to its sublimest heights I'm this
music, and the singing and acting Of the
principal characters were exalted.
But the "Ring"-that was the browning
glory Of all. Let no one think, however
that because the other works have been
passed over with slight comment that they
were Inferior I'm any way. No! But have
not the time to write about them AIDE
quately; l could FIJI four columns easily
about each one OF them. But the Ring OF
the Nibclungs,' "Nibelungen Ring IN,
name given TO the four great music drama'
captivated me so much that l save my
SPACE for a sketch Of that. The four art
"~Rheingold." "Walkuere." ''Siegfried' ant
"Gotterdaemmerung." or in English, '"rh'
Rhine-Goid." The Valkyrs," "Siegfried'
and the Twilight OF the Gods" The rea.
son that these works are spoken Of al