The sun., 1908-02-28
SEGFRIED" is SUNG AGAIN
BURRIAN MAKES HIS REAPPEAR-
ANCE AS TIE HERO.

Received with Favor on his First PNRfOrnl-
anee OF the SeasOn-Mmes. FremstAd
and Klrkby-Lmn ana Miss AIten In
tho Cast MIR. Mahler Conducts.
A small audience heard the second drama
Of Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen'
at the Metropolitan Opera House last night.
Il was the second performance OK 'Sieg-
fried this season, and these are not the
days Of intense Wagnerian enthusiasm.
It 10 not necessarily the office Of critical
comment TO account for the falling Oh in
the popularity OF any PARTICULAR ClRss Of
lyric drama, but IL seems patent that just
now the operagoing public yearns for
potent personalities, and there are too few
among the Wagner singers
Last night Carl BurriAn. who has just
returned to this country. made his first
appearance OF the season. impewonating
the fearless young hero. Those who are
eager to hear the melodio phraseology
Of Wagner's music should be grateful to
Mr.. Burrian. His voice. somewhat hard
and unyielding. Ia nevertheless fresh, vi
brant and a real tenor. He sings with
freedom and In tune. He treats the text
with respect and makes nearly all OF IL
Ineligible. He accompliahes this with
out exaggeration OF the consonants and
without shattering entirely the dow Of the
melody.
This is much to be said in favor Of a
Wagnerian tenor, especially In these days
when the sensuous beauties Of singing are
less esteemed In Germany than ruggedness
Of diction and vigor Of declanatory accentu-
alton. But those who love "Siegfried'
must have wished last nj { (.!t for a little more
Of the glory OF youth AID the spontaneity
Of untrammelled manhood. Mr.. Burrian's
Sie0frisd is too businesslike, too well regu-
lated, too prudent. Il lacks abandon and
elasticity. The gods have not made it
poetical.
The other members OF the cast were those
heard at the previous performance Of the
work. OF Nine. Fremstad's BrGnRhiIde,
aroused from Hre-girt shmber at a very late
hour, nothing need be said except TO remind
the reader that it is not new and that il has
already commanded admiration. Nine.
Kirkby-Lunn as ErdG and Miss Alien az the
unseen bird were the other women in the
performance.
Mr.. Van Roov's WGHdereT had all its old
characteristics except meliowness OF tone,
and that indeed is seldom heard in his sing
ing in these days. Mr.. Reiss's AiHe re-
mains a masterpiece. while Mr.. Blass as
TdfRer and Mr.. GOritz as AIberich supply
good elements to the representation.
Mr.. Mailer conducted, and his reading Of
the score might easily be made a topic for
discussion. but nothing would be accom-
pished thereby. Intellectual and tempera-
mental traits which In the music OF Tristan
und Isolde" were perfectly paired with
the more refined and subtle qualities of the
work failed TO achieve a perfect exposition
of the tremendous elemental force Of the
purely physical expression OF -Siegfried.'
MIR. Mahler was more scholarly than pas
sionate in his reading. II was admirable.
but it was not stirring except in one or two
episodes. II was immensely interesting;
but it never overwhelmed. But perhaps
after all we ought TO be grateful for com
prehension which is a trife cool. II is
better than inconsiderate power. Horace
remarks: Wis oonsili expers mole ruit
sla."