New-York tribune., 1908-01-02
MUSIC.
HERR MAILER AND WAGNER'S LOVE
DRAMA,

HERR MAILER AND WAGNER's LOVE
DRAMA.
Tristan und Isolde has been in the repertory
of the Metropolitan Opera House for twenty-one
and in the course of that period there have
been many performan that have, for cne reason
or another specially irritated curiosity and par
ticuarly challenged attention. The circumstance
that it should do seems to be bound up In the
fateful history of the opera far as New YORK
is concerned. At first it fell into a period the
significance of which is not yet wholly appreciated;
a period which brought new knowledge OF the
lyric drama to the operageing public. Ihat fact
may, perhaps account for the other, that every
subsequent reproduction of the work has had 10
endure peculiarly comparative test; for 1t
is difficult to forget impressions. and so long
as there susceptible people who heard the first
Tristan und Isolde representations at the Metro
poitan there will be just the number who VIII
compare later impressions with 1t. And notwith-
standing the representations of two decades no one
who has them all in mind will feel like quarrelling
with those who continue to love the drama as II
was when the singing and acting of Lehman ana
Niemann. and the conducting of Anton Sedi hred
their imagination and awakened the strongest af-
fecton that has ever been inspired by a dranlauc
representation ct the operate home in upper
Broadway. After that and before the musical
consulshp of Seidl to end there was a
new revelation of vocal beauties when the German
regime having been violently ended by the action
OF the stockholders Jean de Reszke, Nine. Nor
dica and their companions demonstrated that there
were charms in Wagner's drama which had not
been exhausted in the three seasons when it was
comparatively speaking novelty which had 10
hold its own against the other new things in the
Wagnerian list. For space there was an in
clnation to overestimate the value of the demon
stration because in the interim there had been
performances In which pure mere tonal beauty
had been more less forgotten; but with each re-
curing memory Of how Nine. Ternina and Nine
Klafsky interpreted the part of the heroine there
came also delightful shocks which ought at least.
to have kept the operagoers of New York alive TO
the fact that Tristan und Isolde beautiful
and vital part of the Metropolitan repertory
There another of these shocks last night
when a new representative of Isolde presented her
self for appreciation and a new conductor, one OF
worldwide repute. undertook TO disclose the
mysteries of the score. The artists who undertook
the preachments and proclamations were Nine
Fremstad and Herr Mailer. The former is singer
who the admiration Of our public several years
ago; who has steadily been admired and in whose
| development artisticay there has been an affec-
.onate interest; the latter is a newcomer whose
appearance here, while full of significance Is not
likely to excite one-half the interest in New York
that his departure from Europe did on the other
side of The water. This will seem paradoxical IN
GERMANY where the density of ignorance of what
musical conditions outside of the environs OF
German cities which enjoy opera houses supported
by municipal or national subsidies is phenomenon
of a character simply incomprehensible to public
attic art for a quarter of century
But this raises a question that can better be os-
cussed at other time and IN some otner pace-
1t is enough for the present that it was easy to
recognize in Herr Mahlers work last night that he
is a master of his art whom New Workers will take
particular delight to honor He was welcomed with
an unusual and cordial demonstration last night
before he had invited opinion of his capac-
ities the house to him. when he came
into the orchestra to take his place at the con-
ductors desk. There be question of the
amiability of such proceeding on the part OF the
public. though there might be of the New YORK
public's judgment and knowledge, OF which our
foreign friends. and our self f-concelted natlVe
artists profess at times in other cmes to have a
poor opinion. Nevertheless Mr. Mailer did honor
to himself Wagner's music and the New YORK
public. strikingly vital reading whlch ne
gave to Wagners familiar score; liveier in tempo
in many portions than are used to- ana mas
nluch as the acceieration of tempo in nearly every
instance Injured the benefit of the dramatic Ell
feet to that extent acknowledgement in phras-
ing rich in color elastic in movement and always
sympathetic with the singers
Those who expected new things from MIN IN tle
way of stage management, which has been a feat
ure his administration of the Imperial Opera
in Vienna, must have been wofuiiy disappointed
There were some changes in the first stage picture
from that which has for years been equally
familiar and absurd, but the changes only
centuated absurdities. We have at last at
tanned a mastless ship, with shrouds running up
into nothingnoss and illustrating score of other
absurdites.
Nine Fremstad delighted her admirers by her sing
ing of the music of Isolde which found. quite
Unexpectedly, lie we'll within the range of her
voice. and and anon she stirred them tothe pro-
foundest depths by the power of her action. Her
conception of the character of Isolde is imaginative
and beautifully expressed in many respects, but
1t S from finished except in of its smaller
details. 1t is weakened. instance, by her fail
to realize the significance of the ironical and
scornful speeches to Tristan in the first act, but
it vocally opuent and frequently eloquent. For
Herr Knote's Tristan, while it
the limits of conventionaity in conception there
must be hearty expression Of commendation be-
of its splendidly virie expressiveness; for
Nine Homer a word of praise for her lovely sing
ing, and for Herr Van Rooy a tribute of praise in
the inverse ratio to its compulsory brevity.
H. E X.