New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-11-27
THANKSGIVING OPERA
: PARsIEAL AT THE METROPOLITAN.
HEARD BY A LARGE AUDIENCE.

W
servance celebration OF Thanksgiving by listen
ing to opera found opportunity for choice yes
terday In the works Of three different composers-
one German. one Italian and one French Ire
promoters of this form of diversion found plenty 70
whom their offerings appealed. Despite rival at
fractions both afternoon and evening. at practi-
cally every other playhouse N New York. and the
other innumerable methods of spending weekday
of in town out of town that the metropolitan
makers of holiday for themselves or for Others
are capable OF devisng. large audiences marked
all the opera performances.
More than a suggestion of the once TRADITIONAL
attitude Of reverence for Thanksgiving Day was
given by the performance-the first since Good
Friday of lsO7-of Richard wagner's "consecration-
al festival play 'ParsifaI' at the Metropolitan
Opera House yesterday afternoon Ire audi
ence was 8 large and Of the peculiarly char-
acteristic kind which is brought together ony
the occasion of reproduction Of the muse
drama about which the German composer was
himself so particular to impart the atmosphere OF
awesoneness and sloofness 1t was. as always
responsive the key that had been set for H. IN
finching in its observance of the rornnatles accom-
panyinz the production which have had their roof
in the Bayreuth manner of doing things and have
been altered only in the matter Of Improvement
Of the scenic picture. the voices the orcnes'ra'
accompaniment and direction IN their transpiahthg
10 the Metropolitan.
F7ven in the long intervals between the acts one
Of thirty minutes between acts I and II, and an
other OF forty-ve minutes between acts II ana III
there was attitude of hushed expectancy OF Can
temptation that had in 1t little of the free ana
easy holiday manner that marked the seemingly
care-free crowds that paraded Broadway durihs
the more than FIVE hours that elapsed between the
beginning and the end Of the performance. lneie
was the noticeable dissemination, usual to the
''Parsffal' audience to depart from the precincts
Of the playhouse" and the prornenades' parors
and reception rooms filed as never oeioIe
this season. The applause was the sincere ouI
restrained demonstration Of the 'Parsital aIal-
ence
The lovers of Wagner 5nd more especially the
worshippers of "ParsifaI" had special tusunca-
ton for their possession OF this Teverent feens'
Curiosity might, and probably did play targe'S on
the feelings of audience at the notable event III
New Yurk's musical history and in general oper-
attic tradition when Mr.. Heinrich Conried, Vioiat-
ine that tradition on Christmas Eve I'VE years ago
and disobeying the edict of -Bayreuth. made tns
first presenta ton OF 'Parsifal anywhere on eaTOh
outside the Wagnerian shrine Interest in what
was then daring and well advertised noNeHS
has with the many repetitions had the chance |?
give way TO sounder motives Of attraction.
Yesterday it gave way TO distinct Arbitration Tor
q performance of the festival play tnat may wen
rank with the best that have preceded II on the
same stage. The tenseness Of the slence-t"e
earnest attention on the part OF those in the opera
hoUse-was but the effect. whose cause was
splendid presentation of the drama II also was
a tribute to fine q comparative oehlohslI a'io"
Of the sIperiority Of the way of giving opera III
Nev- York as has been made under the new regime
Of Messrs Gatti-Cssazza and Dippet. or III ms
case shall We put it Messrs. Dlppel ana 1a''l-
t-asazza? Fer upon Mr.. DIPPED fell the response
hilitv Of the SUPERVISION of the whole performance
No previous performance # "ParsifaI mere mas
been more gratifying in the general strength OF
The cast ard the choruses And II IS but the que
Of Mr. Hertz and the complete orchestra OF lh7
METROPOLITAN to say that the significance Of the
score left little to be desired in its Interpretation
The stage nictures beautiful in themselves, we're
inapressiveIy effective in enhancing the story OF
Wagner's music and text and IN expressing 10 the
auditor and onlooker that story $ puTport Iney
were arranged and handled with precision that
showed careful stage management. and the changes
in the transformation scenes were effected with
the least possible element of the marring for The
spectator.
Although volunteer for Nj BurgstalIer and
handicapped by a rehearsal Of only one acr, Mr.
Erik Schmedes made a convincing figure OF Parsl-
faI. especially its histrionic side Nine Frem-
stad's Kundry has gained in sympathetic insight
since her first essay of The role, and even as the
becowIed and remorsefuI penitent in the third act
though her part in music is q subordinate one.
her low eIiness was scarcely less appealing in its
contrast with her earlier garb as the enchantress
Three Of the original cast Of Christmas Eve,
1qs were in yesterdays performance. They were
Mr. otto Goritz as klngsor Air. Harden as the
Fourth Esquire and Mr. Muhlmann the Second
Knight Of the Grail. Allen HinCkley. the new
American basso of the Metropolitan, replaced Rob
ert BIass : GUruernanz- His first appearance IN
America TINS role was characterized pS al ihAo-
Iirant if perhaps al times excUsaby conventional
acting Of difficult role. Fritz FeinhaIs Am
fortas also making his first American appear
ance in the part, sang the role well and acted il
adequately Herbert WitEerspoon. another Aneri-
CAM was the Ti,ure. No iovelier group. Of fOwer
r1aidens has been seen in previous performances
than that headed by Nine. Sparkes. FOrnia, Van
Dyck L'Huillier hatfield and Wakefield The
BOYS voices in the ehoruses in the first and third
acts aided admirably in the musical effect. Alto
gether the new management may feel that its
first production Of 'ParsifsI has taken rank as
q convincing demonstration Of artistic advance
ment in this early stage Of the season.