Omaha daily bee., 1908-08-30

honors Of the house mid the festival
scenes.
Wagner's dream Of creating a national
German drama for the German people has
been realized at last at Bayreuth. The
audiences have become almost exclusively
German, and chiefly Bavarian German at
that Berlin smiles in a superior way at
B%ayreuth performances. Vienna, in spite
of her rage at Felix Weingartner for dar-
ing to make cuts in the mighty scores,
continues to believe in itself. Dresden
is satisfied with the graphic conducting
Of Schuch. and Munich. though 1t sends
a few hearers to Bayreuth. keeps faith
with Motif. Fuchs and it's own Prinz
Regenten theater.
1t is by no means remarkable that
Americans have dropped Bayreuth from
their consideration. OF certain character
istics in the performances which have
helped the development CT present condi-
lions something shall be said later. The
town itself and Its enterprising. high
minded citizens are not a little to blame.
They have not treated American visitors
with overpowering cordislity and they are
receiving them now not only with coldness
but positive intolerance. This attitude, let
1t be understood. exists openly in official
circles. Americans are not needed here any
more. Bayreuth has an immense German
clientele. The seats are all sold six or
eight months before the festival begins,
and those who attend the performances
come not as disinterested spectators. but
as devotees. in many cases even as
fanatics. Let the Americans stay at home.
What do they, who place Jean de Rezzke
phONn Won Raru m Rurrfan Epnur about
Wagner?
1t may be that some Americans are still
contemplating a visit to Bayreuth, where
the body and. alas! also the spirit Of a
Titan OF music sleep in solemn silence.
Those Americans ought to know some
things and here they are. Unless one has
personal acquaintance with some one living
in Bayreuth and can make his arrange
ments through that channel he must en-
gage his rooms months in advance and
only through the Wohnungs Comite, or
residence committee. which manages all
the available apartments in hotels as well
as private houses.
This committee furnishes the applicant
with a printed form asking whether hoteI
or private house Is preferred and stating
the bottom and top prices for each. wher
Nho Oih mas bccu lliitu out ana sent &c
B~ayreuth the applicant receives another
form telling hin that a room at such a
place has been allotted to him at the prict
named.
The accommodation are seldom thor,
oughly good, and most OF them are down,
right bad. Furthermore, paying the high
est price does not save one. He may fine
himself allotted to a closet up four flightI
OF stairs In a noisome fiat or in a fairl,
good chamber in a private house. II he il
dissatisfied and goes to the office OF tn.
Wohnungs CONT he is curtly informe,
that he had made a contract and will hav.
10 keep 1t. II he wishes to change hi
place OF abode he must pay for the one n
gives up.
Food in Bayreuth is poor. The restau
rants-which may be many blocks from
your allotted abode-are OF the type on
finds in remote German villages. Tn
prices are not high. but one would willlngl.
pay more TO get something appetizing an
20 eat in a pleasant place. The beer Is o
most distinguished character. No othe
beer could or would have II. And the out
ward aspect Of the town itself Is one o
combined antiquity, sloth and negligence.
There was a time when Americans wer
willing TO endure all this because they be
lived that in Bayreuth they would hea
Wagner reverently, beautifully and truth
fully ln~tsERTslsd. bE that time has las