Cañon City record., 1909-11-04
Art In Munich

heard that it was an art center rival
ing Paris, and we were chiefly in
terested in what il had to say about
life as expressed in the various arts.
So we looked up its opera house
the state opera house if you please
and saw the most beautiful and inter
esting presentation of "Paleas and
Melesand." There are two state opera
houses in Munich and the one which
gives the heavier music was closed
for the summer. But the performance
we saw was marvellous in this:
That in a town no larger than a
dozen American towns, in the summer
with only a fair-sized house, was pre-
scented an opera that in scenery, sing
ing, orchestra and general effect,
equalled a New York performance:
SIPS brought a first-class seat, and
everything was beautifully done.
Personally, the writer hereof does
not think much of the music of
"Paleas" He isn't up to it. He has
only Travelled musically as far as
Wagner. And to deponent the music
of the "Paleas," sounds as if some
one with a feather duster were care
lessly dusting the upper keys of a
piano, while creaky door was swing
ing in the wind as the drayman moved
a hardware store in the next block.
But that impression is probably due
to a lack of musical education and
should not be given any weight.
For a series of tableaux, "Paleas"
was charming to the last degree.
And the audience enjoyed the music.
So the majority should rule. The en-
joyment of the audience-which was
mostly composed of women-was
most decorous. The applause was
scarcely percepible.
But is was nevertheless enthusias-
tic even though repressed.. Distinctly
1t was not American; 1t was sophlsti-
cated-the pleased sight of a proper
person who has been distinctly de-
lighted, but not excited,
The whole evening was as differ
ent from a night in an American op-
era house as can be. To begin, when
we entered, everyone was standing in
her place looking about the house.
That seemed strange. But we dis
covered soon that people did not stand
up in order to look around and see
what was there. but because there Is
no center aisle in the opera house,
and as every new conner has to go
in at the ends of the aisles, he has to
make everyone in his row get up to
let him pass. So they Just keep stand
ing until the row is filled-then sit
down.
In case of fire in that opera house
what a fine holocaust such a room
would make. Another difference be-
tween the German and American was
this: There were few evening clothes
present. Apparently one doesn't dress
for the opera much in Germany.
In the Munich gallery and in
most of the German galleries con-
siderable space is given to the Dutch
masters. In Munich there Is fine lot
of Ruben's naked fat women.
Rubens seemed to have a low opin-
ion OF fat people. He never painted
a Last Judgment" that he did not
fill hell full of naked fat people.
mostly fat women: while he sent all
the sylphs and wood nymphs to
glory.
Also, his other pictures were full
of fat people-fat Bacchuses, fat
out OF their underclothes. and looking
as ashamed of their figures as real
fat folks.
1t probably has nothing to do with
art, and Is pure personal opinion, but
It does seem bad taste to fill hell
with fat people. They aren't so bad.
They mean well. They are sinners OF
course. but they are sorry. And to
give the skinny people the exclusive
use of Heaven is going to make 1t a
mighty dull place.
But then probably Rubens knew as
little about the real population Of
Heaven and hell as the rest of ue-
which is precious little. But there WAS
this pleasant innovation made by the
Dutch painters from the italian rule:
The Dutch painters did not put haloc
on their saints and virgins. After
six weeks of desoIute viewing Italian
art, Little Mary asked her mother
why Jesus always wore a tin hat
question which her mother couldn't
answer. But the tin hat disappeared
In the northern galleries and under