New-York tribune., 1910-12-18
Motif

proclaim him as native to the pleasant
southland of Germany He is in faet
from Siegburg, little city in the Rhina
provinces. Immediately after his reg-1-
lar schooling he entered at the age ?
eighteen the Cologne Conservatory nd
studied under Ferdinand Hitler Latsr
on he went to Berlin. and after winning
the Mendelssohn scholarship in 1870
went on to Munich 70 study under say
eraI of the most famous masters Of the
time.
While there some impulse decided Nh,
to go to Italy, and Immediately he closed
his books and took train straight dow.
over the Brenner Pass into the stran-s
land which receives every one gladt-
and seldom returns them unchanged. ~
Naples he happened 10 meet RicharI
Wagner and at once the two becamo IN
tfmate. Humperdinck later on returned
with Wagner TO Bayreuth TO assist me
master in his first production Of "Pa-si-
faP' in 1880. Many OF Wagner's ideas g
musical principles sank deep into his
follower, who became in a measure one
Of the exponents Of that music Of the
future" which Wagner predicted and
partly realized IN himself
Humperdinck has composed Other
operas beside ''HdnseI und GreteT' AMI
'K6nigskinder." In 1902 he presented
'Dornr0schen" and in Berlin. in the
spring of 1905. Die Heirat Wider VII
len" had it's premiere
He has also composed the chOrals
"Das Gltck Won Edenhalr' and "Dis
Wallfalrt mach KevIaar.' a humOTesSe.
and a "Maurische RhapsOdfe" for or
chestra.
In 1896 Herr Humperdinck received the
highly priced title of professor from
the Kaiser There has lately been SONIC
rurnor of dissatisfaction on the part %
Emperor William over Herr Humper-
dinck's decision to produce his --latest
opera for the first time in America. The
Kaiser, according to the reports, desired
the COMPOSER to change this plan AM
give the premiere in the HOfOpern Thea
ire. in Berlin. Herr Humperdinck. how
ever, had already acceded TO the request
of the Metropolitan Opera HOus. man
agement in New York to give the flrsC
production here and would not go back
on his agreement
The story of the new music drama
soon to be seen in the famous big opera
house on Broadway is the fable Of city
that wants a king. When, however, tho
people acquire a young prince they drive
hin. out into the forests to die because
thew had previously mistaken him for a
beggar.
The first act shows kings son roam
ing through the Helia forest seeking ad-
venture. He comes across witchs hut
and finds therein q beautiful goose girl,
who is an enchanted princess The
prince falls in love with her and they are
about to run away when the old witch
fntervenes and drives the prince away
At this point a fiddler, a woodchOpper
and broom maker come along. who
have been sent out from the city or Hell
labrun to ask the witch where the peo-
pie Of that city may find them king
The witch answers, but no one but the
fiddler understands what she says. He
takes the goose girl with him. knowing
now that she IS a princess, and they 60
on tnrOuSn CIle NOOuS IOWdIO CIlS city
In the next act we see the prince dis
K,1ised as q beggar IN Hellabrun- Pres
emily the city gates are thrown open and
the fiddler returns with the goose girl.
The prince rushes to her and amid the
dertsive laughter OF the people halls her
as his queen. The villagers drive the
two out into the forest and close the
gates.
The third act finds the young lovers
alone in the forest, starving Meanwhile
the fiddler and the children OF Hellabrun
are searching In vain for them The
others In HeIlabrun have fallen into dis
cord
The prince and the goose girl find the
vitch's hut again. The witch has de-
parted. but her woodchopper is there.
and from him the prince buys a loaf OF
bread with his last possession. his
golden crown. The loaf is poisoned, and
after the unfortunate wanderers eat it
they fall into each others arms, joyful
with visions of spring and flowers. When
the fiddler and the children find them
they are dead.