The sun., 1910-01-18
"TANNHAEUSER" WELL GIVEN
SLEZAK MAKES GOOD IMPRESS
SION IN THE TITLE ROLE.

Wide variety OF Expression In the Rus
sian's singing OF Wawner's Greatest
Dramatic Work - GadskI's Eliza
beth Never Better Than Last Night.
Wagner's "Tannh8user" was sung at
the Metropolitan Opera House last night.
There is nothing new al rule in a per-
formance Of this familiar but much mis-
understood work, dramatically the great
est OF Wagner's great creations. Yet
lest night there was something new. and
il was more than matter OF mere record.
Leo Slezak sang the title role for the first
time here. and for the first time wes
heard in one of those German par Is
which gained him fame in Vienna. II is
quite safe to say that he took little more
care with his vocal treatment of the role
than he used to et the Imperial Opera
of Austria, and it is undenisble that he
has learned something about pure singing
since he escaped from wholly Teutonic
Influence.
But he brought with him TO last nights
representation that profound love of
wagner's work and that beautiful devo-
ton to high dramatic ideals which are
displayed mostly by singers OF Teutonio
training. When those are coupled with
spiendor of voice. skill in tone production,
clear enunciation. and temperament. ad-
mirabIe and moving results may be ex-
pected.
Mr., Slezak sang with a wide variety
of expression and with many fine and
significant details. For example. his
second delivery OF the hymn in praise OF
Venus was taken at a quicker tempo
than the first, thus conveying the idea
of the sudden stress OF emotion unde r
which the repetition was made. The
exquisiteiy developed diminuendo in the
chromatic passage OF the prayer afte
the departure OF the pilgrims in the first
act was paired with a beauty OF tonal
color and OF emotion. His exclamation.
azu ihr, su ihr." instead Of being hurried
out like a challen ge. was sung with melting
tenderness.
These are but a few Of the artistic
touches he put into his treatment OF the
music His delivery as a whole was char
acterized by nobility Of tone and style
His conception OF the part was compell-
ingly human. al the drama itself is. His
bearing was excellent and his gesture
graphically broad. His costumes were
good. but not as good as some others he
has worn. However. those Of last night
were a remnant OF days in Vienna.
On the whole Mr.. Slezak's impersona-
ton OF Tdnnhduser was notable and il
must be accorded a place on the first
line OF Wagnerian portraits in the rich
gallery that belongs to the history Of the
/ Metropolitan Opera House. It aroused
| much enthusiasm in the audience.
Nine. Gadski's Elisabeth was never
better than il was last night. Her voice
was in its best condition and she sang
! her music well Her ~Dich theure~ Halle
/ was especially good. but in the ensuing
scene with TGnnhdtser she rose to heights
OF purely vocal beauty and tenderness
of expression which she rarely reaches
| Nine Freustad's Venus is always excel
, lent, but it has at times had more vibranoy
OF voice than II possessed last evening.
Mr.. Whitehill is a good Wolfram, but
I his voice seemed unusually tight and
somhre In tint last evening. Miss Sparket
deserves a word OF commendation fol
her delivery OF the shepherds song
I Mr.. Hinckley as the EdRfgrcre was the
other important member OF the cast
THE orchestra played excellently and MIR
| Hertz conducted well.