The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-05-29
RUSH TO fHE PASSION Play
MANY AMERICANS IN rHE FIRST
CROWD Ar OBERAMMERG a..
The Openln9 PeFfogmAnee Given m RAJ,
ard snow and sunshine -Four u,oD.
HAna NlslieFs Impressed h, the Tab.
leamx and the Art q thr Art,r,

INV WtENNNM FNfNWFtNMMfN NAf en- N HaB,
and snow and sunshine -Four man.
mna Nlslfers Impressed hy the TaN.
) leamx and the Art o. ihs Arior,
OBEAAMMRR0AU. May II. -Tha train,
from Munich % OberAmmsrgau yss,s,.
day were quadruple1 and still wer.
crowded by the strangers that ha! A.
sembled from all over TIE world 20 w.
noas the first public representation ~
the Passion Play for this decade. Amer.
cans distinctly prsdOminated and soms
Of the cars Euggssted Ire Unit~i States
not Germany. The skies were more
than gray and constant showers might
have dampone1 tie ardor Of any other
aasemblAgs Of people.
AZ TIE train mounted higher and higher
Il was percoptibly colder The La,
hour Of TIE trip. which takes in all from
three 10 four hours from Munich. is On
a small branch railroad. The first NOM
ing train was 20 heavy and long that
half way up the engine refused 10 over
work and the engineer returned 10 tho
station for another engine. Thousands
had assembled by evening in the muddy
village. whsre nothing seemed n dis
courage them. The accommodations are
far better than they were ten years aso,
but the streets are not paved and the
mud was several inches deep.
The scene this morning was . sight n
remember. It had showed over night
and all was white. but the people not
having come for winter sports the solemn
pilgrimage seemed harder for this unex.
pected touch OF winter.
The village church was crowded al
8 O'Clock by an assembly such as il sci.
dom seen. Peasants and workings n
maAy natiOnalitics kneh together 10
prepare themselves for understanding
the presentation of Ckrist's Passion.
From 7 O'Clock q stream Of this molly
crowd poured up every road toward the
I theatTe. AZ quarter 10 O'Clock the
cannon roared the signal and rever.
/ bsFatOd among the mountains.
Fourthousand people were seated under
] the high arched roof. and al O'Clock
precisely the chorus came aolemnly upon
| the open stage and the prologue began.
/ The orchestra IN grouped partly under
I the middle Of the stage 40 that you scarce
/ " see the playera.
In the contre of the stage 81 which
/ the sky n the only covering. n a CLOSED in
second EtRge with curtain which n dawn
aside after the chorus has explained The
subject. and a wonderful iableau z ~
| yaaled. ID Il called the Type. and ga
acene from the Old Testament prehgring
/ the events In the life 81 Christ. The group
I ing and the costuming % these tableauK
are beautiful and artistic beyond criticism
and only equalled by the marvellous still
ness 81 the men. women and children TAX
I ing part. You gaze on the picture teel-
ing that the figures must be statues. the
! pose h 10 perfect.
Many books and artists have described
the scenes of the Passion Play and there
are excellent SCORES In both German and
| EnRlish. which are used nv the audience
| 10 follow the scenes. The first scene
I in the life Of Christ IN The Entry into
jerusalem on an Asa"-While the populace
have palm branches and spread oloaks
Tor the Naxarene % pass over. won TINS
scene on 20 the end the acting becomes
like the reality; and In spite Of The intense
cold people were amaHad when The first
part ended az ~ O'Clock 10 realize that
four hours had passed.
The audience scatters Tor the midday
meal and II summoned az ? O'Clock for the
second part.
Il h IN these Iast scenes that the
actors display their uneycelled histIionio
an. Anton Lang as Chris and Johann
Twink a. Judas are the most perfect
The roles are cast with . judgulsne thAt
seems unerring Sebastian Bauer AZ
piiuff seemed the Roman and ~ unlike
Hsrod and CaiapAsa ~ though he wers
~ another nation; When yeu reall.e that
the actors are an from this httle noun
NmI n.
their faith and devotion have multiplied
their talents and fitted them beyond belief
for their task
The Crucifixion' is the climax ~ their
art. Even seeing u you cannot UNDER
stand how they have accomplished the
perfection II this SCENE. All was over
% 9 O'Clock and the words that came
from the crowd thAt poured out q ths
w w. sS@e structure we're s5Sso an
through the eighteen acts tho simple
dignity, earnestness and reality II the
players was uninterrupted by rain and
snow and finally sunshine.
Tbs costumes arr superb and the rahhie
that appeared before Piidte led by The
HigA Priest, Sanhedrim and Pharisees,
was perhaps the most striking aasemhlage
% cOlors, typos and actors % tho whole
play. Eight hundred performers are
assembled IN this scane, while In some ~
the iahlcAuN there are a. many NJ an
There are ITO solo speakers. thirty-fvs
singers and forty musicians. This gives
an idea Of the scale upon which the
play IL presented.
The characters are simple village folk
Who are unspoiled and unchanged bp
the inrOad % wondering. admiring or
curious strangers. Many Of them have
turned their homes into temporary lodg-
ing houses for this one summer. The ex-
pense 20 them 81 preparing accOmmoda-
ton Tor strangers accustomed % modern
luxury unknown and Unnecessary n
them is very great Their food would
not suit. even were Il sufficient. and beds
furniture. every household article must
be purchased for these iew months
Hence the seemingly eEorbitAnt prios
Of ~ marks day n asked and they expect
the strangers ~ remain two days. The
price of the first class tickets IN 10 marks,
90 one should count on paying about =
marks. tl7.iO. for this privilege. IL u not
sxOrhitant when ono understands the
situation, difficulties and effort beiiig
made 70 please the exikent foreigners.
German woman told me on the train
returning-th 10 a cameraderie that
suggests Conversation with your Neigh
marks.
-HoW was thaty' I asked, amazed.
i paid mark 50 for my bed. marx 70
for my meals. and marks for the ticket.
Lhsse seAts are Close 70 the stage and not
There we're many distinguished psrsons
In the audisnos, but they ara unohAofved
and no distinctions are made.
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