Albuquerque morning journal., 1910-12-04
Story of Great Drama of Ba-
varian Village Pictures Of
Which Are to be Given at the
EIks' Theater Sunday Night
Next, Accompanied by Lee
lure and Sacred Concert,
(Ry ReY. Dr. Riley.


attracted in 1910 to the small village
Of oberammergau In the Bavarian
Alps. and the performance OF the
Passion Play.
1t has been nearly three hundred
years since the village was decimat-
| ed by the plague And the beginning
| OF the decennial custom of showing
| the Passion of our Lord upon the
stage originated from vow Of the
pious inhabitants that II the plague
| was stayed in thankful remembrance
of Gods mercy they would perform
the scenes of Christs Passion every
ten years. Through many discourage
ments they kept the vow and the play
was given in the churchyard to de-
vout audience of fellow townspeople
and the peasants of the surrounding
country, many of whom walked fifty
miles to attend Great spiritual cred
1t was aseribed by the devout pilgrims
to the Oberammergau Passion Play.
The fashion of Miracle Plays and
Passion Playes died out and they
were at last forbidden by law. but
the pleading of the peasants of OBJ
erammergau gained them a special IL
cense to continue their performance
of the vow of their fathers. At first
they were brusquely repulsed by the
Bavarian government. Get you to
your homes. and let your pastor
preach to you of the Passion Of our
Lord. That is far better than maxi
ing show OF Christ upon the stage"
This WAS in 1910, just 100 years ago.
Finally the King granted their re-
quest and the play was performed in
1911. In 1870 the play was again i'm
possible in the decennial year because
of the drafting of their principal
players for garrison duty in 1871,
King Ludwig H., of Vavaria, was one
of the audience. The performance
had become gradually known in ar
tistic and literary circles of England
and Europe, but 1871 marked the
first important pilgrimage of Ameri
cars to Overammergau. Since then
the attenders of the play have increas-
ed by thousands.
The play has been brought from the
churchyard to a rooted theater but
the stage still remains open to the
sky.
The dialogue has been rewritten
and the religious drama staged with
the assistance Of experienced theatri-
cal managers. Those who act the
parts enter into the spirit Of the Bib
lieal theme with great religious fer
vor. Every step of the performers
anu 6ftt NVhh HliNhtAi 10 Will hbtl-
defful precision and solemnity The
awed hush that pervades the audi
ence during the more emotional
scenes is remarkable.
Fully half OF the performance is
singing, with solos and choruses sup
plemented by tabieaux Of Old Testa-
ment history which typifies the act of
the play which is to be next upon the
stage
Tho curtain rises promptly at the
firing of a cannon at o'clock in the
and the play continues dur
ing a bewilderng succession of
tableaux and acts until 12.
The audiences are glad Of the noon
At noon the narrow
streets of the little town are jammed |
with tourists, wagons, automobiles |
peddlers and the peasants of the |
You can imagine the ef- |
feet upon a quiet country village of
sudden influx of some 5000 people.
At fifteen minutes of two, the can
non again booms and the curtain |
again rises before the same hushed |
and packed audience, who sit through |
another four hours. As evening falls |
the audience pours out of the great |
theater racked and strained in mus
cles from the hard board benches and |
i'm heart from the truthful represen-
tation of the most stupendous tragedy !
of the Cross.
It has been customary to speak of |
the Oberammergauers as simple, un-
sophisticated peasants. That may |
have been the fact 100 years ago. |
Today they are educated, wide-awake, |
p-to-date people The only reason !
the play is now possible for them in |
q religious sense is the fact that for |
so many decades the villagers have |
had the Passion Play before their |
minds and have been so trained into |
the spirit OF the play that they could |
hardly conceive of life without the |
hope Of being considered worthy to
take part In the great event that |
brings their out-oft the-way village in |
10 the eyes of the world every ten |
years.
Seven hundred of the villagers are |
cast in this great religious drama. To |
take part IN the play one must be a |
native of the village and the blame |
less reputation. This is a great power |
for righteousness. Sin, a sin however |
small, and the sinner is shut out for |
ever from taking part in the glory of !
The actors are |
chosen by secret vote of the town |
council. And from the time Of their |
choice the year before. they are re- |
Qutred to dedicate their me TO the |
spirit and action of the character |
they represent.
The election Is held in the last |
week in December and from the as
signment of the parts there is no ap- |
peal. The rehearsals call the actors |
on duty four times n week. Except |
for constant drilling all their lives, |
the actors would be unable 20 stand |
the strain Of the Passion Play sum- |
mer. AS il is. they are worn and thin. |
The receipts go into the hands of a /
committee. The costs of the summer /
are enormous. The tourists agencies |
claim a large share Of the profits. !
What are left are divided into four /
parts: one for the church. schools and /
charity. one for communal purposes. I
roads. bridges and public buildings. |
one TO reimburse expenses. And the /
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