The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-11-25
OPERA SACRED AND pROPkEE
"PtRslFaL" ~ FOdLOwgD NJ
IERDf'S "RlGOLETrO."
\ solemn neii6tsus funetisu In the After
noon and Public AeeiAmatisus Tor
starr On the k>eniNg-A Display sf
Goeds From oscar Hammerstein.

Hooa auI F00dS Nttt4u14 Hens IUf
starr In the E,eniNg- Display sS
leeds From oscar Hammerstetn.
WAgner's -Parsifal- has come TO be re-
gaTded as solemn religious function and
i.s ceremonies are observed on feast days
with profound respect by audiences com
'o~-Si VI various and utterly incongruous
elements. A few social dignitaries attend
the service because IL II "A form Of operate
entertainment and possibly because there
are no bridge parties scheduled for
Thanksgiving or Christmas Many Ger
mans go because it ia German music
drama A few music lovers are present
because they lik. the score Numerous
priests attend who would perhaps not Ice
seen in theatre at any other representa-
ton Other persons of pious temper go
for reasons similar TO ihos" which induce
them TO assemble at the annual perform
ances Of Handel's Messiah
The outcome Of the attst, idrr uf all these
people In that -Parsifal- Is now tolerahly
certain tn I've Witnessed Ivy a good sized
audience when given on holiday.
pecially one with religious sentiment
attached to it, Accordingly there was
a large audience yesterday when tn. con
eecrsted festival drama began in tn.
Metropolitan Opera House at r. N.
Furthermore it ought to he noted that
the reverential attention which has been
shown At every preceding performance
~As again pronounced. Not even al
Bayreuth could the posture Of the pill
grims he more in keeping with the serious
nature OF the subject.
1t 10 not for these worshippers at the
shrine Of the Holy Grail that critical
comment should he made. Nor is IL for
them that a newspaper in the discharge
Of its duties to the general public should
make mention Of the fact that an unusual
mishap to the scenery in the second act.
occurring just at the moment when kur-
dry was telling Of her jeers at the Re-
deemer. came near to destroying the
potency Of one of Wsgner's finest mo-
mepts. The second cut drop behind the
first groove. ready to be shown a. part
Of the destroyed magic garden. when
the frat drop was hoisted from before 1t
suddenly ran down about ten feet from
the borders and carried row OF IN
lighted border lights with 1t A Az man
carrying two sandba& cointerwe,ghts.
vas perched on the platform across tho
top Of the drop. and his perplexity as To
how to escape from his position was dis
tracing TO the attention OF ih. audience.
Finally he sidled on ,R. ? F.. and the
drop was drawn w. but the illusion o. the
scene had been spoiled and IA took -om-
vigorous effort on the part Of Nine. Frrm-
sad TO reconcentra'e the minds II her
hearers. That she did 1t and with Mr.
Burrian brought the act 10 an eloquent
close was a tribut. to the splendid arr
with which the two singers interpreted
the entire scene Mime. Fre'nstads
kundry was never better than u vas
yesterday and Mr. B,Irrians P1rN'Cl was
q meet companion for ~.
Mr.. Arnato. who had waded throuel the
seventeenth century Venetian passions
OF BGTnabd on the previous evening.
immersed himself completely in tho wo"s
OF the erring Am 'or'as and gaze a really
touching impersonation of IN. role Mr.
witherspoon sang GurHem1rs for the
first time and was genuinely Interesting
HE 0rrHsmanx was very human and full
OF feeling and he delivered tn" text with
much clearnes-.
The other members O: IN" cast did . gan
things which they haze don. wa,! on
previous occasions The orchestra Ma
generally excellent and Nlr Hart con-
Altogsth~r ~ was . good
performance Of 'Pa--Ifal.- vh"th"- con-
sidered a. a mv-ic rama or a religious
ceremony.
In rh' .. cning chin., can" over p
the spirit Of the operate d-csn 'hrst,
X nights g.' . way - rssish nob'r'n end
The scductr" HYrdry 10 III. lnno' mt
and wronecd daughter of fool ~hp was
neither innocent nor Of 81, ing gr. &c"
The evening opera ives N"rdiS "RIGo-
letto. and its pr" i"ltntIOn for the first
time in the curr"nt season WAS III oc-
rasion for tn, reappc 'ranC" II Nine ,
Ni"ibs on thu stage 81 tn Metropolitan /,
Opera House and the first activities TN =" 3
II Maurice Renaud and Flor"ncio con
.tantino.
Mn" Meibs's last previous amp -
anc" AZ thu Metropolitan Wa ","1t 4 ,
n tn q. enIng of E.CHmtcr 10 1874
.ncer IN" management OF h nr'ch con
--zsl d.. has -