The evening world., 1911-02-23
Ring Cycle Ends
Wlth Performance
OF Rare Merit
." Coetterda m m erung"
Sung and Acted With
Extraordinary PoWer
and
Cadski Sets a NeW Stan
dard for B~runnhiide-
HertzC
BY SYLVESTER RA LING
X@OETTER a L VI MERUNG"
brought The matinee cycle Of
1.-THE N%ibelungen Ring" to ar

? brought the matinee cycle OF
THE Nibelungen Ring to an
end at the Metropolitan Opera House
yesterday In a Performance Of remark
able beauty and potency. The anne
hat enveioped walhalla and were de-
stroying the gods as the final curtain
:ell e%nveloped everybody concerned in
the production In a blaze OF glory. The
great audience remained for some time
to call out the singers and applaud
them, while for Alfred Hertz, the con-
ductor, above the din OF the handicap
ping. could be recognized a universal
"Ahl" that sounded the note OF unmis-
taxable personal affection. To him the
first tribute OF individual praise for a
reading OF the score hat was as In
spring as II was inspired. IL ones eyes
had been closed to enc scenes. ones
ears would have been ravished by the
sounds. II is not easy to avoid super
latives In writing Of this performance.
Johanna Gadski as B~runnhilde set a
now standard. Hers was no impersona-
ton. She pds Brunnhilde. the loving,
betrayed. deserted. tortured woman who
was once a goddess. Was there ever
ssch agony shown In a face as on hers
when siegfried denied her to the assem-
blage IN front OF the Hall OF the
Glbichungs! The audience scarcely
dared TO breathe, so wrought up It was.
All that went before. the depletion OF
the tenderness of her love for siegfried
as with much bantering she sent him
OF into the world TO gain knowledge
and experience. her resistance 10 the
pleadings OF waltraute to save WotAn
and Walhalla. tho struggle with the dis
guised Siegfried and the shame that his
conquest brought upon her. were as
nothing to that supreme moment Even
the loftiness and power of the immola-
don seem. OF splendid import, coul not
wipe out the memory. And how she
sang. Her voice had mini variety
and always was beautiful and moving.
B~urrian, who made his farewell ap-
pearance for the season. will leave be-
hind a cherished memory. His Siegfried
was the bes, he has shown us. an al
nirable portrayal. beautifully sung ono
must bark back to the days OF Jean de
Reszke for comparisons with II. Walter
Sooner len, to Gunther a dignity n
excellence In voice and action to wnich
We are not accustomed. Louise Homer
was n Waltraute OF such significance
ana loneliness that 1t Is dinicul. to I'M
derstand how this music-dran.a could
ever he -gven--as 1t sometimes is-witn-
OUT the scene In which she appears.
Lenora Spnrkes. Bella Alien and Flor
ence Wickham made a beautiful trio OF
Rhine mlidens and they sang In tune
and with much charm. Jane osborn
Hannah was a bit too modern looHins,
but she was pretty and sang her music
with much-too much. perhaps-dainti-
ness.
Allen Hinckley made his Hagen grey
rather dark and much OF the m"sic
does not suit his voice, but he COM
manded respect by his art. In the trio
with Brunuhilde and Gunther In the
second act he was exceptionally good.
Otto Gori,z IN the small bit that AL
berich has TO do was all-suiiicient HI
Gibichung retalners made a fine picture,
acted with spirit n conviction and
sung glorlously.