New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-12-20
Weber's "Euryanthe" Re-
ceives Fine Production
on Its Revival.
PREDECESSOR OF
WAGNER RECOGNIZED
Toscanini's Reading Inspired and
Hempel and ODER Share in
Achievement.
BY II. Z. kREHBIEL.

Weber's opera "Euryanthe" was
brought forward at the Metropolitan
Opera House yesterday afternoon. 1t
was twenty-seven years almost to a
day since it had had its first hearing
mt the proud establishment in upper
Broadway.
When Mr.. Seidl put it into the
repertory at that time twenty-four
years had elapsed since ii been heard
for the first time in New York, that
hearing having been provided by
company of German singers who had
ventured upon a season OF opera IN
their language under the direction OF
Carl Anschttz at Wallack's Theatre,
located at that time at Broadway and
Broome st. When Mr.. Seidl tried to
rive the opera a home in New YORK
the Tribunes reviewer, the same then
as now, expressed the conviction that
il had been a kind providence which
had preserved the work from repre-
sentation in the interim.
Yesterday the thought came again
Then the reason was that the genera
ton of opera patrons that mad grown
up between the tentative efforts o. herr
Anschiitz and his artistic pioneers
could not be prepared for Wenefs
startling proclamation, because tney
knew too little of Wagner's art. YES
terday the thought which Influenced
the reviewer W $ tina. since the passing
of Seidl there HAD bee co..u 1910:
the Metropolitan sufficiently imbued
with the spirit of Weber's music to
body il forth sc that its gracious love-
illness, it's chivalresqueness, its tragic
power would make the irresistible ap-
peal which lies in that music popu-
lar appreciation and affection. ThGt
condu tor was found in Signor Tosca-
mini, who has performed his most
amazing miracles not in the operas OF
his countrymen but in those OF Wag-
ner.
Last wear when the first limitations
we're whispered about the opera house
that Signor Toscanini contemplated
revival of the opera it was explained
that his reason, outside OF his own ad-
miration for Weber's score, was that
he wished to supply the missing INK
between operas of the old type and
Wagner's lyric dramas and knew that
"Euryanthe" was that link. If he real
ly had such laudable purpose he must
| have been gratified at the popular re-
ception of the opera yesterday. Inc
whisperings and elbow nudglngs In
boxes and stalls, the excited between
acts gossip in the corridors, all lndl-
Gated that an audience that knew lts
Wagner from "Tannhauser" to "Parsl-
fal" had been fully aroused to CON
sciousness that from first tp last Wag-
ner patterned after the composer VINO
/ 4 -. ...,,gtool ,,anina intn life
as a schoolboy. They found that
"Euryanthe," like Hamlet" was "full
of quotations" and, no doubt, many dis
eliminating minds discovered that Lysi-
art was a more powerful vessel OF
wrath than Telramund, Byzantine a
more potent personification OF mall
cious wickedness than Ortrud, and
Euryanthe a more fragrant Hover OF
chastity than Elsa.
The relationship between Weber and
Wagner was discussed in this journal
by this writer twenty-seven years ago,
when, as has been indicated, it had be-
come for the first time possible for an
American audience to look upon the
| first great dramatic romanticist in the
| light thrown upon him by his success
sor. II is not likely that any Tribune
reader has preserved it's utterances or
| long ago, and since they are still the
conviction of the writer they can, with.
out offence, be reiterated, paraphrased
and extended on this occasion.
Weber set out on a new path when
he composed "Euryanthe"-a path
more absolutely novel and revolution
ary than Wagner had chosen up to the
time when he achieved his first popu-
lar successes, and path which he kept
in view until he brought his revolution
ary labors to an end. He had scarcely
limited at it in Der Freischdtz," and
he did not pursue il in "Oberon." AL
Cpera composed to suit the Engllsh
style and taste and only half-remod-
elled TO make it conform to his con-
ception of what a lyric drama should
be. There is no clearer or more truth
full definition of "Euryanthe" than that
which has come to us from Weber him.
self.
Il is "a simple, earnest work which
strives for nothing save truthfulness
of expression, passion and delinea-
ton of character" The words are the
composers, and they are only slightly
expanded and emphasized by a memora-
Bile reply which he made when applied
to by a society in Breslau for permis-
sion to perform the work in concert
form. "Euryanthe" is purely dra-
matte attempt, which rests for It's
effectiveness upon the cooperation OF
all the sister arts and will surely fail
if robbed Of their help" Romantic Roll
land. in his collection of criticisms re-
Gently printed in English, has gwen
expression to the belief which Walter
Damrosch has also uttered, that on the
L. l. al mi of Waunarsg Mini
lung music is married by the stage spec
ltacle. We cannot subscribe to that notion
even when witnessing the faulty repre-
sentations, which are becoming too
common, owing to the ignorance or
careless attitude of stage managers and
artists; and the soundness of Weber's
view is to be commended even in the
face of the absurdilies of the libretto
which the foolish bluestocking Won
Chevy forced upon him. His attitude
toward his idiotically constructed book
was sincere, at least-even down to the
episode Of the serpent, which nowadays
defeats itself and evokes laughter in
stead of awe. But it is only ripple, a
momentary eddy, In the stream Of
tragic sentiment provided by the music.
We are quite as ready to smile at
Weber's serpent as at Mozart's mon
ster and Wagner's dragon; but the
music soon carries US away from the
danger that seems to threaten the
drama.
1t is the lovely manner and perfec-
ton with which Weber has welded the
drama and the music which make
"Euryanthe" an almost ineffable work
There is no cropping in the dark, such
as might have been expected from a
pathfinder. Weber was showing the
way to hitherto undreamed of posi-
bilities, yet his hand was steady, his