The Washington herald., 1915-03-08
EVENING WITH THE STARS"


/ Mr.. BaumCardt'S astronomical lecture
called AN Evening With the Stars"
with which he closed his course at the
BelaSCo Thcater last evening. eNCels the
other items in his series in somewhat
the same degree that he outstrips the
common run of lecturers. In his en-
deavor to convey to his audience the in
| SEPARATION that he himself has found in
the study Of the heavens and i'm the
! amazing triumphs of human science in
! their exploration. Mr.. BaumGardt has
achieved something more than success:
he has made of his lecture an actual
work of art. He has not merely pre-
srntcd a collection Of telescope photo
graphs and applied his powers of rhetoric
to pointing out their Significance; he has
so Cunnincly marshaled his facts and
IMPRESSIONS he plays so skillfully on the
minds and sentiments of his hearers.
that the effect is almost stunning. 1t
seems as ii he left no room for improve
ment in the treatment of his subject.
Last nights audience was of fairly
good size: the pity is that any seat
should have been vacant. 1t is rather
heavy" lecture. "a Mr.. Baumgardt
himself has remarked; yet 50 perfect
Is his command OF the attention of his
listeners that no one could fail to fol-
low word by word the development OF
the theme. In his introduction Mr..
Baumgardt deals with the effect on
human self-esteem of mans search
through outer space for an answer to
the riddle of the universe. Then be-
fore he begins to show pictures of the
stars he inserts soothing series of
slides depicting scenic and floral
beauties of California. on the approach
to the Mount Wilson Observatory.
These offer a contrast with the barren
glories of the moon, our nearest neigh
Dor in the skies. Thence the series
of amazing photographs progresses
through the solar system to the utmost
nebulae. where matchmaking forces
are seen in action.
The selection of the story of the life
and music of Richard Wagner. the
celebrated German operate composer
and poet. as the subject Of the final
lecture of the afternoon series by b.
r. Baumgardt at the Belasco Theater
Yesterday. attracted an appreciative
audience of music lovers to hear re-
markably interesting discourse on the
great dramas in which Magnetism is
best exemplified.
Pleading for a larger conception OF
the greatness of this man Of genius.
the lecturer detailed the vicissitudes
of his most checkered and troubled
life, and stated that his critics have
been too willing to judge him by the
triyialitieS or his nature ana tne eN-
cesses Of his genius and to overlook
the inestimable gift from the stand
point of artistic culture that he has
given to mankind.
Wagner was styled the commanding
genius In the realm of musical art.
whose music of the future" IL the
music of the present. accomplishing
not only the Interpretation of feeling.
but of poetic thought through music.
The characteristics Of his art theory
were illustrated by the speaker In an
entertaining discussion of his works,
including the operas. "Rienzi." The
Flying Dutchman," Tannhauser.
"Sieefried." "Lohengrin," Tristan and
Isolde" Die Meistersinger Won Nurn-
berg" and "ParsifaL"
Allusions were made to Beethoven.
Mozart, and Liszt. The pictures. high
ly artistic and interesting, depicted
places in Germany. France. and Italy
concerned in the life Of wagner, and
also those marvellous figures and types
which his Imagination gave form and
"a local habitation."