New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-29
Serious WagnerianS Out
Force at Performance
of "Rheingold."
SEMBACH AS LOGE
PROVES REVELATION
He and ODER Stars of Afternoon
Audience Gives Hertz
Hearty Welcome.
By II. l.. kREHBIEL.

That q special Wagnerian cut Of
large dimensions has been developed IN
New York By the representations at the
Metropolitan Opera House was emphat-
ically demonstrated yesterday after
noon. when the so-calleG "cyclical" per
formances OF the dramas comprising
''The Ring Of the Nibelung" we're begun.
4 series of representations which
are week apart, with operas OF all
sorts intervening, and in which no ef-
tort 30 produce unity and contInu-
lty IS made. even 20 the extent OF
preserving the identity Of the repre-
sentatives OF the various characters, Is
obviously absurd mot TO characterize
u BY a harsher eKpressior). but the
love OF Wagner's mythical tragedy IS
so great that the circumstance IS not
permitted 20 interfere with the atti-
tude toward one opera Of the Nag-
merriam congregation. That attitude IS
almost devotional. Tho audience
which gather for the special perform
ances Of THE Ring" conduct them
selves differently from those when
come 10 those which are given m the
regular subscription courses, resemb-
ling. in this respect, those which come
20 the holiday representations OF Par
sifal." They are much more knowing
and much more seriously minded.
Under the circumstances IT might
he wished that the management would
show an equal devotion to Wsgner's
art and seek to put the representations
at least on the hign level occupied by
the best Of the works i'm the Italian
repertory; but the hope that this will
ever be done was long ago abandoned
by serious observers. ConvcntIonaltty
has taken possession Of them and Will
keep its sway until the artistic man
agemcnt Of the institution undergoes a
change Of heart
"Das Rheingold" is a triRe frecr from
the humdrum rule than the dramas TO
which If is the prologue. but even 1t
has its discouraging elements. Nag-
ner's careful adjustment OF action TO
music I'm the first scene Dis not as care
fully observed now as 10 was quarter
of a century ago. when the stage ma
chinery was much clumsier than II Is
now: and even 50 admirable am artist
as Mr.. Goritz has OF late been per
mitted 10 indulge in an extravaganza
of utterance that brings a performance
which used TO be almost ideal 10 the
verge Of the conventionally melodra-
matte. The stage manager has not yet
learned how to compel the rainbow to
conduct il elf with decorum in the hnal
scene, nor has the absurdlty OF chang
ing Wotan's thought into physical
sword been abandoned.
AIR. Braun yesterday greeted Wal
halla by shaking the weapon discarded
by Fafner threateningly at the castle
which had been created as ms abode
in compliance with a tradition when
is utterly subversive OF the poets con-
ception. The fact that Wagner IS said
to have sanctioned this ridiculous bit
of action cannot justify II. Like has
alteration Of the original finale OF
and his substitution OF
a touch OF the physical lance for the
sympathetic question As healing
agency in the story of Parsival, 1t IS
a concession to popular ignorance and
a blot in his artistic scutcheon. with
all his protestationS OF belief IN the
people TO whom he was fond OF ap-
pealing against the critics, Wagner dld
not trust in the peoples Imagination
when he reached what should have
been his poetical climaXes. The divine
sword with which Wotan planned 10
endow the new race which he was 10
create in the hope that it would roll
away the curse which his crime had
brought into the world. could not have
been found among the gauds manu-
featured by the Nibelungs; and a sword
would have been the last thing to be
discarded by the giants who are the
in Naguer's cos
mogony of brute force.
The finest feature in yesterdays
1and remarkably fine
one it was) was Herr Sembach's i'm
personation of Loge. Histrionically
and unsteady 1t was the most admira-
bic Characterization Of the evil princl-
pie in Wagner drama that the local
stage has seen, with the possible eN-
ception of Herr Nog's, and 1t was vo-
callv superior 10 that. His diction and
the beautiful singing of Nine. ODER
as Frda were the high lights OF the
afternoon, though Nine. Matzenauer
did full Justice Ito the music. at least)
of Fricka. None Of the others con-
cerned in the cast measured up to the
artistic stature Of these three. The
theatre was crowded, and Mr.. Hertz,
who conducted, was welcomed in a
Kramer which must have made him feel
that many Wagner lovers are sorry
that he is not to be connected with
our opera after this season.