Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-12-08
"LOHENGRIN" PLEASES
LOVERS OF MUSIC
Performance of Many Virtues
at the Metropolitan
Last Night

Nothing could be nauspicious nothing
! could be less than fine, In a performance
| at the Metropolitan which was heralded
with the announcement that at last. and
after all these years, Der Rosenkava-
/ ler" is to he sung next week. stirred by
| that enhancing prospect, the auditor sat
! back expecting nothing AS Mr.. Ches-
! terton has said, he who expects nothing
| is always disappointed. The performance
of "Lohengrin" was superb.
II must have been of surprising and
surprising fneness. since in 1t Arthur
Bodanzky. the new genius of German
opera. made his first appearance In this
city and i'm 1t jacques trlus and Nine.
Margarete Matzenauer sang again their
accustomed parts, and even Nine Marie
Rappold, from whom so little good could
have been expected after her disastrous
night in I'll Trovatore," found herself
place i'm the good wishes of multitude.
But why Lohengrin" should appear at
one time as mystical claptrap and at an
other as poetic ecstasy is something
which even these phenomena cannot ex-
plain.
Mr. Bodanzky's leading Is probably as
close key to the mystery as VIII come
to hand. 1t may be seriously said that
those who came to Hertz remained to
praise. More fluent. more gracious read
ing of a score has not been heard in
Wagner Mr. Ierts's methods in the
Ring, particularly his intention of maxi
ing the voice a part of the orchestra,
were godsend to Wagncrians: but it Is
questionable whether the same methods
had place in T.Ohengrin.' To Mr. Bo-
danzky "Lohcngrin" is still wrapped i'll
operate tradition, and he conducts 1t
with such infinite shadings of orchestra
nc 20 hpn1ltN of single
voice and chorus. "t.ohen grim may be
brummagem, but Mr.. Bodanzky con-
Quoted it with a sincere and humble ac-
ccptance as pure gold. His cuts were
discreet, almost rcvcrent. and since he
disclosed new beauties in the clean and
passionate reading of his score one felt
doubly grateful for the omissions
Because MIR. Bodanzky allowed new
liberties to the singers, their part was the
more difficult and their acquittal last
night the moro noteworthy. Alone, a
black damninE appartion of evil, the
Ortrud Of Nine, Matzenauer was an APP
Mailing creation The sharp sashinG notes |
of her defamation, the wealthy resources !
nf hcr softer voice, were incomparably |
fnc Alas that we have yet to hear her |
Dalila which, by the token of last night, !,
must ne an urimaginablc pleasure Twice, |
WITHIN the first half OF the second act she |
bore lesser singers with her on the wings |
VI INSPIRATION anu luuh part ~ AN' VI ~ !
lovclicst duets in our experience. With |
Tclramund GHermann WeiD she was
thread of FURNISHED silver against cloth
Of some dark rich stuff With Nine.
Rappold's Elsa she was herself the vo-
uptuous and lowering dark cloud against
which flashes of lightning shone forth. In
both. in every moment of singing or ST.
enle, she was a great artistic parsonage
So grand was this figure that mere COM
petance elsewhere would have sutticed
But Mr.. Urlus has long passed the days
when he was satisfied. If ever he were,
with what was sufficient He needs iris
tan to be at his greatest but he has the
raned singers faculty of imparting |
something of his special grandeur into
whatever part His Lohengrin was hardly
medieval. but it had its flashes of mysti-
ism. and in few dramatic moments he
'Ould suggest what no other singer VEN
ured to believe necessary-a human emo
ion. He was in lovely voice, and no
engths could tire him. Nine. Rappold |
At last made it clear what is meant by
New York critics when they speak of her