New-York tribune., 1918-02-03
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the greatest sums expended within
twenty-five years at the Metropolitan
Opera House arc insignificant baga-
telles.
| There has, no doubt, been large ad-
hercncc to old-fashioned scenery, in
the sense that it sought to preserve
similitudc to nature in the manner in
which it WAS painted, at the Metropoli-
tan Opera House, but though often
fair object for ridicule, it has seldom
been tawdry, and the expenditure Of
money to obtain artistic effect has been
sometimes absurdly lavish. Tho most
notable case Of recent years was the
setting Of "Tidelio," (which Mr.. Conried
brought from Vienna at the instance
of his conductor, Mailer. That was not
only a sheer waste Of money, but it also
wrought foolishness in the drama and
its musical investiture. Yet it was the
last word in Viennese stage-art spoken
by tho redoubtable Roller, who was
more awe inspiring a decade ago than
is Mr.. Urban now.
If Mr.. Moderwcll is to be accented as
the spokesman of the tribe of latter
day stagecraftsmen, the second scene
Of "Tosca" is a peculiarly reprehensi-
BILE example of theatrical decoration.
We fancy he has some objection to its
drawing or its colors. Into that we do
nor To on II iu ~, <>
hang on the wall, he says. Perhaps
not in it's barrenness. But every stage
picture is only the environment of the
people and the action of the play. Put
great actors in the climacteric moment
Of the tragedy, and perhaps even a
tawdry stage setting would be worthy
of being hung on a wall--if that be a
high artistic distinction. No matter
how beautiful the interior of Scarpia's
apartment might be made to look. it
would not serve it's purpose unless it
had its main entrance, the door opening
into. the torture chamber and the prac-
ticablc door Or window from which the
sounds Of the singing Of Tosca and her
companions can reach and be excluded
from the mind Of Scarpia, which at the
moment is not attuned to sweet
sounds.
The German Kaiser's Stagecraft
This brings to mind an incident which
happened at the Royal Imperial Court
Opera in Berlin. The story is a true
| onH
in discovering from whose lips it came.
1t has never before been printed, and
IS not likely to be for some time, at
least, in the land whose Kaiser is not
only, in his mind, ordained Of God to
rule the German people, but also to
show them by example how to preach
religion and make war, design monu-
ments, statues and buildings, compose
poetry and music and practise all the
arts and sciences which enter into
hultur. When DR.. Muck was young in
his service as assistant conductor at
the Berlin Opera he received a COM
mand through the Intenddnt to prepare
a revised performance of "Lohengrin"
"a neueinstudir~ng, rs it is called.
Quite naturally, the young artist was
elated at the opportunity to put his
impress upon the most popular of
Wagner's works, and he began his work
with principals, chorus and orchestra
IN spirit of ardent enthusiasm. When
the music had reached the proper point
OF perfection, he called for the first re-
hearsal for the new scenery. All went
we'll with the first act, but when the
curtain opened on the interior Of the
hemendti he was horritied to see that
Its door was one of ordinary dimen-
sions. He called for the stage man
ager and protested that the opening
was not large, enough to permit the
entrance Of the chorus, whose duty it
was to escort the newly married couple
into the bridal chamber, in conformity
to the medieval custom and the march
music which Wagner had composed.
Ihe stage manager refused to alter the
scene, and the director was summoned.
lie also refused to make any change, be-
cause the scenic outfit of the opera had
been designed by His Most High
Majesty the Emperor. The Imperial
Jack-of-All Trades, it appeared, had at
tended q performance of "Lohengrin"
IN Bonn and had been pleased to trv
his imperial hand at a ncuinsceniruno
which should surpass that which had
pecn made for his august entertain
ment when he had visited the cjtv
which had housed him in his salad days