The sun., 1919-04-20

kundry." Every operagoer's first i'm
pulse would be TO answer this by say,
ing. But Mime. Matzenauer is one OF
the best OF all impersonators Of the
temptress." Quite true. but Mime.
Matzenauer has always sung the part
| in German, and she has not been ac-
| customed to singing any roles at all in
| English.
And then. Mr.. Operagoer. what about
your own attitude? So long as Nine.
Matzenauer was singing Dada in a
Saint-Saens opera or Fidcs In lie
I prophetic" or .imne1-is in Ada" you
regarded her with satisfaction. but II
she sings Wagner, are you not sud-
denly going to remember that she is
| an Austrian? Both she and Mr.. CATH
/ Casazza are bound to give that pos
siblity q little serious thought.
Would you like TO hear. "Lohengrin"
perhaps? Who is going to sing the
! title role? Mr.. Hackett? Maybe we
! gression and call back the golden days
when this opera was given in italian.
/ Would Caruso awaken memories of
Italo Campanini? Who can tell?
one hears the shudders of the geh-
| nine Wagnerites. The very thought
( of Wagner in italian sends shivers
through them. Yet "Lohengrin" is
! the one work OF Wagner which lends
! itself most readily to the treatment OF
italian singers. To be sure the senti-
mental mysticism which played such
! a great part In its popularity both in
Germany and In countries we'll sup
/ piled with German born citizens would
be lost. But just where Is the Amer
! lean LohenorinT
Mr.. Whitehill and Nine. Homer are
trained Wagner interpreters. Mr..
Didur as available for certain roles.
Mr.. Reiss can sing English admirably.
Small parts generally could DO filled.
But where Is the Trtstonf Where IS
the Isoldef Where is the Sie0triedP 1t
10 easy enough 10 cry Let US have
! Wagner In English next season, but
how Is the company to be organized
at such short notice?"
The present writer is Of the opinion
that should public sentiment seem 10
| justify the movement Mr.. Gatti-
! Casazza would bend his energies to
| the preparation OF "Parsifal" in Eng
| fish. II would be difficult to secure
the necessary artists. but not impos-
sible Mr.. Whitehill is available for
Amtortas. Nine. Matzenauer for Kun
drU. provided there Is no feeling
against her appearing in German
opera and she is willing to restudy the
Srole in English. Possibly Mime. Easton
would undertake it. Gurnen,Gns Is a
long and arduous role, but BASES are
an enduring race and some one would
| Ia udlHp0 Tho pors;foI ,pn,,IJ he IasS
easy to find. but granting that the
impresario found encouragement-to
revive the drama, there is little doubt
that he would unearth the required
/, singers.
1t Is very hard for a manager to
get at the state of the public mind
about such subjects as this. Doubt
less IL a few hundred Metropolitan
subscribers would write to Mr.. GATH
Casazza between now and May and
tell him what they think about it he
would be very grateful. But It is per
fectly safe to say that they will not
DO anything at all. After he has done
what he thinks he ought 70 do they
will grumble II II does not suit them
and a dozen or so will write letters,
not to him. but to the newspapers.
One thing Is certain, to wit. that the
Metropolitan Opera House repertory is
sadly in need Of strengthening. The
production of novelties In the season
just closed was disheartening. The
Puccini stream has changed its course
and flows through an arid country.
The latest French masters give US
exquisite urban creations. finished in
the most elegant Partisan style. CRATE
full every instant to persons OF culture
and taste, but seldom showing power
to arouse the deeper emotions of the
nearer. Wagner was the last of the
great musical masters. There have
been no supreme men since. 1t is
natural that, when opera goers feel
that something is lacking in the pres
ent repertory. they should think of the
somewhat 'ponderous. often ludicrous,
but none the less truly splendid and
inspiring creations OF the last revolu-
tionary genius. who could be classed
with the pathfinders Of musical art.