The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1920-11-22
Wdgner's Epic
Lone Tragedy
Sung in English
By Sylvester Rawling.
GeTNRfsrAN AND IsoUDA W.

RC NttAbIpALN AND VSOIIDA was
sung for the FIRST time in
English at the Metropolitan
Opera House on Saturday afternoon.
II had been anticipated with eager
Mesa II proved sore disappoint-
rnent. Whether one is or is not in
favor of opera On the vernacular. one
elinE Is certain: The English text
must be enunciated with sufficient
by the nearer or 1t should not be
IIBed. This was not done OF Mar
ghrete Matzenaur's Isolda not one
sword in fifty-never q complete SEN
tence-could be distinguished, and OF
Jeanne Gordon's BrangHena almost
tho same might be said. Johannes
Sembach made "A fairly successful at
tempt. despite his accent and he may
be forgiven for his occasional lapse
into German. Clarence Whitehin,
who was Kurvenal, alone did justice
10 the language of Shakespeare ans
Milton as 1t was Corderized in the
translation from the German. OF the
changes in the book made by Sigmund
Spaeth and Cecil Cowdrey it is i'm
possible TO speak for the reason al
ready stated.
But the disappointment was not due
alone to the murder of the text. 1t is
not easy 70 recall a more shadowy
wrath of a performance of the i'm
mortal love epic, the eternal tragedy,
with all its perfidy and shame ex-
posed, which not even DIR. Wagner
can hide with his love potion to be-
fool Policeman Morals and the multi
ture that cringes behind him. Mr.
Bodanzky and the orchestra, It is true
maintained the traditions, giving full
play-too full in fact, for the singers
often were driven to their utmost to
be heard-to the surge and sweep of
the score. Then back to the shadows.
Nine. Matzenauer is not only an
artist singer within the limitations Of
her voice, but she has rare intelh-
gence. Yet her voice is not that of a
soprano. for which the music OF lsolda
calls, and she fails to recognize the
heroic nature of the Irish Princess.
Robbed of her lover by the sword Of
Tristan, carried overseas by him to be
bride of old King Mark, whom she has
never seen in an age when all men OIL
|. distinction we're fighters and the WON
"a of their race shared In their gloI1es'
Isolda, up to the Quaffing OF the love
potion, Is oil impervlous, hard com l.
manding, which Nine. Mat2enauer
was not, either in action or in voice
There were too much of soft mouth
ines to fit the character, at least,
there. In the love duet of the SECOND
act they were more appropriate. BY
the time she reached the love-death
of the last oct she was tired. 1t was
sung ineffectively.
Sembach as Tristan was not heroic
to the eye, but in the dellriuln OF ms
prolonged dying he made a protound
Impression. The intensity OF II
RTipped as nothing else did in the
whole performance. 1t will not soon
he Forgotten. OF Miss Gordon s
Brangaena II may be sad that hei
yoioa disclosed more OF the qualities
Of a soprano than Mime. Matzenauer's
Herr was a pretty impersonauon tha'
missed the tragic note of the potion
scene but was worthy in the WaTnlnt
from the tower. Clarence Whitehlli
As lurvenal, always sure OF hlmself
In the last act was especially effective
ia his display of affection for and de-
votion 10 Tristan. Robert Blass a
KING Mark. Robert LeOnhardt as
Melot. Octave Qua as the Shepherd
Louis D1Angelo as the Steersman ano
Angelo Bada as the Voice Of a Sailor
completed the cast.
The new scenery by Joseph Urban
scarcely calls for comment beyonc
reference to It's freshness and too
muoh-brinEing-fo of the love
bower in the second act. Not in the
glare OF the limellght Mr.. Urban, blu
as far in the background and out o
sight as possible would two sucf
lovers as Tristan and IsOlda seek q
mezYst