New-York tribune., 1920-11-30
Operas Third
Week Opened
With Tristan
Wagner's Drama Sung for
Second Time in Season
at Metropolitan; Scenic
Problems Solved by Urban
Royal Tree Represented
Stately Ship i'll First Act,
but Many Features of Out
fit Remain Anomalous
By II. T. krehbiel

Mr.. Gatti opened the third week Of
opera at the Metropolitan last night
with Tristan and Isolda,' as Wagners
drama is called in English. Why we
90 not know. Probably because the
translator feared that if the heroine's
name were spelled as it is in German
somebody might pronounce it in two
syllables. The change of the final
vowel, however, has brought it to pass
,hat some of the singers say "lsolday'
and some "Isoldah.' AS the name ex-
is.s in English literature it was, Of
course, mpracticable, for il could not
always be adjusted to the music, or
the music to it without disturbance.
But we did not set out to indulge IN
a discourse on the names OF the i'm
mortal lovers. What was uppermost
N our mind in making record Of
Mr.. Gatti's act was that the choice
of German opera, even if sung IN
what passes for English. was so out
" ne ordinary as to seem bit dar-
INC. Time was when Monday night,
rs the night sacred to fashion, was
consccrated to Faust" and "Romeo ct
Juliet and other operas in which the
beloved first tenor and the almost
equally beloved first lady could glitter,
or in which understanders of operate
languages could recognize "jamais' or
40 t amo" and go home happy. True,
there came conjunction of clrcum-
stances in the consulate OF Maurice
Grau when he did even a more coura-
geous thing than Mr.. Gatti he opened
4 season with Christian und Isolde in
she original tongue There was no re-
volt in the boxes then, there was no re-
volt last night. Fashion was out in
torce and listened respectfully, though
It understood only the music, foregoing
even 81 love you! which phrase, by
the way, we believe never occurs in the
text. Singular, is it not?
This being second performance
.here was an opportunity to look at
Mr.. Urban's pictures. He has com
nosed new ones for every scene. AS
usual the architectural features have
chiefly occupied his attention. Yseult's $
or Isoldas) garden is only suggested d
by trees painted in the wings. a few
lilac bushes and few biossomlng
lines climbing up the side Of castle,
which, with its porcn, fills the stage:
And the lovers sing their praise of
Nirvana seated on d bench hewn out
of the castle wall. The picture is
effective, but the music Of the open
inr scene, the verbal dalliance with
rustling leaves and the vanishing
.ounds of the hunt would freight the
atmosphere of scene IN nature, as
Wagner intended that it does this.
The scene in Brittany is we'll con-
ceived, and here we have right royal
old tree for Tristram to die under
nut Mr.. Urban found no solution OF
he vexing problems OF the ship OF
the first act The vessel is stately
one, with suggested carvings that have
the strength of gracefulness and the
gracefulness of strength, though ar
archaeologist might get up a pretty
quarrel with the Teutonic style of the
ornamental motives. But Yseult's pavil-
on still reaches from starboard guE
vale to port and is of such monstrous
heights that Tristram at the helm sees
nothing OF the bow, There is no mast
nut shrouds run up on either side and
ike the painted flags in the wings, are
obviously fastened to nothing at all
But the picture fills the eye and will
serve The anomalous character o.
me outfit IS due to Wagner. Ingenious
efforts have been made by theatrica
artists to remedy it. but all have
proved ahortive. Nseult and Brang
vain must have the scene to them
elves. except when the maid goes {.
-ummon the knight. Tristram and hi
fellows must not be visible during the
long scenes in which they are mac
tive. Continual sight of them woult
re disturbing TO the action. Let nauti
cal critics rave; there is no help 70
hem. The play is the thing, rot it
6ress