The evening world., 1920-12-11
First 'PGrsifdL'
of Opera Season;
Music Next Week
By SylUester RGlOling.

NHR. GATTI offered "Parslfal" for
MI a special matinee yesterday at
the Metropolitan Opera House.
n drev- a smaller audience than any
that has heard II since Mr.. Conried,
Va the face Of violent protests by
Frau Cosima Wagner gave 1t a first
performance anywhere outside OF
Bayreuth at our Broadway Temple OF
Art, lol these many years ago. That
IN itself does not mean so much, for
hitherto "Pansifal' has been reserved
for holidays, but one could not escape
rho feeling that something OF the
glamour of Wagner's "Consecrational
Festival Play" had evaporated; that
- Meohistic vaDors were losing
tneir spell. A revival Of the old dis
cussion cannot be escaped. II the
ceremonial at the close Of the first act
and the spiritual evocatlon before the
final curtain are religious obser-
vancea, does the playhouse furnish
a proper place for them7 On the
other hand, IL the things a play, why
mould applause be taboo?
Mr.. Krehbiers English text, pro-
vided for the revival OF last season,
again was used. II was made ef-
fective pre-eminently by Clarence
Whitehill whose AmfortaS was an
impersonation OF sucn depth and sin
cerity and whose singing was or such
quality as to overshadow the cast
Orvllle Harold, as Parsifal, an eleV-
enth hour substitute for Sembach, IN
diaposed, was good second, although
hin voice was less satisfactory than
4 was last year. Robert Blass, as
GurnemRnz. enunciated clearly most
OF the time, singing much as he did
in the early days when the German
tongue alone was tolerated. Mar
Earete MatZenauer, who was Kun
dry, made her English intelligible at
times, but her singing as the en-
chahtress in KlinsoTs garden lcft
much to be desired in quality. Sc
ductive or otherwise. Didur has
grown into a more sinister klingsor
and has improved IN his English.
William Gustafson sang the music
Of the unseen Titurel we'll. The
F9ower girls were n fascinating bevy
singing attractiveIy. Marie Sundelius
especially distinguishing herself. Mr..
Bodanzky conducted with fine em-
.phasis and appreciation OF the score
''Tosca" was sung In the evening,
with Scotti, Emmy Destinn and GiEll
in the leading parts, Mr.. Moranzoni
conducting. The performance, which
was effective, was enjoyed by large
audience.
Further need Of hospital for Mr.,
1attrs artists is shown by the an
MANAGEMENT made yesterday that
Mines. Ponselle, Howard and Delau-
nols. like Sembach. are too indis-
poAed 20 sing In "Oberon" at to-dOy's
matinee. Florence Easton. Jeanne
Gordon. Edna Kellogg and Morgan
Kingston will take their places.
Mr.. 'Stransky and the Philharmonic
Orchestra. at Carnegie Hall yesterday
afternoon played an all Brahms
Tchaikovsky programme. The
4. Tragic" overture and the. violin con-
corto made the Brahms part, with
Alfred Megerlin. the concert master,
aoloist The Russians compositions
were the Francesca da Rimini" FAM
tasy, the andante cantabile from the
string quartet, opus IL, and the
''Marche Slav"
Grace Northrup. soprano, accom-
panied by Richard Hageman at tho
piano, gave a recital at Aeolian Hall
Yesterday afternoon, confirming the
good impression she made last year.
In the evening, also at AeoiiRn Hall,
Lawrence Haynes, tenor, accompo oni7d
.Rt the plano by Malcolm Lang, sang.
A second recital by Vasa Prihoda, the
young Czech violinist, takes place al
CarnegIe Hall on 'Mondny afternoon
Nay Nuke, English 'cellist, will give
81 recital at Aeolian Hall on Tuesday
afternoon. Katherine Bacon win give
a thifd recital at Aeolian Hall on Fri
day afternoon. A concert OF music
for the piano by Serge Rachmaninof
Is announced for Carnegie Hall q
week from tomorrow afteronon. Dc
RodR Helmuth. soprano, will give G
cong recital at Carnegie Hall on Mon.
day night.
Leah LeaslCa, soprano, who sang a
the concert OF the Honor Legion o
IRE City Police at the Hotel Commo