New-York tribune., 1920-03-28
Wagner Without Scenery

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: In this mornings review of the
performance of Eugene Onegin" at the
Metropolitan Opera House Mr.. Krehbiel
does me the honor to devote consider
able space to my performance OF this
work in concert form in 1908. In this
article he wonders what my reasons
were for producing it in concert, and
suggests any one of three. AS | am
still in the land of the living, it is
very simple matter for me to answer
H. E. KS queries.
During my entire musical career l
have been eager to produce interesting
novelties. The score of Eugene Onegin"
appealed to me because of the naive
charm of its music. Its plot is rather
silly, nor do scenic accessories and
so-called dramatic action" seem
essential for proper enjoyment OF It's
undoubted musical beauties. And in
those days stage performances of Rus
sian operas seemed especially remote.
| therefore gave the work its first per-
formance in America in concert form.
just as l had produced Saint-Saens'
"Samson and Delilah" in similar fash
ion years before that. My audiences
liked the work immensely, and Emilio
de Gogorza's fervid rendering OF the
tltic paAG a0oCO SOHoAASAo ooAJ w ASS S~S
cess.
l did not see the performance given
at the Metropolitan last night, but l
know from experience that all Gatti-
Casazza's productions are adequate and
Standing this II. E. K. seems to
agree with my estimate of the work as
a non-successful opera for the stage
for American audiences at least-al-
though it must be conceded that in
Russia the work has retained an in
credible popularity as a stage produc-
ton to this day.
Regarding my general attitude tow.
ard the producing of many operas, and
even of Wagner's music dramas IN con-
cert form, the years have only
ic accessories often do not add to my
enjoyment of the music and apprecia-
ton of its dramatic character. In fact,
they often mar it. But, Of course, /
can speak only for myself, and do not
pretend to say whether / speak because
of increasing wisdom or because of ad-
vancing years. A friend, who claims to
be the vox populi because she is not a
professional musician, insists that |
can enjoy operas without scenery and
dramatic action, because, as musician,
my Imagination is more vivid than that
Of the average audience, and that
though many, like myself, have grown
tired of opera as a hybrid art form,
they now enjoy the music in concert,
because their memory of stage repre-
sentations is stl,i vivid.
Whatever may be the reason, there
are thousands who feel as do, and l
will guarantee H. E. K. that il | were to
announce a performance of an entire
act Of one of Wagners music dramas,
with adequate singers, at Carnegie
Hall in concert performance, the hall
would be crowded with enthusiastic
devotees.: WALTER DAMROSCH.
New York, March 25, 1920.
Mr.. Krehbiel didn't wonder at all why
Mr.. Damrosch performed Eugene
Onegin" in concert style. He stated
the reason which was then in Mr.. Dam
rosch's mind and, by his own confession,
still is. For the sake Of the music the
cond uctor was willing to sacrifice the
helps to the imagination which might
have come from scenery and action. A
Mr.. Krehbiel recalls the concert per.
members that he was charmed with
the music Of the set pieces, as he was
again last Wednesday evening; but also
that there was something supremely
ridiculous in such performance of the
dialogue and that the height Of absurd.
ity was reached when pistol shot rang
through the concert room in the due
scene. Even this was not vexatious, but
only amusing and a bit pitiful. Mr.
Krehbiel thought then, and thinks now
that Mr.. Damrosch would have done
Tschaikowsky and the opera better
service if he had omitted the dialogue
and performed only the airs and en-
sembles.
AS for the rest, no doubt if Mr.
Damrosch were to perform the music
of an act of "Rheingold," "Die Wal
kiire," "G6tterdammerung," or any
other drama of Wagner's, in Carnegie
Hall, he would have a stupendous audi
ence of enthusiastic devotees. Does
that prove Mr.. Damrosch to be correct
| in his contention that scenery and &C.
ton offer clog to the imagination
Mr.. Gatti would also have stupendous
| audiences if he were to perform these
works, or any one Of them, with the
proper and necessary accessories. Why
this letter?
Newark Concerts
| "kolin nights" at the Newark Ar
l.