New-York tribune., 1922-03-05
''Loreley," Legend Of Rhine,
Produced at Metropolitan
Catalani's Opera Proves
eresting, Dra-
matically and Musically;
Has a Beautiful Waltz
Striking Ballet Is Given
Sundelius, Danise, Muzio
and Cigli Aid in Success
of The MelOdious Work
BY Fl. f. Krehbicl

we 90 not recau Wnetner or not we
Joined in an affirmative shout when
Peter Pan asked US il We believed in
fairies. We were already old at the
time and had learned that it was pro-
fessionally unbecoming to make public
disclosure of the rhythm of our emo
tional complex, either straightforward
or syncopated. To be entirely frank we
cid not know that there was a dis
agreement between our lungs ard our
heart on the subject of either music
or fairy tales until instructed yester-
day by Mr.. Winston Churchill. But we
have had so much pleasure from operas
based on myths and legends (Which are
only fairy stories in a different growth
at the opera this season-"Parsifal." :"
Tristan" "Lohengrin." "Tannhauser,"
Le Roi d'ys," "Snegourotchka'- we
are forced to confess that we do believe
in fairies and the stories told about
them. We believe in them chiefly because
their beauty helps to keep the heart
young, and also somewhat because we
have other physical evidences of their
truth. For instance, we have been in
the room in the Wartburg where Tam
hsuser sang his impious song in praise
Of Venus, and also in the cave in the
Horselburg, where the knight abode
with his naughty enslaver. If our word
Is doubted by anybody let him ask our
colleague Henderson, who ought to
nave among the curiosities of his
library some flowers from the mouth
OF the case of Venus and a beer mug
from the famous Thuringian Castle,
which We brought across the ocean to
him ages ago.
Real Lorelei Rock in Rhine
Apropos Of the opera which Mr.. Gatti
brought forward at the METROPOLITAN
Opera House yesterday afternoon we
can bear witness that there is a Lorelei
rock in the Rhine near ST. Goar, for
We have seen it several times, and if
we saw nothing of Venus in the
H6rselberg and no nymph combing her
hair on the Lorelei rock, it does not
follow that they never were there.
Heine tells US that at some side-show
IN fair he saw an announcement that
within might be seen the offspring of
2 pike and hare. He sought sight of
the lusus naturae, concerning which he
was skeptical. The Snowman offered
to exhibit the parents, but said the
child was indisposed and could not be
exposed to vulgar sight without dan
ger; and Heine had to be content with
the evidence which the Snowman Of
fered.
Now this same Heine has put the
story cf the Lorelei into ballad which
Silcher set to music so natural and
charming that we know it is true, while
Liszt composed it SO artfully, or, arti-
ficially, as to make a sad declamatory
mess of it's simplicity. We knew the
rock in the Rhine, but were never so
Impressed with its downright truthful
ness as when we read it in a book
which we bought on Rhenish steam
boat, where 1t was set forth in won
derful translation by l.. w. Garnham,
"B. A." Short as it is, we cannot quote
II In full, but we must share our de-
light at three stanzas at least with
The Tribune's readers:
THE air is cool and it darkens.
And calmly flows the Rhine;
The summit of the mountain hearkens
In evening sunshine line.
Tho most beautiful Maiden entrances
Above wonderfully there,
Her beautiful Golden attire glances
ohe combs her golden hair
With golden comb so lustrous
And thereby song sings.
1t has tone so wondrous.
That powerful melody ringa."
IT is precious book--a we'll of Eng
lish which we hope will not be defiled
by the foreign occupation of the Rhine
region. Only one drawback can we de-
tect in its pages: They are so divert
ing that they always threaten to divert
the attention of the American or Eng
lish tourist from the scenery which
they describe.
Opera Given Here Once Before
The opera which Mr.. Gatti added to
the Metropolitan's repertory yesterday