New-York tribune., 1922-02-01
Tristan und Isolde
Sung German by
Chicago Company
Principals Show Familiarity
With Text and Music: Pro-
duction Would Pass Mus
ter at Many Court Theaters
Rv RI. F. krchbiel

Fer the rrst time IN Ats history. so
for as New York is concerned, the
chicago Opera Company departed from
rs traditions and sang German opera
~ German at the Manhattan Opera
youse last night. Years ago, when it
sore the name Of Mr.. Hammerstein, it
rerformed "Tannhauser" in French.
Wr Hammcrstein confessed that the
experiment was failure and did not
,eneat il. Even the excellent singers
which he had at that time could not
hiring their Gallo spirit into conso-
rance with the Teutonism of Wagner's
MUSICAL tragedy. This ebulliton of
;dealism on Mr. Hammerstein' part
did not prevent him from performing
"Salome" in French: but for this tire
excuse was offered that Oscar Wilde
original wrete the play in French,
and that the translation into German
from the English version did not nee
essarily make it German opera.
though Strauss wrote his music to
German words.
That excuse is evidently still consid-
cred valid, though Miss Garden an
nounced last year that this season the
tongue Of the composer would be re-
snected in all her representations. She
Isolde" Is concerned, ard in last nights
performance introduced several sing
ers born and trained TO the German
manner. The principal ones we're the
representatives of the immortal lovers
Mr.. Richard Schubert and Nine. Bea-
trice kottlar. With the help of Mr.
William Beck (KurwenaD, to whom
German is familiar, and MIR. James
Wolf KONG Marae }, who is a Russian
born in Riga. and, like his companions,
acquired his artistic experience in Ger
man theaters, the chief singers gave q
performance which we make no doul t
would have passed muster III any one
of dozen municipal or court theaters
of Germany which might be named. 1t
rad little poetical perspective or at
mosphere. but all concerned were IA
miliar with the text and the music,
and even Miss Reynolds (Brangane), j,
though almost wholly unintelligible,
helped TO carry the music of the
greatest of all musical canticles of
love home to the hearts of the audi
ence.
Nine. Kottlar was entirely adequate
to her role in voice, song and action,
and showed how completely the idiom
Of Wagner has been assimilated by
German singers. She is vocally we'll
equipped, Doth as 20 Qualiuy and power,
and only a few mannerisms, which may
have been due to her failure to realize
the size OF the theater. resulted in her
seeming at times to drop the matter of
her discourse. Ever and anon she would
fall into an all but inaudible pianis-
simo, leaving those who were familiar
with the text to wonder why she did it.
She seemed also innocent of the sar-
casm o. some of her speeches to iris
,ar in the first act But had she had
the biting tongue of Lilli Lehman
II would have been wasted on such a
Tristan as Nr. Schubert presented.
The Sir Tristram of Tennyson, Ar
mold and Swinburne would never have
recognized Mr.. Schubert's awkward
embodiment OF Wagners hero as
brother. Histrionically he wa. not
even of kin to the Tristan of Mr.. Sem
bach, on whom Thomas Mallory's Mark
would have used his sword "fatlngs"
and driven him out of the tale. But
Mr.. Schubert. despite his doleful fig
ure, disclosed Il voice of excellent
metal He, more than any one else,
made the drama look and sound pro-
vinclaly German. A hero for the peo-
pie of Buxtihude or Krehwinkel, to
use German manner of speech Mr..
'Polacco's orchestra measured up to the
requirements of the score, but Mr..
Polacco's command of nuance did not.
except in the tempestuous passages.
His hunting party remained so near to
hing Mark castle that the lovers
ought never to have had a chance to
meet in the second act