The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1922-09-10
Scene Of Sakburg Pageant
| Rich in Dramatic Tradition
Max Reinhardt, Richard Strauss and Hugo Won Hoff-
mannstha Were Among Directors of
Festival This Year.

( heart and soul are in the Salzburg idea
and his curiosity extends to the theater
| in other countries.
| Hugo Won Hoffmannsthal is the au-
| thor of the librettos of the Strauss
operas "Elektra," "Rosenkavalier" and
"Ariadne auf Naxos." He believes that
the war has had NO appreciable effect
on the true artist. on the occasion
OF the first performance of his latest
play. The Salzburg World Theater,'
at Salzburg in the Austrian Tyroi, he
declared that in his own country, az
least, artists of every sort were pro-
ducing as they have always produced.
because the genuine artist works ire
spective of external events
Austria has preserved her dramatic
and musical traditions intact and the
Salzburg Festival Is not a novelty, it
is merely the carrying on of tradition
centuries old. Reinhardt. Strauss ana
! are devoting our energies to this an
nual festival because we believe we
shall be able to found a musical and
dramatic function that will appeal to
all nations. What Is most significant
is that the church here has joined hands
with US and the entire community takes
part. The Archbishop has given us the
Collegiate Church for cur performances
he is indeed one of our most energetic
| colleagues"
Won Hoffmannsthal Is familiar with
modern English and American litera-
ture. and in spite OF the war has been
able to follow the artistic and cultural
evolution OF modern America. He was
especially interested in the plays OF Eu-
gena O'Neill.
What strikes me most forcibly is that
American culture, apparently a recent
development, is so widespread. Through
out the country there seem to be thou
sands of centers of intellectual life. 1
look to America for a brilliant rebirth
Of artistic activity
Great Experiment..
The production of the World Theater
was an interesting experiment, uneven
but with moments of high dramatic
tension and grandeur. The Collegiate
Church, where the play is given, is a
large baroque stone building, gloomy
and distinctly musty inside. Shrines
and the choir were covered with red fac
| ngs, the stage being placed just before
the choir and altar. Spotlights were
scattered about the theater so that the
action was not limited to the rather
small stage.
The plot of the Calderon play. literally
revised by Won Hofmannsthal, Is the
| tragi-comedy of man. put in this world
to play part of suffering or of joy.
The Almighty charged Mother Earth to
set the stage. giving people their re-
spective parts. They were not. however,
mere puppets, because He left them the
choice between good and evil. Much of
the play was the life of these world
actors, the king. the society belle, the
rich man, the peasant and the beggar.
Each was tempted by the devil. i'm
agined by Reinhardt. as heckling
lawyer in a black gown. and each at
guardian angels.
The tragedy conferred about the beg
gar. who, as an unborn soul, did not
want to lay the lowlypart OF misery
allotted to him. When finally he sub
niitted to the will Of God he started to
rebel under the weight of his miseries
and to smash things up In Bolshevik
| fashion. With his AK still over his head
| the soft voice Of mercy in the form Of
| a nun finally prevailed The high dra-
matte moment was when Death. tall
| gaunt figure in black with skull mask.
| put his cold bony hand on the shoulders
one by one of the little people of the
worlds stage who imagined they could
go on forever enjoying themselves. The
actor who played Death did so with an
extraordinary restraint and dignity He
varied his call to suit the character of
each--a tap on the shoulder of the nun,
kiss to the society belle. a pointed
finger and stern command to the over
rich man who wanted to stay behind and
continue to dominate the world with
moneybags.