The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1922-09-10

HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau,
Berlin. Aug. 20.
TIME Salzburg Festival. beginning
August Is. was like an oasis in
a central European desert of
cheap variety shows. inferior NOV
ing pictures and tumbling currencies.
Here, nestled In the heart of the Aus
trial Tyrol. is a little town under the
shadow of a mighty castle. which has
an artistic tradition six centuries old,
but still vital enough to attract music
and drama lovers from all parts OF
Europe.
The names of Max Reinhardt, Rich
ard Strauss, and Hugo Won Hoffmanns-
thai, directors of the Salzburg Festival
this year. are enough TO indicate the
high standard OF music and drama.
Their dream Is an old one, interrupted
by the war. They told correspondent
for THE New York HERALD that for
wears they have been looking about
for a spot where they could give great
productions harmonizing art. music
and drama
Max Reinhardt took the initiative
last year staging Won Hoffmannsthars
"Everyman." A translation of this viii
be given shortly in London and later
in New York Max Reinhardt said that
he hoped to make Salzburg great
drama center. with a large. permanent
theater devoted entirely to plays Oh
world interest.
Salzburg seemed the ideal spot. The
town itself Is q stage set-facades are
quaint semi-Italian baroque and ro-
coco, with quaint church towers, ram
bling houses in bright colors, each with
It's peculiar personality. The south Ger
mans for centuries past have given VII
lage pageants. They are born with
dramatic instincts. Mayor, Aldermen.
fifemen and farmers were all eager 10
act and to have a part in the Reinhardt
plays.
The town, too, has very old musical
traditions Here Mozart was born here
he passed his early childhood. MUSIC
and drama have again been united ana
harmonized under the shadow or the
cathedral. The Archbishop OF saizpurs
likes the theater. He had no opJectioh
to Max Reinhardts using the main
Mortal of the cathedral for "Everyman.
He even put the Bishops palace at the
disposition of the actors as dressing
room. offering the women the vicarage.
This year the Archbishop helped Rein-
fartt to get his people together 10 stase
fsalderon's THE World Theater." and
this inside one of the leading churches.
The choir supplied chorus
Much Money Needed.
Although the cornerstone mas JUST
been laid, Max Reinhardt has given up
the idea Of building a world theater IN
Salzburg in the immediate future. y
would take moro money than there 10 ~
ell
r,,hsrantial enough as yet Tor sucn an
idea" he said. But he proposes TO get
.haad at least with an annual prouuc-
fion at the market place and IN tne
church. The latter, however, limits MIN
~ plays OF a more or less religious
nature. ,.p
The climate Of the Tyrol agrees with
year ago he had 6ernh
CITY pallor and was tired OUT py the Con
slant business difficulties In runnin nm,
German theaters to-day. Although "eii
IN fifty. with black curly hair ana
anr,phtlv step. he keeps around thirty
Asked about his outlook for the drama
= Europe to-day he admitted that
there are many obstacles ahead. in
Berlin, for example. he has turned over
the direction OF his theaters to others.
1.-THE moving pictures nave rulneu lne
renertoire stage in Berlin. Actors get
40 much more for the screen that they
have no time for theater rehearsals. AT
most a director can get only enough OF
their time to stage a play Tor long
nun This leaves me too little latitude
as director for 1t to be worth my
while to return to Berlin In the imme-
date future"
! Reinhardt finds theatrical production
IN central Europe suffers from the gen
eral poverty OF the people. 1--WE can
only spend In paper marks what we
spent in gold ones before the war for
scenery and the like"
But the war, in his opinion. has not
influenced considerably play writer's
Some of the younger ones have been
killed off, but the output of plays Is
about what IL always was. Good plays
have always been rare and far between.
Writers have not been considerably In
fluenced by the war In their writing
There is little revolutionary drama and
much new thought has not yet come out
In plays"
Reinhardt is still interested in manip-
ulating masses on the stage. He finds
Salzburg an ideal place, because here he
can call on the people of the town. At
present he is preparing a season at the
former Austrian imperial ballroom. nov
transformed as the Redoute Theater
This fall he had nearly decided to come
70 America on contract with the Shu-
berts.
"Everyman, for New York.
In New York 1t is probable that Rein
hardt will try out "Everyman"-hfs
last years success---and "Orpheus in the
Under World" which is having another
long run at his Berlin Crosses Schaus-
pfelhaus. Reinhardt proposes TO train
american actors and crowds on the spot
in New York on his first visit rather than
to import company OF his own. He
only wants to undertake the experiment
1nsRew York under most favorable cir
uomstances. knowing the financial risk
involved In grandiose production OF
The sort he has In mind.
An interesting side Of Reinhardts
experiments Is his belief in the harmony
and contact which should exist between
the speaking and music. He uses a
musical prelude to prepare the atmos-
phere for his plays. He heightens dra-
matte moments through mussoa! accom-
rRniment and uses music in mass scenes
- ;--dicae- the will of the crowd
Nilsen, a Swedish composer who has
lcollaborated with Reinhardt for the last
fifteen years, made n special study OF