The New York herald., 1922-12-28
Die Walkuere' at
metropolitan Has
Denoted Audience
Many at Repeated Perform
ance Qualify as Perfect
Wagnerites.'
BY w. j. HENDERsON.

die Walkuere" continues to be the
lone member OF Wagner's tetralogy.
Der Ring des Nibelungen." in the
current repertory of the Metropolitan
Opera House 1t was repeated last
night to the apparent pleasure Of the
Wednesday subscribers and a large
number of others, each of whom might
perhaps have qualified as Bernard
Shaw's Perfect Wagnerite." 1t GER
tainly is evidence of deep interest in
Wagner's art, if not ecstatic devotion
to it, to stand in solemn silence in the
dull. dark space behind the orchestra
rail through the three long acts which
unfold the workings of weary Wotdn's
futile plan to breed a freely acting
hero to deliver the gods from the
bondage Of the curse imposed upon
them by tile violation of the moral
law in the rape Of the gold.
The glittering web of guiding themes
that holds together the musical struc-
ture Of Der Ring des Nibelungen'
is starred in "Die Walkuere" as it is
in "Siegfried," with many pages of
free music such as the surging love
song OF Siegmund, the announcement
of death by Bruennhilde, and the clos
ing threnody Of the father god over
the couch of his favorite daughter,
from whom he has taken the divinity
with the kiss of sleep.
Doubtless these gems Of the opera
make their desired impression upon
the casual hearer, who does not grasp
the entire significance of the score,
but even in those scenes in which the
leading themes are busiest the mar
velous skill of Wagner in making
them voice the passionate moods OF
the moment lifts the musical utter
ance of the drama to heights of COM
pelling eloquence. This is the case
always when a performance Is carried
forward with sincerity on the part OF
all concerned.
die Walkuere' as givei at the
Metropolitan is continually interesting.
1t is not in all moments ideally inter-
preted. but it is given with earnest
ness, and in places with splendid ef-
feet. The cast of last evening was
that of the last previous performance.
Nine. Matzenauer as BruennhHde,
Nine. Gordon as Frickd, Miss Reth-
berg as Sieglnde, Mr.. Taucher as
SiegD,und, Mr. Bender as Hundtng and
Mr.. Whitehill as Wotdn constituted
cast we'll fitted to give a highly COM
mendable performance of the drama.
Mr.. Bodanzky conducted.
Mrs Hamilton Mex. Twombly's guests
were Mr. and Mrs. Ogden II. Hammond
and Mr.. and Mrs. James Lowell Putnam.
Mrs Henry Asher Robbins, Mr.. and
Mrs. Harold Turner. Mr.. and Mrs. The
ron Strong and Mr.. Nathan ii. Lord
were in Box 33.
With Mr. and Mrs. e. Reeve Merritt
in Box were Mr.. and Mrs. Frederic
r. Coudert. Mrs. Lea Hudson and Miss
Sara Kierstede Hudson.
With Mrs. Charles A. Childs in the
Frick box were Col. and Mrs. Edward
NJ. House and Mr.. Emerson Smalley.
Mr.. and Mrs. Stuart Duncan, Mr.. and
Mrs Robert l.. Livingston and Mrs.
Moses Taylor Campbell were guests of
Mrs James Il. Clews in Box IL.
Mrs. Minturn Pinchot. Mrs. Chamber
lain Chanler and Mrs Alexander A.
Hutchinson were with Miss Louise Sands
In Box / /.
Mr.. and Mrs. Robert e. Tod. Mr.. and
Mrs A. Stewart Walker and Mr.. and
Mrs George Rose were in Box 26.
Mr.. and Mrs. Morgan Barnwell, Mr..
and Mrs. A. Nelson Lewis and Mrs. Jose
Agmar were guests of Mr.. Shipley Jones
in Box 23.
Mr.. and Mrs Alexander Webb. Mrs
Ernest Flogg and Mr.. Frederic r. King
were with Mrs. Stanford White in the
Webb box.