Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-24
4DAS RHE|NGOLD"
MEETS DIFFICULTY
Pile Drivers and Late See
merry Add to Troubles of
German Opera.

Thoroughly impressed with the clock
like exactions of the famous Bay
reuth traditions" nearly 1000 Washing
tonianS hustled and scrambled into tn;
lobby of Polls Theater just prior tt
2:l5 pm. yesterday so as to reach Their
seats in time to hear the first not
of Wagner'S ''DaS Rheingold' and Stant
no chance of being shut out until tht
end of the first act as is known to b,
the custom in Bayreuth, home of the
great composer and scene of the first
feStSplelhaus" for ring" cycle produc.
lions. This was the initial appearance
here OF the German Opera Co.
Yet. as the magic hour was imminent
the people found they jostled against
each other and damned the lobby from
end to end in vain. The doors were
not yet open. A few hardy and daring
souls, who were encircling the block in
endeavor TO park machines, saw what
were obviously members Of the cast sit
ting on recently dumped trunks of
properties" in the rear, outside the
stage entrance. One sturdy Wagnerian
tenor even was spotted running around
lost on the Fifteenth street side, trying
to locate the stage entrance. He was
duly directed to where his associates
were parked awaiting their turns to get
in with their trunks.
Stage Director Dies.
In the meantime, on the Pennsyl-
vania avenue side, the dutifully pune
tual and bewildered patrons were let
into the theater and found their seats
before $50 pm. A man with the COM
pany then appeared on the stage and
explained that scenery and other prop
critics were late in arriving He re-
quested the audience to please have
patience, adding that the orchestra
would entertain them with a couple of
selections, beginning with "Siegfried'S
Funeral March" This choice OF music
to entertain them quite naturally
aroused wave of laughter from the
audience. The mirth subsidized quickly
enough, however, when an explanation
was added which showed the aptness
OF the choice, as it was chosen not
really as entertainment" but SIS geS-
ture OF sincere memorial for Walter
Elschner, the stage and art director,
who came to this country with the
company and died yesterday of influ-
enza. Mr.. Elschner was formerly con-
nected with the Hamburg Opera Co.
Following the playing of the funeral
4AOLl Lie AO6tlEIOd6UlInPTuIl
the orchestral sought additional inspira-
ton in selection from Tristan und
Isolde" A long silence ensued, en-
dured with admirable patience and good
will by the large audience. Then. just
prior to pm, shortly after the ap-
pearance of Mrs. Coolidge in her box,
the famous chord upon which the OPEN
ing music of "DaS Rheingold' is built.
was sounded. The opera was on.
Naturally, the subject of "Bayreuth
Traditions" was matter of wide dis
cussion during that one-and-a-haif
hours of waiting. The writer has not been
to Bayreuth, but understands that
major points in those famous "tradi-
tons" include: No cuts in score: the
starting of each and every act on the
dot; no admittance or exit allowed to
the audience during an act. Such
traditions as these certainly were OBJ
served in Munich when the Ring" was
given at the Prinzregenten Theater
tsaid to be a duplicate of the Bayreuth
Festsplelhaus), when the writer heard
these operas given there in 1926. Also,
the scenery tSaid to be new that YEAR,
was admirable; the lighting effects were
of the wizardly proportions accredited
to the Germans as the worlds most ad-
vanced experts in that line; and the
Illusions regarding the maidens SWIM
ming about in the Rhine in the first
act and the transformations of Alberich
with the tarnhelm later, were excel
lently contrived.
VaIhalla Pea Green.
The same connt be said of settings.
lighting or illusions at yesterdays per-
Torrance. Valhalla, for whose Slln-
posedly glorious construction, the gods
PAID such price to the giants, was
sickly pea-green painted castle on @
cotton backdrop, and seemed given to
spells OF ague whenever healthy blast
from the brass reverberated backstage.
Also the muddy tones of the costumes
worn by the gods and goddesses were
far from inspiring.
However. it may be seriously said
that such an effort as the German
opera Company is putting forth to
bring this wonder music to American
audiences also should have its place in
the scheme of things if properly done.
IL Is generally known that the company
as IL appeared in New York without
Suftlclent rchearsals was uncompro-
misingly sat upon by the New York
critics. What is not so generally known
is the fact that midway of the first
week Mime. Gadski'S husband pulled
the company from complete fiasco and
,. Hurok, leading New York manager.
TOOK over the management.
yesterday at small luncheon, Mr..
Hurok stated frankly his disapproval of
the lack OF enough rehearsals before
New York's premiere. He told of turn
Ing away 1000 people at the final New
York performance before coming to
washington, and also stated that a re-
turn engagement is planned for New
YORK at the end Of the tour. Mr.. Hurok
said that group of private individuals
assure the establishment of the company
on sound financial basis with plans
ahead for three years at least and hopes
OF becoming permanent institution in
the United States.
Inc actual performance yesterday
certainly could have been improved
upon, yet it did follow general Wagner
ian traditions sufficiently to win really
enthusiastic applause at its conclusion.
Also, once it got under way about 4
pm. there was no intermission until the
end. at $50 pm, and the couples here
and there who felt obliged to leave
scrambled over the toes of others with
muttered apologies in the darkness dur
ing the brief intervals when the curtain
was lowered. The large majority, how
ever. were game. They stayed till the
end and liked it.
DIR. Rabl Fine Musician
DR.. Walter Rabl, who conducted. is
obviously fine musician, saturated
with authentic Interpretation even OF
a. score definitely cut yesterday to pre-
sent three-hour opera within hall
its time. With a thoroughly trained
and rehearsed orchestra, Dr. Rabl prob
ably would provide an excellent per-
formance. The one yesterday with S.
musicians who had been assembled in
New York couple Of weeks previously
was admirable considering the condi-
tons.
OF the singers, Waldemar Henke was
an excellent Mime, Carl Joern was very
good as Loge, seeming to enter into thu
spirit OF the misunderstanding fire GOO