Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-10
OVATION IS GIVEN
! GERMAN SINGERS
Waqnerian Performers Close
Season With "Die Goetter.
daemmerung."

The German Grand Opera Company
closed its first season" of Wagnefian
performances in Washington with an
ovation from the large audience which
attended TIE last of the Ring" cycle
"Die Goetterdaemmerung." at Polls
Theater last night. There were many
who voiced the opinion this Is the best
of them ALL" 1t was an admirable per-
Torrance and credit is due S. Hurok,
who rescued the company after disaS-
trous start under other management in
New York and placed it firmly upon its
own feet.
From Washington the company goes
% Pittsburgh and then makes a great
loop. taking in leading cities of the
Middle West and going into Canada
before returning to New York In April,
according to Mr.. Hurok.
Orchestra Greatly improved.
As for die oetterdaemmerung,
again Dr. Rabl deserves credit for the
truly marvellous feat he seems to have
achieved with this orchestra since it
first appeared here late in January in
the performance of "Das Rheingold."
The reading of the score was given with
clean-cut fusing of themes, without
hesitation, and with authoritative in
depreciation that did much to increase
the dramatic values of the extremely
good acting on the part of the singers.
The majority of the leading roles were
eScellently cast in this respect as we'll
rs vocally. Only the Rhine maidens and
the inevitable male chorus were I'M
compromisingly amateurish; at that.
however, they were rs good Is similar
groups in the majority of operate pro-
auctions.
The orchestra gave the lovely music
of the Rhine journey of Siegfried
charmingly. Siegfried's funeral march
was highly effective as presented in
This production.
OF the singers again, as in Tristan
ind Isolde" honors should be given to
Juliette Lippe, whose Bruennhilde was
well played. vocally and hiStrionically.
She sang "Bruennhilde's Anklage" par
ticularly forcefullv. AS she held the
torch aloof to light Siegfrieds funeral
pyre she made an Impressive picture.
The Siegfried of Hans Taenzler,
while not as vocally satisfying as that
of Carl Joern, gained much in his fine
dramatic sense and also his StatueSque,
1.-THE physique. His diction, too, was
admirable.
The third outstanding character.
Hagen. was vocally and dramatically
impressive as presented by the rich
voiced Carl Braun. The trio of
Bruennhilde, Hagen and Gunther in
the second act was one of the few
thrilling pieces of dramatic fusion with
singing, with no sacrifice of the blend
Of voices, that have been heard here.
The Gunther of Franz Egenieff was
satisfactory, but not unusual Hide
Sarde Bartz was fine vocally and very
attractive as personality in her read
ing of the rather thankless role of
Gutrune. Ottilie Metzger-Lattermann
gave her usual authentic treatment in
the role of Waltraute and sang the
famous "Erzaehlung' of that unhappy
iAlberich was good in the small part
which that character has in this opera.
Lighting Facilities Poor.
II would seem that the chief draw
back of the production at present, the
thing that keeps them from being COM
,pletely superior, is the lighting. Also
the scenery, while traditional, could be
improved upon, and many of the me-
chanical devices that Wagner's works
i1ecessitate to accomplish apparent
magical feats are clumsy and might be
made much less conspicuous with more
WR1I CkulIy pldIlilEu 1ASub4LtS GACSto.
Undoubtedly, in time, this will be
remedied, for Mr. Hurok stated that he
Is sending a technician to Europe next
Summer not only. to study the effects
thoroughly at the two famous festspiel-
lhauses but also to investigate the latest
,euuipment for Wagnerian productions
of the German Grand Opera Co. in
America next season. This company
Is to be a permanent organization in
this country and already it is limited
that 1t is probable that Washington will
have six instead of just i've operas in
the tour next season..
! In closing these comments 1t should
be added that the canny alertness OF
the Washington horse which repre-
scented the famous Valkyrie's steed and
his behavior on each of his three APP
pearances on the stage won keeneSt In
lterest and some amusement from the
audience.