The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-03-23
tLohengrin WiH Be This Week s Opera
Rethberg, Olszewska and MelchiOr to Star in Satur
 day Presentation of Wagner's Popular Work
Told By ELISABETH RETHBERG

sWhenever I sing Elsa in Wag- ner's "Lohengrin," as I shall this Saturday afternoon in the perform ance to be broadcast by the Metro politan Opera association, I re- member my very first appearance on the stage. It was in 'Lohen- grin" at the Royal Opera House in Dresden. Fritz Reiner was the conductor-but I was not Elsa. l was only one of the pages who at- tend the Princess; yet l was as ex- cited and nervous as if my entire career depended upon the way 1 walked across the stage with the other girls.
 I was still very much in my "teens," living at home with my parents, taking singing lessons and singing now and then in churches and at amateur affairs. One night MT Reiner heard me sing, liked me, and arranged an addition for me at the opera.
 Somehow I must have got over my fright enough to sing fairly well for at the end of the addition the intendant offered me a con- tract for three years and MT Reiner told me to be ready to be a page in 'Lohengrin" in two days.
 . I don't know how I got home perhaps I ran most of the way but l can still see the look on my fathers face when I told him that l had been engaged at the Royal Opera and that he must go at once to sign the contract for me, for I was minor and could not sign one myself. I don't think he really believed me until he had the con- tract in his hands.
 Has Sung Role Many Times
 Then there was a celebration and I am certain that my people were never prouder of me than on that night when I was one of the pages escorting Elsa to the church.
 When l think of how other girls have had heart breaking waits to get into a great opera house I real Nize that I was very lucky but since that beginning my life like that of any other successful artist has been chiefly hard work. Luck has had very little to do with it.
 I suppose that I have sung Elsa at least as often as any other role in my repertoire which now in cludes Italian and French as well as German operas. And like all women who have sung it, am very fond of it. The music is beautiful, the part itself is sympathetic-in fact, the music is so beautiful and the part so sympathetic that it is difficult for an artist to fail in II.
 Of course there will always be cynics who say that Elsa IS color less character who cannot keep 1-;, fnrh but fortunately the public at large sees Elsa as I see her, very love- ly, poetic figure in a very lovely poetic opera.
 Story of Opera Is Romantic
 The story is romance itself and must be familiar to nearly every body. Elsa, Princess of Brabant, accused by the plotting Telramund and his wicked wife, Ortrud, of having killed her young brother so that she may inherit the crown, must be defended by champion who will battle for her honor with Telramund, Thus decrees King Henry, sitting in judgment. In answer to her prayer there comes a beautiful knight, clad in dazzling armor, borne along the River Echeldt in a boat drawn by swan. He will fight for her, but on con- dition that she never asks his name.
 Telramund is overthrown, Elsa is vindicated and becomes the prom ised bride of the champion. But Ortrud works on the impression able girl so successfully that after the marriage Elsa, despite her promise, asks the fatal question and the bridegroom must leave her. At the parting he tells her he Is Lohengrin, the son of Farsi fal, and a Knight of the Holy Grail. Making ready to depart. he