Evening star., 1940-12-09

and alter lew minutes jumped out,
and. hardly waiting to dress, hurried
home to put down his thoughts.
From that time on his cure was cut
to the minimum until the complete
sketch OF "Lohengrin" was made.
Not only did this opera win the
composer wide acclaim, but it was
the means of eventually providing
him financial security, at least for
time The young Prince Ludwig of
Bavaria, heard the opera when he
was Is years old and was so deeply
impressed by it that he resolved to
do all in his power to help the COM
composer of it. When he sue
ceeded to the throne three years
later, his first thought was for Wag-
ner, to whom he sent an invitation
to take UP his residence at court and
to accept a yearly stipend paid from
the private purse of the King.
Story in Ethereal Music.
The young monarch's enthusiasm
for 'Lohengrin' invaded his whole
life. He had the palace decorated
with paintings representing diff
ferent episodes in the opera and
had statues of the characters placed
about. So completely did he identify
himself with the hero that he had
designed the silvery costume in
which Lohengrin makes his appear
ance for himself and in boat
drawn by an ingeniously constructed
swan would sail around the lake of
his estate imagining himself the
Swan Knight. In this way did the
mental malady which was later to
develop so alarmingly begin to mani
fest itself in him.
Never before and never again was
Wagner to write such ethereal music
as that with which he told the
story of the knight who sought his
full achievement through the faith
of woman" For that wondrous
character Of Lohengrin. pure and
princely, he contrived a musical ex-
preston of rare luminosity. For
the lovely Elsa, who saw her rescuer
in dream. and to his thrice re-
peated demand to promise never to
ask his name or whence he came
she gave glad acquiescence. he added
human warmth powerfully in con-
trast to the shimmering melody
which announces the arrival of
Lohengrin in the swan-drawn boat.
Dark and foreboding are the strains
allowed to Frederick of Telramund.
head of the knights of Brabant who
suspected Elsa of having killed her
young brother in order to inherit
the throne of Brabant. and to
Ortrud, his wife, a ruthless and vim
dictive character.
Before Henry the Fowler, King of
Germany, holding court beneath
the Oak of Justice, the case is pre-
sented. Three times the heralds,
at Elsa request, call for some one
to defend her honor Three times
there is silence. until suddenly the
cleaning knight with his snow
white swan is seen approaching
Falling at his feet, Elsa agrees to
be his wife if he conquers Tel
ramund in battle. Her innocence
proven. a gorgeous marriage cere-
mony is arranged. Then Ortrud in
the dark Of night steals to Elsa S
balcony and sows the seeds of doubt
by pointing out the magic con-
nected with the appearance Of
Lohengrin.
Urged to Change Ending.
Elsa, radiant with happiness. re-
pudiates the suggestion, yet, when
left alone with her bridegroom she
cannot resist asking the forbidden
question as to his name and rank.
Then Lohengrin sadly tells her that
she has violated her promise and
he must return from whence he
came. Summoning again the
knights and mobiles under the Oak
of Justice, he bids farewell to his
wife, the swan mysteriously returns
and stepping into the boat he sails
into the unknown.
The ending of the opera was so
unusual for that period that Wag-
ner was advised by several of his
clolsest friends to change it and
return to the ordinary happy con-
clusion or else finish with an out
| and-out tragedy. For short while
he considered this advice, but finally
came to the conclusion that his
ending should stand as it was. Its
dramatic effect which Wagner, so
far in advance of his time, could
thoroughly appreciate, is one of the
strongest in operate literature.
Ernest Newman, profound stu
dent of Wagner and his compost
tions, says that had Wagner died
after Lohengrin' he still would have
been the greatest operate composer
Of his time"
Italy has abolished the old-type
1s,nrtA.lx rJ~ 4