ÔO
February 2 2, 1923
MUSICAL COURIER
than the offering of the German company. They have the spirit of it, the true “music drama” spirit, which gets as far away from the concert idea as it does from the “bel canto.” These singers, or, rather, singer-actors, were excellent—Friedrich Plaschke an impressive Wotan, Paul Schwarz an amusing and lively Loge, Schuetzendorf (by courtesy of the Metropolitan Opera House, taking the place of Mr. Zador who was indisposed), a highly dramatic and forceful Alberich, Edwin Steier a most unusually excellent Mime, Kipnis and Lehmann as ponderous giants, Ziegler and Bollmann pleasing as Donner and Froh, and excellent in the feminine roles Emma Bassth, Hede Mex, Ottilie Metzger, Editha Fleischer, Meta Steinmeyer and Jessika Koetrick. The opera was brilliantly conducted by Eduard Moerike.
Die Fledermaus, February 15.
It is a long time since Strauss’ tuneful opera, Die Fledermaus, has been heard here in German. Tuneful it is. The music sounds as fresh as ever, the orchestration is a model for such work; but, to speak frankly, the performance was not very exciting. It may be that some of those who had sung in Rhinegold in the afternoon and had to repeat in Fledermaus in the evening found the task a heavy one. Whatever was the cause—and perhaps it is to be attributed to the lack of rehearsal as much as anything—the performance did not have snap and go enough to put life into the considerably antiquated book.
Heinz Bollmann was not bad as Eisenstein, in fact he was rather the best of the male end of the cast; Paul Schwarz acted Alfred well, but he is not much of a singer; Benno Ziegler as Dr. Falke did very well by the famous Bruederlein number; H. Heifer, as Frosch, overdid the thing; Hofbauer, as Frank, the prison director, was the best actor.
The female honors of the evening went . to Editha Fleischer as Adele. Miss Fleischer could both sing and act, particularly the former, and put about all the dash into the performance that was in it. Marcella Roeseler as Rosalinde sang well and Emma Bassth gave a strongly marked portrait of Orlofsky. Hannelore Ziegler dashed in on the scene in the second act and did a modern dance (to the Radetzky March) which was one of the pleasantest features of the evening. A conductor new to New York, Otto Schwarz, had the baton. He led with exaggerated gestures but a thorough feeling for the beauties of the score. Owing to intermissions very much too long, a further element of drag was put in the performance. The audience liked the first two acts, but hurried out at ten minutes of twelve at the end of the third act with hardly a hand clap.
Tristan and Isolde, February 16 Our Wagnerian visitors are rich in conductors, for the greatest of all Wagnerian music dramas was led by Eduard Moerike, and he proved himself to be a worthy associate of that true master of the baton, Leo Blech. Moerike has a. temperamental style which sweeps along his players and singers, and he achieves climaxes that are tremendous. At the same time he is a musician of sound taste and scholar-liness. It was a delight to hear his contributions to the evening’s musical doings and it is a great tribute both to him and to Blech that their newly formed orchestra is capable of fulfilling the most exacting demands in the way of tone and technic.
The Tristan of the occasion was Jacques Urlus, an old acquaintance from the days when he sang Wagnerian roles at the Metropolitan Opera House. If anything, Urlus has broadened and improved. His voice is one of the best examples of the German tenor organ and he uses it with a fluency that is almost Italian, at least in method. The Urlus conception of Tristan is a noble one and he sings _ and acts the^ part in a manner nothing less than inspiring. Last Friday evening marked the highest point of achievement he has shown New York and he was deservedly applauded and recalled after each.act.
The present writer was not tremendously impressed with the Isolde of Eva von der Osten who, although she looked the part, was somewhat uneven in her vocalism and seemed lacking in passion in her acting. She has a voice without much sensuous charm, and sometimes forces it sharply. Her phrasing is extremely choppy. The Liebestod was sung with great deliberation and an absence of that emotional ecstasy which makes the number one of the great peaks of musical literature.
Alexander Kipnis proved to be a traditional King Mark and performed his operatic functions with satisfactory effect. Theodor Lattermann, the Kurwenal, gave a dignified and noble rendering. His tones were resonant and his portrayal of Tristan’s friend was filled with tenderness and nobility. A very fine voice is Ottilie Metzger’s, a lady who appeared in this country in concerts some years ago _ and was then recognized as the possessor of an exceptionally rich contralto organ and a fine interpretative talent. Last Friday evening she essayed the character of Brangaene and put into it a wealth of feeling and true Wagnerian breadth. Benno Ziegler was the Melot and Paul Schwarz was the Shepherd.
Flying Dutchman, February 17 The Flying Dutchman, which has not been heard in New York for about fifteen years, was splendidly revived by the German singers at the Manhattan Opera House on Saturday evening, February 17. The performance, adequately staged, was generally well sung, arousing the audience to great heights of enthusiasm. Incidentally this opera is perhaps the best performance given thus far at the Manhattan by these visitors, and it_ would be interesting to hear it done at the Metropolitan in the near future.
Friedrich Plaschke was the Flying Dutchman and capital in his role; Ernst Lehmann was the Daland; Elsa Alsen,
(Continued on page 61)
Wagnerian Opera Festival
GERMAN OPERA COMPANY’S INVASION OF
NEW YORK AROUSES MUCH ENTHUSIASM
Tannhäuser, Lohengrin, Rheingold, Der Fledermaus, Tristan and Isolde, and Flying Dutchman Are Given—Schuetzendorf Borrowed from the Metropolitan for Initial Performances of the Ring—Former Favorites Here Heard Again—Orchestra Below Standard—Chorus Work Excellent
Tannhäuser, February 13.	acting the part in distinctive fashion. The trumpeters on
the stage had their minor troubles, more especially Trumpeter No. 1, for his embouchure was decidedly out of order! But such minor defects were nothing as compared to the fine total effect. The four pages, led by Friedel Schwarz, presented attractive appearance, sang well (as on the previous evening in Tannhäuser), and if they continue this “paging” specialty in opera, will soon be proficient enough to cover a New York hotel job! Elsa’s Dream was beautifully sung by Else Wuehler, who has a sweet voice and sympathetic personality; the prayer which followed achieved a big climax, bringing a dozen recalls for principals and Conductor Eduard Moerike. This gentleman it is said was a member of the New York Symphony Orchestra a dozen, years ago, since which time he has become a conductor of note; he is a son of the famous poet of the same name, he who wrote poems for the Wolf songs.
Lohengrin was sung by Jacques Urlus, familiar name to frequenters of the Metropolitan Opera House from 1912-17, where he frequently sang that role. He showed amazing youthfulness, even freshness of voice and appearance, sang with fine detailed effect, and acted with nobility. The California-blue sky, passing clouds, and rich trappings, with solid leather belts, real steel helmets, etc., all showed that the stage management (George Hartmann) was on the job; indeed,־ while not sumptuous, all this looked real, which is more important! The dawn-music was gloriously done, the poignant affectation of grief, which later becomes real, by Ortrud (Mme. Lorenz-Hoellischer), was true to the situation, thought strident at times in her two octaves encompassed (low B to high B). A well-built climax followed, whereupon a dozen or more recalls for all concerned showed real appreciation of the audience. Elsa’s high C’s, and Lohengrin’s similar high B flats, their genuine stage-action, the excellent stage-pictures and grouping, all this made Act III. highly enjoyable; even the chorus in this company acted interested, alive, participating in the general action.
Henry was sung by Herr Lehmann with Worth, Benno Ziegler was the Herald, everybody knew their music and action with no audible promptings, Conductor Moerike guided with a well-raised arm and definite beat, and the orchestra was entirely responsive and reliable. Although the curtain did not fall until a quarter to midnight, recalls again brought everyone to the fore.
Rheingold, February 15 (Matinee).
Hearing Wagner’s Rheingold for the first time in six years one is filled with a bitter sort of sadness and regret, and a good deal of amazement, that America should be so long deprived of the operas of the greatest opera maker of all times. One wonders if our American taste is really so low or so undeveloped that we cannot understand these mighty masterpieces, or if those in power fail to read us right, or if, perchance, it is, as asserted by many, a matter of language? Certainly Rheingold, as given at the Manhattan Opera House by the German company, impresses upon one the value of understanding the speech of the singers. Their pronunciation was so clear and so vigorous, and the orchestra so well subdued, that those in the audience able to understand German could easily get sufficient of the text to enjoy the drama as drama apart from the music. The others could be observed struggling with their librettos in the dark house, some of them even resorting to electric torches. But even in a lighted house one gets very little from a translated libretto unless the words are sung in the language of the translation and sung by singers who can get the words over as these German singers get the words over.
Strictly speaking, there were many things to be desired in this performance of the Rheingold—the mechanical side of it. And yet, to tell the truth, those things were not greatly disturbing. We have seen many a more perfect mechanical, and even musical, performance, that was far less impressive
It was indeed too small an audience that gathered to hear Tannhäuser Tuesday night. Perhaps this was due to the original announcement that a concert was to be given on that evening, but nevertheless the splendid performance of the German company warranted a capacity house. Enthusiasm knew no bounds, and at each opportunity those present showed their keen approval in no uncertain terms.
First honors should go to Meta Seinemeyer, as Elizabeth, and Adolf Lussmann, as Tannhäuser, although Friedrich Schoor, as Wolfram, presented the best all around performance. The latter, particularly, pleased with both his splendid singing and acting. Else Alsen, as Venus, was not at her best evidently, though the audience liked her. Lussmann proved himself an actor as well as a tenor of high rank; he made much of his role. Leo Blech, the conductor, did his best with an orchestra none too good, and the others in the cast ably supported the stars.
Mention must be made of some of the splendid costumes, although the scenery seemed poor indeed to one who has seen the Metropolitan performance. All in all, however, the performance was both interesting and enjoyable.
The complete cast was as follows: Herrmann (Alexander Kipnis), Tannhäuser (Adolf Lussmann), Wolfram (Friedrich Schorr), Walter (Heinz Bollmann), Heinrich (Paul Schwarz), Biterof (Desider Zador), Raimar (Peter Hegar),, Elizabeth (Meta Seinemeyer), Venus (Else Alsen), ]?ages (Friedel Schwarz, Hede Mex, Elfriede Thon and Emma Bassth).
Lohengrin, February 14
Wagner’s highly poetic-romantic opera, Lohengrin, first produced in Weimar by the man who twenty years later became his father-in-law, Franz Liszt (Wagner was temporarily in exile in Switzerland), drew a large house at the Manhattan, February 14, and well deserved the almost frantic applause which called' out singers and conductor time and again after every act. At the outset, Telramund’s splendid voice stood forth, Theodor Lattermann singing and
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