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IN RELATED KEYS
Herbert Bates
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Omaha aporeciates German opera, nor
does it limit its appreciation to the
lighter operas. The Valkyrie found as
warm a welcome as either Tann
haeuser or Lohengrin, and it was the
Valkyrie that was the most promi
nent. It was overwhelming, so over
whelming indeed, that the critic of the
World-Herald forgot to criticize, and
went into two columns of inarticulate
ecstatic hysterics. And no wonder.
It takes about twelve hours to sober up
after an emotional carouse of that kind.
One is brought, more or lees unpre
pared, into sudden contact with one of
the greatest of artistic creations.
This set of operas, this Cycle of the
Ring of the Nibelungs, ranks with the
plays of Shakespeare, the Symphonies
of Beethoven. The myth it deals with
is our own, the epic of the Germanic
north. Wo have adopted Greek Gods,
we teach the Greek mythology in our
schools, we accept, reluctantly, the
story of the slow-blooded Beowulf. But
too many of us know nothing of the
glorious story of the Volsungs. We
know that it has something to do with
the Niblungenlied. The connection,
however, is very remote. That is gross
and 'physical. The Volsunga Saga is
spiritual, of the immortals, strong Scan
dinavian immortals, ideals of our north
ern race. Any one who has not studied
this vigorous mythology has missed
much.
It is upon this mythology that the
cycle of music-drama, of which the
Valkyrie is second, is founded. It is
not complete in itself, it is merely one
of a chain, but it is complete as a link.
Like all the rest of the cycle, it is
emotionally most intense. There is a
constant serse of suppressed passion, of
impending fate, of approaching out
burst. Keats dreamt of music sighing
"like a god in pain." He could have
heard it in the motive of Votan's grief.
Then there is the motive of the Vol
sung race, a strong-hearted, hopeless
aspiring, met and sadly soothed by the
tenderer notes of woman's comfort.
The first act is one grand climax,
reaching its height when Siegmund
draws the sword from the stem to the
blare of the triumphant sword-motive.
In the second act there is less outburst.
0;e feels the gloomy sorrow of Votan,
forced to give up his own son to death.
In the last act comes the wild ride of
Valkyries, and the punishment of Brun
hild. Votan Badly lays her in the magic
sleep; and the fire flames all around
her. As the elder Edda says:
,'He set round my hall toward the south
quarter The bane of all trees burning aloft,
And ruled that he only thereover should
ride
Who should bring me the gold o'er
which Fafnir brooded."
It is a pity that the rest of the cycle
could not be given. Perhaps, however,
there will be a chance to hear them in
successive years. One does not like to
leave the story forever "to be con
tinued." Berthald distinguished himself as
Siegmund, both in acting and in sing
ing. In the "spring song' he was par
ticularly successful. Of all love-scenes
in opera, that in the Valkyrie is the
most impassioned. It is love in deadly
peril, the love of the children of gods,
the strong-blooded first of men. It
takes genius to act such a scene. And
this Berthald and Fraulein Mulder
have. At the end of the act the audi
ence was wild with enthusiasm.
Popovici as Votan lacked the thund
erous richness of voice that the par
called for; he falls far short of Fischer.
He made, however, the best of his ma
terial. As Telramund in '-Lohengrin,'
a part far better suited to him, bo did
excellently. Klafski as Brynhild waB
superb. She is not beautiful; she is
not. like the Brynhild of the Edda, "a
swan on a billow." Sho has the very
substantial physique needed by a singer
of Wagnerian opera. But her voice and
her dramatic force make one forget all
this. One sees only the noble-hearted
Valkyrie, disobeying her father's com
mands for his own good, asking only,
since she must become mortal, that she
may be surrounded by perils that shall
keep away all save tho man who is
worthy of her, the hero who shall ride
the fire. Her voice is strong, wonder
fully strong, yet sweet and so easily pro
duced that one docs not appreciate the
wonder of its volume. It is a great
voice, one of the few great voices of the
operatic stage.
The work of tho orchestra was above
criticism. It was as remarkable in
blending as in force. The phrases
seemed to slip imperceptibly from in
strument to 'instrument. Herr Lohse,
the hnsband of Fra Klafski, conducted
in the absence of Damroech. Of Dam
rosch's absence I heard no very satisfy
ing explanation. It was rather to be
regretted that the audience, not realiz
ing the significance of every phrase of
the music, insisted on applauding at the
fall of the curtain. In Italian opera
this is very well. In Wagner's work,
applause should have been delayed till
the last note had died away. As it was,
the significance of the closing measures
was entirely lost.
In "Tannhaeuser," Gruening and
Klafski deserve special mention. In
"Lohengrin" Franlin Gadsky made an
excellent Elsa, but attention centered
on Alvari, His voice has lost a little,
especially in the upper notes. This
was shown particularly in the first act.
But he improved greatly as he went on.
In the chamber scene he was at his
best, so too in the sad farewell to
Elsa. Whatever hiB faults, he remains,
the De Rezkes excepted, one of the
greatest actor-singers on the stage. The
thrilling violin tone of his voice, the
delicacy of shading in every note, his
dramatic power, his impetuous grace,
all Join to make him the ideal hero of
German opera. It is sad, however, to
B3o such a voice begin to fail. Same say
its failure is the ro3ult of bad method.
Taat may ba. Whatever tb.9 causa, it
is pitiable, pitiable with the great pit
eousness of the pacing of youth.
Taesianery was mjJiosrd. Tais was
owing, partly to the smalln333 of the
stage, partly, I suppose, to the small
ness of the cars that carried the com
pany, It was fair so far as it went, and
the music supplied the rest. No stage
moonlight could be half so melting as
that silver rippling of the harp when
spring "laughed in the hall."
Well, it is over, and Omaha is proud,
for she appreciated it, It ie to be
hoped that she paid for it, so that it
may come again. If we cannot have
opera ourselves, it is much to have it
visit our neighors.
At the Universalist church, Mr,
August Hagenow played Svenson's
Romanza, better on the whole, than I
have heard him play it before. He
seemed more in the mood. Miss Turn
er's solo was, also, a great improve
ment over her last. Her voice showed
more power and more confident
handling. It needs, however, still more
training. There was a slight tendency to
flat, which should be overcome. It is
remarkable in purity and sweetness of
tone. Of the numbers by the quartet,
Disease commonly comet on with slight symptoms, which when neg
lected increase it extent and gradualy grow dangerous.
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WILBUR ROLLING MILLS
MANUFACTURERS
fill? PER Yi
the theme and variations from Bee
thoven was the most substantial.
Haydn's Allegro was pleasing, and the
Meyerbeer Coronation march made a
stirring close. The numbers from Men
delssohn were not so satisfactory. The
Songs without Words seem to belong to
the piano, at least to a solo instrument;
they seem Btraoge when presented in
a large mass.
Tne au dienca was as large as usual.
The hymns were helped considerably
by Miss Turner and an unknown singer
soonwhere in the body of the church.
If a few mire v,ou!d help, this part of
the service would go better still. The
hymns that are sung are not at all bad.
They are slow, pas the Journal says, but
they are rather better as music than
"Rwcue the Perishing" or "There is
Life For a Look.' All that is needed
is a little effort.
The audience of the German opera at
Omaha was not surpassingly dazzling
Many men wore evening dress, and the
pretty costumes of many of the women
brightenod the theatre. But the gen
eral effect was not of society display.
Oae saw not brilliant dress, but earnest
faces. The audience came to hear. In
cidentally many of them dressed well.
A large part of the audience was Ger
man. One caught from all directions,
subdued ich's and ach's. Long haired
musicians sat poring over their scores.
greedily critical of every note. It
in fact, an audienso as intelligently ap
preciative as one could wish. And it is
to the Germans, by the way, that we
owe the musical growth of this country.
The Italians have been enthusiastic
enough, but their ardor cannot fire us.
One might as well try to kindle coal
with shavings. They flare up, and gQ
out, and we are still cold. But the glow
of the German burns stronger, with in
tenser and more communicable heat.
His nature, too, is more akin to our
own. Already we begin to feel the
crackle and cordial spread of the new
fire.
Good Luck!
We are not selling out at cost.
Neither are we selling out to close
business. We are in business to stay
and we are making prices on groceries
that will meet any competition in the
city prices that will attract your
trade and goods that will cause you to
stay with us. Just stop in and give us
atrial order and let us show you what
we can do. Everything in season.
JM. J. Metcalfe,
1112 O street.
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