Show WAGNERIAN OPERA The Presentation of Tanhanser at Bayreuth WAS NOT A TRIUMPHANT SUCCESS The MlseenScene Was all the Imagination Could Picture Some of the Singers Were Mediocre Special to THE HERALD Examinsr Cable BAYREUTII July 23To many Bayreuth pilgrims the chief interest of this years testival has centered in Tannbauser Paris version a this is the first one of Wagners four operas Rienzi The Flying Fly-ing Dutchman Tannhauser and Lo hengrin as distinguished from his seven music dreams the Nibelnng triology Tristan Mcistersinger and Par sifal that have been sung at Bayreuth The house last night was filled with amore a-more critical and perhaps less enthusiastic audience than on the first two nights of the festival Everybody was well acquainted ac-quainted with the opera the novelty was all confined to the opening scenes and it was these that attracted the profoundest profound-est interest When the wellknown overture merged into a bacchanaly and the I curtains were parted a scene of magical beauty was revealed The pictures welch stir the imagination of readers of Wagners minut and poetic descriptions in the textbook text-book were vividly presented and the most ravishing dreams realized The deep blue of the grotto stretching into indefinite space the murmuring of waterfalls the merry feasting and danciug nymphs and youths the seductive chorus of the sirens the procession of semidelirious bacchantes the lovely pacifying grace the amorettes shooting their arrows all combined to forma form-a vision out of the most beautiful elements of Greek mythology while to this came the accompaniment of voluptuous music the like of which has never been before conceived con-ceived and which overwhelmed the listening listen-ing soul alternately as with opium and storng wine There were two different views of the Wartburg one in spring and the other in winter painted with the art of a master Wonderful were time effects of electrical illumination and the rapid changes of scenery The transformation in the first act from the Venus grotto to the sunlit with startling country was accomplished strtlng suddenness Although always ex Dec ted it was still a surprise like some of the composers com-posers astonishing modulations Great attention at-tention was given to tee costumes which were strictly medieval in character of historical his-torical accuracy a was every detail of the miseenscene outside of the grotto of Venus where only fancy was given leave to run riot The ballet given there was a superior to ordinary ballets as a symphony to a quadrille In tne intervals of dancing artistic views were given vividly painted on the air and Illuminated by the electric light of Europa carried away by the bull and Leda fawned upon by the swan There was a sunset with the dying illumination of an isolated cloud probably the finest piece of scenic effect over beheld in any theatre Such a I combination of splendor almost makes combinaton amost maes criticism speechless but speak it must and say the execution of the opera last evening was not up to expectation Winkelmann was the Tannhauser He was conventional conven-tional and disappointing and did not act or I sing in the true Bayreuth spirit Suchers Venus was splendid vocally and dramatically dramat-ically but she was less seductive in appearance ap-pearance than Lili Lehmann The noble Wolferm of Relchmann took his place naturally nat-urally a a Bayreuth artist and tilled it The Elizabeth was a new singer Fraulien Wiborg a pupil and protege of Madame Wagner She was fairly good inherdifllcult music but seemed on her first appearance to owe everything to training and instruction instruc-tion and little to inspiration The ensemble en-semble va not equal to that in the Tris tan or ParisifaL In fact i the truth must be told better general performances of < Tannhauser have been heard in Dresden Dres-den and New York It will delight Wag I nerites all over the world to know as I now announce that it has been officially decided by the management of the Bay reuth theatre to give these festivals annually an-nually hereafter Among the latest arrivals at Bayrenth are Prince and Princess von Hatzfeldt |