Grand opera in America . ademy to hear Doctor Damrosch and Thomas produce fragments of suchworks without scenery or physical dramaticaction. 244 Grand Opera in America. Theodore Thomas was not alone in hisdesire to push forward the cause of Wagne-rian opera, for Dr. Leopold Damrosch, con-ductor of the Symphony Society in NewYork, was equally enthusiastic, and was apersonal friend of Wagner. Doctor Damrosch had played first violinin Liszts orchestra at Weimar, and was sohighly esteemed by that great man thatLiszt dedicated to him a symphonic poem,Le Triomphe Funebre de Tasso. Doctor
Grand opera in America . ademy to hear Doctor Damrosch and Thomas produce fragments of suchworks without scenery or physical dramaticaction. 244 Grand Opera in America. Theodore Thomas was not alone in hisdesire to push forward the cause of Wagne-rian opera, for Dr. Leopold Damrosch, con-ductor of the Symphony Society in NewYork, was equally enthusiastic, and was apersonal friend of Wagner. Doctor Damrosch had played first violinin Liszts orchestra at Weimar, and was sohighly esteemed by that great man thatLiszt dedicated to him a symphonic poem,Le Triomphe Funebre de Tasso. Doctor Damrosch was now sent to Europeto secure singers for a season of Germanopera. He made provisional agreementswith Mesdames Materna and Hanfstangl,and with Herren Schott, Robinson, andothers, and cabled to New York for per-mission to confirm the contracts. But thedirectors were still undecided. As timepassed on the singers became restive, andthe scheme almost fell through, when atlast the necessary permission arrived. The. DR. LEOPOLD DAMROSCH, German Opera. 245 indefatigable zeal of Doctor Damrosch wassuch that before the end of the season hishealth gave way, and his death took placein January, 1885. The following review of the opening ofthe season gives an excellent description ofthe arrangements and of the chief singers: An audience that packed the Metropoli-tan Opera House from floor to ceilinggreeted Doctor Damroschs German singersin « Tannhauser last night. While popu-lar enthusiasm was aroused only a few times,the general impression which the perform-ance left was excellent. The music of theconcerted numbers and many of the solosand choruses was rendered with dramaticbreadth and dignity, and with a fine balanceof the parts that gave true key to Wagnersmeaning; and the delightful unity of purposethat pervaded both the histrionic and musicalefforts of all preserved the continuity of thedramatic thought, and made the work as a 246 Crand Opera in America. whole thoroughly ar
Size: 1373px × 1821px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectopera, bookyear1901
