At Bayreuth

To many a musician and many a dramatist, the Bayreuth Festival in Germany partakes of the nature of a ceremony in honor of a saint. The saint is Richard Wagner, who stated--and lived according to his statement--that the artist's function is a religious one, to lead the public mind "by ideal representation of the allegorical picture to the comprehension of the inner essence, the divine, unspeakable Truth." To that end, he composed his series of operas, drama-music spectacles called Der Ring des Niebe-lungen, knowing full well that they could never be adequately presented by conventional opera companies under conventional conditions.They would require a special theatre, a special ensemble, a special audience, a special period of time consecrated to their comprehension. To bring about possible conditions, he conceived the idea of building a theatre, specially dedicated to such productions as The Ring. He would build it of cheap boards, slap it up in a meadow, invite his artists and his audience, "and when all was ready, I would give three performances of Siegfried in one week; after the third the theatre would be pulled down and my score burned. To those who were pleased with it, I would say: 'There, go and do likewise.' " Such was the sublime abnegation of Richard Wagner, who, at the age of 60, was pleased to stand on his head in the presence of a visitor and boast "that is more than you can do."

With his heavy jaw set against the odds and his bright eyes on Heaven, the rugged old crusader succeeded in organizing the theatre of his inspiration at Bayreuth in 1876. Since then, the Wagnerian operas have been presented as he wished, but the scores are not burned nor is the theatre torn down. Neither unfortunately do others go and do likewise. But the music is preserved and sung annually with the fervor which characterizes the Passion Play of Oberammergau. Last year there was no festival at Bayreuth, because the theatre was undergoing necessary post-War repairs. This year, however, from July 19 to Aug. 20, it is being resumed under the stage direction of Siegfried Wagner .(son of the composer), the orchestral leadership of Karl Elmendorf, Karl Muck and Anton Witek. Tristan und Isolde was the first production. It will be followed by Parsifal and Der Ring des Nibelungen. Critics announced the productions were brilliant--worthy candles for the shrine.