Metropolitan Opera Archives

It is unquestionably true that a great deal of Wagner's music is unsingable; but that is not a sufficient reason why the singable parts should not be sung. This remark is the result of careful attention to last evening's performance of "Die Walküre" at the Metropolitan Opera House. Herr Niemann often delights the intelligent auditor by the earnestness and force of his acting; but he just as often harrows the soul by his inability to sing. In the first act of "Die Walküre" the musical climax is Siegmund's love song, and this, one of the most thoroughly lyrical passages in all Wagner's works, the aged tenor simply murdered last night. In his misdeeds in this act. He was aided and abetted by Frau Seidl-Kraus, who is wholly inadequate to the demands of Sieglinde, and last night she was even worse than she usually is. It will be readily inferred from these remarks that the second week of the Nibelugen trilogy did not open auspiciously. The appearance of Fräulein Lehmann as Brünnhilde in the second act rather mended matters, and Herr Fischer's good work as the much-troubled Wotan added to the interest of the proceedings. The ride of the Valkyries in the third act and the final scene had their wonted effect, and the music-drama, in spite of the numerous shortcomings of its earlier scenes, came to an effective finish. The audience was large, and the interest displayed in the progress of the performance demonstrated the fact anew that public attention is at present closely chained to Wagner's great works.

Search by season: 1887-88

Search by title: Die Walküre,

Met careers