WAGNER IN ENGLISH.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 70, 21 March 1908, Page 9

WAGNER IN ENGLISH.

The great experiment of performing' Wagner's "Ring" at Covent Garden in the English language, with English singers and an English orchestra, has proved itself an immense success. Dr. Richter's confidence in English art is abundantly . justified. Although here and there an individual singer has reached a higher standard, the "Ring," as a whole, has ' never been done better at Covent Garden. English singers have had their chance at last, and have proved themselves entirely capable of realising Wagner's | great conception. The tradition that only a 40-stone German tenor can play ! the part of a Wagnerian hero has re- j ceived a blow from which we may hope it will never recover. That English ar- ' tists have given a successful performance of the Wagnerian cycle i 3 really much I less surprising than the fact that they have had to wait so long for an oppor- : j tunity to prove their capability. It shows how much Covent Garden has been under the domination of the idea that to be a successful operatic artist a vocalist ; J must be anything but English. It was ; high time that absurd bubble was prick-! cd. and pricked it certainly has been. Quite the most dramatic feature of the j ! cycle has been the success of IFr. Walter Hyde, a tenor, who stepped out of a j small part in "Miss Hook of Holland"' j into the shoes of Siegmund, in "The ' Valkyrie." This is the first instance on record of such a happening, and Mr. ! Hyde surprised everyone by the beauty lof his singing. All the critics agreed, that his Siegmund was a wonderful per- ] formance. He sang with a charm and: grace rarely associated with Wagnerian tenors, and his acting was notable for its spirit, passion and intelligence. It is indeed astonishing to think that so capable an artist should have been wasting himself on "Lady Molly" and "Miss Hooks of Holland," for want of an opportunity to reveal Ms true powers. [ Another triumph for "opera in English" j was the performance of Miss Agnes Xicholls as Sieglinde in "The Valkyrie."' and as Brunnhilde ia. "Siegfried. , . , ,. It is no exaggeration to say that she sang superbly. Miss Xieholls is already worthy" of a leading place in the cast on any Wagnerian stage, whether it be Covent Garden or on the Continent. Miss Perceval Allen, a well-known concert-sin-ger, made her first appearance in opera as Brunnhilde in "Gotterdammerung' (The Twilight of the Gods) and her success was extraordinary. She sang the j difficult music with great power, certainty of intonation, and fine musical effect". The orchestra played most beau- j tifully and the staging was really very fine and impressive. Dr. Richter, as conductor, was the master-magician, infusing confidence and verve into every performer, and marshalling his forces with impressive and masterly effect. The vast auditorium was well filled : at every performance, although the) charges were ruinously high — three j guineas for a seat in the stalls, and; £ 1 12/6 and a guinea for seats in the j upper circle. For a seat in the back row j of the gallery, away up near the roof j of the building, I had to pay sixteen shillings for the cycle of four operas. : It is a shocking price, but the chance was too good to be missed.