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The third performance of Wagner's "Das Rheingold," which took place at the Metropolitan Opera House last evening, was a very great improvement on the first. The artists were one and all free from the nervousness which has always such a sad effect on the voice, and were generally more at ease, and thus better able to devote their attention to details.

The most striking improvement was that of Herr Alvary in the role of Loge. To be sure, a part of his change was of a negative character, inasmuch as it consisted simply in abandoning his terpsichorean demonstrations without filling their place with anything suggestive of the intellectual subtlety of the fire god. But even this was better than his first treatment of the part. It was in his singing that the advance in his work was most notable. He was in better voice and he had given up his endeavor to sing the music in a manner made familiar here by the interpreters of Mime. He sang with smoothness and good vocal effect, revealing to his hearers many beauties which were completely obscured at the initial performance. His Loge is now a musically good performance, though still deficient in significance histrionically.

The other members of the cast, with the exception of those who had already reached the limit of their narrow ability, acquitted themselves in a more satisfactory manner, even Herr Beck bringing more certainty to his fine interpretation of Alberich. The audience was large and thoroughly interested in the evening's proceedings.

It ought to be said in justice to the occupants of the boxes, who are so often abused for talking, that they evince a constantly-increasing appreciation of the fact that the Wagner operas are not what are deemed the older works - simply noise to cover conversation. They paid close attention to the performance last evening. Some of the good Germans who sit in other parts of the house and edify their neighbors with the gutturals of the Fatherland, might profit by their example. The "Prophet" is announced for tomorrow evening

Search by season: 1888-89

Search by title: Das Rheingold,

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