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The eighth annual afternoon subscription series devoted to the music dramas of Richard Wagner began yesterday, when "Tannh?user" was performed before an audience occupying nearly all the available seats, and all the standing room that the law allowed. Maria Jeritza was the Elisabeth, Lauritz Melchior was the repentant Tannh?user, with Friedrich Schorr as Wolfram, Gertrude Kappel as Venus, and Michael Bohnen as the Landgrave.

The size and demeanor of the audience always has been one of the distinctive features of this annual Wagner matinee cycle. Yesterday's audience, intent and absorbed, was typical and indicated that the desire to hear Wagner's music has not diminished, hard times notwithstanding, in extent or in eagerness.

Performance Called Season's Best

The actual performances in the Wagner cycles do not always reflect a similar difference as compared with Wagnerian offerings in the regular subscription round, but yesterday's "Tannh?user" under Mr. Bodanzky's direction, was the best of the four performances of the work heard thus far this season. Mr. Melchior usually was in good voice; sometimes the fervor of his song hardened his higher notes, but in general his Tannh?user was well sung, vital and eloquent.

As the white-robed Elisabeth, Mme. Jeritza was making her last Metropolitan appearance of the season, unless the management should decide upon one more performance of "Donna Juanita." Dramatically, as before, her Elisabeth was effective, although there were train-conscious moments in part of the second act. Late in that act, however, after Tannh?user's backsliding, and in the next act, she gave a convincing impersonation of the long-suffering, ever-forgiving heroine; these scenes again represented some of the Austrian soprano's most praiseworthy work as a singing-actress. Her singing, after an inauspicious beginning in "Dich theure Halle" improved in quality through the second act; her plea for Tannh?user, despite some forced top notes, and, primarily, the prayer in the third act, were sung with vocal discretion and communicative expressiveness.

Schorr Is Given Ovation

Mr. Schorr was a benign. smooth-toned Wolfram and won an ovation of his own at the close of the performance. Mme. Kappel's Venus, not the most illusive of temptresses to the eye, merited praise for her vocal interpretation - not, indeed, for consistent smoothness of tone, but because the role was sung expressively, and Mme. Kappel avoided the touch of shrewishness which besets some Venuses when Tannh?user decides to quit the Venusberg. Editha Fleischer was the shepherd, with Messrs. Clemens, Gabor, Paltrinieri and Wolfe as the knights. Misses Ogden, Rogge and Henkel mimed the three Graces.

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