bout frocks. I didn't
see a better turned out woman. Such a tremendous lot of smart people as
are here, too. Really you ought to have come. I'm sure you would have
enjoyed it. Between the acts it's quite like Sunday in the park. The
entre-acts are very long, giving us a chance to shake out our frocks
and wake up and amuse ourselves. Some people go up a little hill, or
into some pine woods; but that's rather dull, for you don't meet half
so many others--most everyone stays in front of the theatre. But I must
tell you about "Parsifal." In the first place it is awfully long. And
Parsifal himself is entirely too fat! I am sure such a very good young
person as Parsifal shouldn't have a stomach! There are a lot of sort of
monks in rather fetching pink red cloaks, with pale bluey gray skirts
underneath. (Not at all a bad combination, and gave me an idea for a
costume for up the river.) Their chief is ill, and almost always in
great pain, but it does not prevent his singing the longest of
speeches. Parsifal kills a lovely swan--it flies in _so_ naturally.
Really Wagner was a most wonderful man! Then there is a Gypsy girl; a
sort of snake charmer, who has bottles of things all through the play.
I couldn't make out quite if she were Parsifal's mother or what. But
she is quite mad, and wears only a very uninteresting old brown dress.
I must make this criticism of Wagner: You don't see many pretty dresses
in his operas. Then everyone goes to a banqueting hall, which is also
partly a church. The scenery moves along in a most miraculous way and
the hall is really very lovely. There are children in this scene, and
they lift the chalice, and it glows--an electric light in it you know,
but it's really lovely. And the music is simply heavenly. I assure you
I cried like a baby at this part; I couldn't tell you why, unless it's
the poor wretched creature (Am-- something his name is; I can't find my
programme). He's very handsome. I intend to buy his photograph. He has
to lift the holy cup, and he feels he is unfit to do it. He is a sinner
and wishes he were dead, and somehow or other you feel awfully
sympathetic with him. I know the times I've been to church and knelt
down so ashamed I couldn't lift my head, thinking of some of the
beastly wicked things I've done in my life. And that's just what the
second act is. A crowd of women try to seduce Parsifal, but they are
all German chorus women, and it really doesn't seem such a great
temptatio