eels so {380} drawn to him without recognizing
his brother, that he begs leave, to unburden his soul to him.

Mathias soon recognizing his brother is about to fold him in his arms,
but John despairingly shrinks from him, while confessing his guilt in
broken words and beseeching his forgiveness. The unfortunate Mathias,
whose life has been so utterly ruined by his brother, battles fiercely
with his natural feelings. But when he sees the wretched John on his
knees before him, so broken down and exhausted he finally forgives him.
With a last faint gasp of thanks John falls back and dies, while
Magdalen prays "And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those that
trespass against us." Outside the children's voices are heard once
more: "Blessed are they, that are persecuted for righteousness' sake;
for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven."

ODYSSEUS' RETURN.

A Musical Tragedy in three acts with a Prelude by AUGUST BUNGERT.

A musical drama of the highest interest, one which may be considered
equal to Wagner's great Nibelung series, has been created at last.

"Odysseus' Return" is the third of four parts of a cyclus, called the
Odyssey, and its success since its first representation in Dresden on
December 12th 1896 has been so absolute, that one may hope to hear the
other parts before long. It must be admitted here, that this is due
partly to {381} its splendid rendering under Schuch's genial
conductorship, and to the interpreters of the two principal roles in
the drama. Frau Wittich as Penelope is the very incarnation of
womanliness and queenliness, and no singer could be a truer and nobler
Odysseus than Karl Scheidemantel. Whosoever had the advantage of
hearing these two great singers in these roles, must for ever identify
them with the grand characters of ancient Greece.

Bungert is happy in having found a subject so noble and so sympathetic,
and his music does full justice to these sentiments.

The orchestration is simple in character, sometimes of classic naivete,
and though the composer keeps to measures without caesura (destitute of
rythm) which are peculiar to Wagner, he differs from him inasmuch as
the orchestra is always merely the accompaniment of the voice and never
drowns it.

All the characters are most life-like, and they thrill with those never
changing emotions, which are the same to-day as they were a thousand
years ago.

The plot treats of Homer's Odyssey with a poetic licence.

In