Neuendorff Dramatic and Operatic Troupe: Lohengelb

Eugenie Schmitz benefit; travestie of Wagner’s opera.

“A very amusing travestie on Wagner’s ‘Lohengrin’ was given at this theatre last night, on the occasion of the benefit of Miss Eugénie Schmitz. It proved such a popular success that it is very probable that the indefatigable director, Mr. Neuendorff, will present it every night for some time to come. It is an inimitable burlesque on the vaunted opera of the ‘zukunft’ school, and parodies Wagner unmercifully. Telramund is a bravo of the most approved pattern, and Ortrud a perfect termagant. The duet between those worthies in the beginning of the second act, which, in the original, is enveloped in almost tartarean gloom, is in the burlesque transformed into a billingsgate sort of musical row. The celebrated scene between Ortrud and Elsa, in which the latter takes her disgraced rival under her protection, and in which Nilsson and Campanini win their choicest laurels at the Academy, becomes a side-splitting Tyrolienne in the travestie. Lohengrin arrives in a wagon drawn by a sheep, and is welcomed with a perfect timpanionion of choral and orchestral discord. But the gem of the opera in this form is the finale to the second act. Here the true Wagnerian spirit is shown. An outburst of chorus and orchestra, the former gesticulating and bawling wildly and the latter making all the noise in their power, with the accessories of fish horns, fire bells and clashing cymbals, rivals the wildest effects of Wagner. In the last act the Holy Grail comes on the stage to explain certain novel effects in the opera, which, he says, were caused by the stupidity of Elsa’s brother, who was not good enough to be a swan or a sheep, and only fit for an ‘Esel.’ The prelude to the opera is an exquisite burlesque on the original. The strings sigh, groan and complain and finally leave the first violin to finish out the introduction. The cast was as follows [see above]. There were many other characters introduced which do not appear in the original, but the main features of Wagner’s work are preserved. It is placed on the stage in a superb manner and the costumes and armors are of the most costly kind. There is little doubt that this exquisite burlesque, ‘Lohengelb,’ with the sparkling music of Suppé and Mr. Neuendorff’s capital company will have a lasting success. We prefer it to the original as a true musical work.” 

“The fanatical Wagnerites are very indignant with the management of the Germania Theatre for his production of ‘Lohengelb,’ which they designate as ‘a weak attempt to bring into ridicule the wonderful opera of ‘Lohengrin.’” They call those who do not agree with them ‘miserable creatures, instigated by envy and malice.’”