bluebeard-第1节
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Bluebeard
A Musical Fantasy
by Kate Douglas Wiggin
Dedication： To my friend Walter Damrosch
Master of the art form so irreverently treated in these pages。
Kate Douglas Wiggin
PREFACE
More than a dozen years ago musical scholars and critics began to
illuminate the musical darkness of New York with lecture…recitals
explanatory of the more abstruse German operas。 Previous to this era no one
had ever thought； for instance； of unfolding the story； or the 〃_Leit_
_motive_〃 （if there happened to be any！）； in 〃The Bohemian Girl；〃
〃Maritana；〃 or 〃Martha。〃 These and many other delightful but thoroughly
third…class works unfolded themselves as they went along； to the entire
satisfaction of a public so unbelievably care…free； happy； thoughtless；
childlike； uninstructed； that it hardly seems as if they could have been
our ancestors。
Wagner changed all this at a single blow。 One could no longer leave one's
brains with one's hat in the coat…room when the 〃Nibelungen Ring〃appeared！
Learned critics； pitifully comprehending the fathomless ignorance of the
people； began to give lectures on the 〃Ring〃 to large audiences； mostly of
ladies； through whom in course of time a certain amount of information
percolated and reached the husbandsthe somewhat circuitous； but only
possible method by which aesthetic knowledge can be conveyed to the
American male。 Women are hopeless idealists！ It is not enough for them that
their brothers or husbands should pay for the seats at the opera and
accompany them there； clad in irreproachable evening dress。 Not at all！
They wish them to sit erect； keep awake； and look intelligent； and it is
but just to say that many of them succeed in doing so。 The art…form known
as the lecture…recital； then； has succeeded in forcibly educating so large
a section of the public that immense audiences gather at the Metropolitan
Opera House； one…half of them at least； in a state of such chastened
susceptibility and erudition that the Tetralogy of Wagner has no terrors
for them。
The next move was in behalf of the more cryptic； symbolic； hectic； toxic
works of the ultra…modern French school； which have been so brilliantly
illuminated by their protagonists that thousands of women in the larger
cities recognize a master's voice whenever one of his themes is played upon
the Victrola。
I shall offer my practically priceless manuscript of 〃Bluebeard〃 for
production in French at the Metropolitan； and in English at the Century
Opera House； meantime Mr。 Hammerstein is so impressed with its originality；
audacity； and tragic power that he is laying the corner…stone for a
magnificent new building and will open and close it with 〃Bluebeard〃 in
German； if no unforeseen legal complications should prevent。
It is in preparation for all this activity that I issue this brief but
epoch…making little work。
KATE DOUGLAS WIGGIN。 NEW YORK； February； 1914。
CAST OF CHARACTERS
Bluebeard （_baritone_）。 Man of enormous wealth but dubious morals。 Pioneer
of the trial…marriage idea。
Fatima （_singing_actress_）。 Innocent； romantic； frivolous blonde type； rich
in personal charm； weak in logic and a poor judge of men。
Sister Anne （_soprano_）。 Impulsive； magnetic； ambitious； highly
marriageable brunette。
The Mother （_contralto_）。 Impecunious； mercenary widow； determined to
settle her daughters in life without any regard to eugenic principles。
Mustapha （_robust_tenor_）。 Elder brother； the one who has the fat acting
part since he rescues Fatima and slays Bluebeard。
Other Brothers （_falsettos_）。 Of no account save to show the size of the
family to which Fatima belongs and her mother's sound convictions on the
subject of race suicide。 The other brothers have nothing to do except to
slay sheep （by accident） when attempting to destroy Bluebeard's tiger and
elephant。
The Tiger （_throaty_baritone_）。 Comic character。
The Elephant & The Dragon （_basses_）。 Introduced simply as corroborative
detail。
Chorus of Bluebeard's Vassals （_baritones_and_basses_）。
Chorus of Headless Wives （_sopranos_and_contraltos_）。
Chorus of Sheep （_tenors_）。
Bluebeard
（Lecture…Recital）
WE are proceeding on the supposition that this music…drama of 〃Bluebeard〃
is a posthumous work of Richard Wagner。 It is said （our authority being a
late number of the musical and Court Journal； _Die_Fliegende_Bla'tter_）
that a housemaid； while tidying one of the rooms in a villa formerly
occupied by the Wagner family in summer； perceived an enormous halo shining
persistently over a certain bedstead standing against the wall； the said
halo absolutely refusing to remove itself when attacked with a feather…
duster。 The housemaid thought at first that it was simply an effect of the
sunlight； but observed subsequently that the halo was just as large； fine
yellow； opaque； and circular on dark days as on bright ones； consequently；
on a certain morning when it was so huge and glaring as to be positively
offensive to the eye； inasmuch as it did not hang over a Holy Family； but
over an ordinary and somewhat uncomfortable article of furniture； she
adopted the courageous feminine expedient of looking underneath the bed；
where she found this priceless legacy of the master reposing in a hat…box
in which it had lain for nearly half a century； unsuspected； undisturbed。
If this incident is true it is exquisitely pretty and touching； if not； it
is highly absurd and ridiculous； but the same may be said of many
hypothetical historical incidents。 At all events； the financial
arrangements which followed upon the discovery of the MS。 and the price
demanded for it by the Wagnerian housemaid convinces me absolutely of its
authenticity。
To me it is not strange that Wagner should choose to immortalize the story
of Bluebeard； for the interesting and inspiring myth has been used in all
ages and in all countries。 It differs slightly in the various versions。 In
some； the shade of the villain's beard is robin's…egg and in others indigo；
in some the fatal key is blood…stained instead of broken； while in the
matter of wives the myth varies according to the customs of the locality
where it appears： In monogamous countries the number of ladies slain is
generally six； but in bigamous and polygamous countries the interesting
victims mount （they were always hung high； you remember） to the number of
one hundred and seventeen。
I ought； perhaps； to confess to you that there are critics who still deny
the authenticity of this work； although they concede that it is full of
Wagner's spirit and influence and may have been produced by some ardent
follower or pupil； one steeped to the eyebrows in mythologic lore and
capable of hurling titanic tonal eccentricities against the uncomprehending
ear…drum of the dull and ignorant herd。 There are those； too； who think
that some disciple of Richard II。；Strauss； not Wagner；had a hand in the
orchestration； simply because his 〃Sinfonia Domestica〃 occupies itself with
the same sweet history of the inglenook which is the basis of the Bluebeard
libretto。 Strauss's symphony is worked out along more tranquil lines； to be
sure； but it is only the history of a single day of married life and a day
arbitrarily chosen by the composer。 It is conceivable that there may have
been other days！
The incredulous ones urge that Wagner would never have been drawn to the
Bluebeard myth as a foundation for a libretto； but for myself I regard its
selection as a probable reaction； violent； no doubt； from the composition
of Parsifal。 In Parsifal the central themes and the unavoidable conclusion
are derived from outgrown beliefs that have long since ceased to influence
the heart of mankind。 Parsifal is medieval； mystic； rapt； devout。 Its
ideals are those of celibacy and asceticism； the products of an age whose
theories and practices as regards sex…relationships can have no echo in
modern civilization。 What more natural than that Wagner should fling
himself； for mental and emotional relief； into a story throbbing with human
love and marriage？ Neither would some calm domestic drama serve； some story
of the nursery or hearth…stone； dealing with the relations of one fond
husband and father； one doting mother and child。 As a contrast to the
asceticism and celibacy of Parsifal we have in Bluebeard rampant and
tropical polygamy； fervent； untiring connubialism。 The ardent and
susceptible Solomon might have been a more dignified hero； one would think；
but； although he could furnish wives enough to properly fill the stage； his
domestic life was not nearly as varied； as thrilling； and as upset as
Bluebeard's； whose story makes a well…nigh invincible appeal to manager；
artists； and subscribers alike； and； for that matter； is as likely to be
popular with box…holders as with the gallery…gods。
This master work enunciates the world law that Woman （symbolized by Fatima；
Seventh Wife； singing actress） is determined to marry once at any cost； and
that Man （symbolized by Bluebeard； baritone） is determined； if he marries
at all； to marry as thoroughly and as often as possible。 It holds up to
scorn the marriage of ambition and convenience on th
