Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 20.djvu/300

* WAGNER. 246 WAGRAM. German opera company as principals and a chorus from the Arioii Society. Sporadic per- formances of Taiiiihiiiiser were given at the Stadt Theatre in July, 18C1, and of that opera and Lohenfiihi in 1870; but Wagner gained his first foothold on the American operatic stage when Strakoscli brought out Lohengrin (in Italian) in March, 1874, in the Academy of ilusic. with Campanini as Lohengrin, Christine Kilsson as Elsa. Annie Louise Cary as Ortrud, Del Puente as Telramund. Xanetti asKing Henry, and Blum as the Herald. In 1SS4 Dr. Damrosch established German opera at the iletropolitan Opera House, New York, and produced Die Walhiire early in 1885. This was the first performance of a Wag- nerian music-drama in America, as the per- formances during a so-called 'Wagner Festival' imder Adolf Xeuendorft' at the Academy of ilusic in the spring of 1877 were so inadequate as to be absolutely harmful to the Wagner cause. Since 1884-85 all the Wagner operas and music-dramas, except Parsifdl, have been given repeatedly, ilaterna, Lehniann, Xordica, Termna, Niemann, Alvary, and Jean de Reszke are the singers, and besides Dr. Damrosch, Seidl is the conductor, most closely identified with the establishment of Wagner opera and music-drama in America. On Christmas Eve, 1003, Parsifal was produced at the Jletropolitan Opera House, New York, for the first time outside of Bayreuth. In 1875 Wagner accepted from Theodore Thomas, who, through his concerts, prepared more than any one else in this country the way for Wagner music-drama, an offer of .lirjOOO for a '"Centennial !March" for the opening of the Cen- tennial Exhibition in Philadelphia. Wagner is said to have remarked that the best thing about the march was the money he got for it — a dis- criminating judgment. Bibliography. Among the numerous biog- raphies of Wagner mav be mentioned Glascuapp (Leipzig, 1894-99) ; Tappert (Elberfeld, 1883) ; Gautier (Paris, 1882) ; Nohl, trans. (Chicago, 1884) ; Jullien (Paris, 1886) ; Kobbg (New York, 1890) ; Munckor (Bamberg, 1891) ; Finck, (New York, 1893) ; Chamberlain, trans. (Lon- don, 1897) : Henderson (New York, 1901) ; Vogel (Leipzig, 1883). For his importance theoretical- ly and technically in the field of music, consult: Wolzogen, EriniicrKngcii an Wat/iwr (Vienna, 1883) ; Krehbiel, .S'iHrfies in the Wagnerian Drama (New York, 1891); Chamberlain, Das Drama Wagners (I^ipzig, 1892) ; Ernst, L'art de Wagner (Paris, 1893); Schure, Le drame musical (3d ed., ib., 1895) ; Lavignac, The Music Dramas of Wagner (London, 1898) : New- man, .1 Study of Wagner (New York, 1899) ; Lichtenberger. Wagner, der Dichter und Dcnker (Dresden, 1899) ; Saint-Saens, Ilarmonie ct me- lodic (Paris, 1885) ; and the writings of Liszt. WAGNER. Rudolf (1S05-G4). A German physiologist, l)orn at Bayreuth. He studied medi- cine at Erhuigen and Wiirzburg, and comparative anatomy under Cuvier at Paris. After traveling in France, lie practiced nu'dieine at Augsliurg for a .short time. He became a professor in the University of Eriaiigen in 1832. In 1840 he was called to the University of Giittingen, where he died. Among his writings are Leiirbuch der vergleichcndcn Anatomic (Leipzig, 1834-35), re- piHilished under the title of Lchrbuch der Zoo- tomie (1843-47); Icones Pliysiologicw (ib., 1839- 40) ; Lehrbuch der Physiologic (ib., 1839) ; Handioorterbiich der Physiologie (Brunswick, 1842-55) ; y eurologische Untersuohungen (Got- tingen, 1854); and Vorstiidien zu einer lois- senschaftUehen Morphologic und Physiologic des menschlichcn Gehirns als Heelenorgans (ib., 1860- 62). WAGNER, Siegfried (1869—). A German musical conductor, son of PJchard Wagner, born near Lucerne. Although intended for the career of an architect, he early determined to follow his father's profession, and accordingly left the Polytechnic School, in which he was studying, to counnence his musical training under Kniese and Humperdinck (q.v.). Outside of Germany he is better known as a conductor than as a composer. In 1893 he entered upon liis career as a musical conductor, and toured through Germany, Aus- tria, Italy, and England, meeting with marked success. In 1896 and 1899 he won general favor by his work as conductor of Der Ring dcs Xibcl- ungcn at Bayreuth. His pid>lished works include a three-act comic-romantic opera, Der Biirenhiiu- ter, text written by himself, and arranged from one of Cirimm's fairy tales. It was produced at the Court Theatre in Munich in 1899, and met with success. The next opera was Berzog Wild- fang (Munich, 1901), which met with more popular approval than Der Biirenhiiuter. Other compositions are a symplionic poem based on Schiller's poem Sehnsucht, and several minor orchestral works. WAGON. See Carriage. WAGONETTE. A four-wheeled carriage having a cajiacity for six or moi'e passengers. It has a transverse seat for the driver and two longitudinal seats behind, which are usually entered by a step at the rear. Wagonettes are ordinarily supplied with a canopy, and are favor- ite vehicles for use in the country on account of their large capacity. WAGRAM, va'gram, or Devtscii-Wagraji. A village of Lower Austria, on the left bank of the Eussbaeh, about 20 miles northeast of Vi- enna, notable as the scene of one of Napoleon'3 most celebrated victories, gained over the Aus- trians under the Archduke Cliarles, July 6, 1809. After the French defeat at Aspern (q.v.) in !May of that year. Napoleon had retired to the island of Lobau in the Dauulie. whence, with his forces increased by the arrival of Eu- g&ne Beauharnais, he prepared to set out for a decisive struggle with the Austrians. On the night of July 4th the French began to cross the Danube, and early in the morning of the fol- lowing day their forces, 160.000 in nuiii1)i'r with nearly 600 guns, were drawn up on (he left bank of the river. The Austrians numbered about 110.000 men. The battle began early with an assault by Massena on the Austrian right, which was driven from the villages of Aspern and Essling. Davout's attempt, however, to encircle the Austrian left failed, and the night closed with the advantage on the side of the .ustrians, who had sustained by desperate fighting rc]ieated charges against their rigid and centre by Ouili- not, liernadotte, and Beauharnais. The Arclnluke Charles had dispatched orders to the forces under the .rchiluke .loliii to advance from Pressl.urg and take the enemy in the rear, while the main