Prof. Stanley On Wagner

A good sized audience listened to a lecture at Unity club Monday evening by Prof. Stanley, on Richard Wagner, the renowned artist oL operatic composition. , At the time of Wagner's birth, May 10, 1813, the opera needed reformation, as it had become of such a character that people severely criticised it. This great genius of musical art was born to raise the then low standard of musical drama, but for a time his hopes were dashed. His early productions were not of a nature to become works of art. However, he did not despair, but carried out his ideas of a nationalized drama, in which he saw a great future. His productions dazed his contemporaries, who looked upon Beethoven as the greatest of composers, but who realized from the artistic skill of Wagner's accomplishments that he was destined to become a wonder of musical ideal. He did for dramatic art what Beethoven did for symphony. It was his idea that the opera must be made something more than amusement and his whole attention was directed to bringing the dramatic art to a higher standard. At the conclusión of his lecture Prof. Stanley played a number of selections from Wagner and explained their relationship to nature ar d man's conception of humanity.