Der amerikanische Diplomat und Universitätsgründer Andrew Dickson White besuchte im Jahr 1880 Deutschland und wurde Zeuge von zwei kulturellen Ereignissen, die noch heute für deutsche Theaterkultur stehen: Oberammergau und Bayreuth.
White zeigte sich fasziniert von Oberammergau, dessen religiösen Ernst er lobte und angewidert von Richard Wagners Gralsopern, denen er eine gewisse Künstlichkeit anmerkte. Aus Whites Einschätzung wird nicht nur die Mentalität des Amerikaners deutlich, vielmehr auch die allgemeine Einschäztung der beiden Kulturerscheinungen.
In dieser Studie wird dargelegt, wie die beiden Festspielorte Bayreuth und Oberammergau aus der Sicht eines Zeitgenossen beschrieben werden und wofür sie standen.
Table of Contents
1. Andrew D. White as a visitor of Oberammergau and the Bayreuth Festival
2. Appendix I: Transcription of A. D. White’s letter from the passion play to his mother
3. Appendix II: Reproduction of a letter to his friend George Burr (quotation in the text)
4. Appendix III: Autographs and dating White’s and Krausskopf’s
5. Appendix IV: Photos
Objectives and Topics
This work examines the experiences and perceptions of Andrew D. White as a visitor to the Oberammergau Passion Play and the Bayreuth Festival, highlighting his contrast between authentic religious engagement and the perceived superficiality of modern secular-religious spectacles.
- Analysis of White’s historical and intellectual connection to Germany.
- Evaluation of the 1880 Oberammergau Passion Play as a "religious observance."
- Critique of the Bayreuth Festival and Richard Wagner’s cultural influence.
- Examination of primary source materials including personal letters, diary entries, and archival books.
Excerpt from the Book
1. Andrew D. White as a visitor of Oberammergau and the Bayreuth Festival
In a corner of the well-known house dedicated to the Society of the Humanities at Cornell University, the A. D. White House, one can find an old wooden empty book-rack*. The different tier-levels of it are swiveling, a stylized globe is on its top. A canon of philosophers, writers and historians is represented in the different sections of the stall—one can find the writings of Goethe, Schiller and Wilhelm von Humboldt. The co-founder of Cornell-University ordered it in Germany in 1880, when he was a minister of the United States at the Berlin embassy.
White is not only known as a statesman, but also as a famous historian. Trained at Geneva College, Yale and at Friedrich-Wilhelm University he taught for several years as professor in at Ann Arobr, Michigan. He was in touch with the academic world in Europe, especially in Germany. Many of his publications and reviews refer to German scholars and their books and methods; as a patron for the newly founded university in Ithaca he tried to adopt German models of university organization and to make Cornell a place of free and independent teaching, research and—reading. Today not only students, but also many tourists visit the room in Uris Undergraduate Library dedicated to White—a beautiful place of contemplative work, silence and noblesse. This collection of books refers to the intellectual and politician’s passion. White wanted to improve one of America’s best libraries and he himself contributed not only enormous funding, but also a personal collection of thousands of books, some oft them are still in the President A.D. White Library, others are kept in the Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections in Kroch-Library.
Summary of Chapters
1. Andrew D. White as a visitor of Oberammergau and the Bayreuth Festival: This chapter introduces Andrew D. White’s intellectual background and details his contrasting reactions to the Oberammergau Passion Play and the Bayreuth Festival, framing his experiences within the context of late 19th-century cultural trends.
2. Appendix I: Transcription of A. D. White’s letter from the passion play to his mother: A primary source document providing a firsthand account of White’s visit to Oberammergau, detailing his impressions of the performance and the community.
3. Appendix II: Reproduction of a letter to his friend George Burr (quotation in the text): A transcription of a letter sent to George L. Burr, where White articulates his critical reflections on the Bayreuth experience.
4. Appendix III: Autographs and dating White’s and Krausskopf’s: A collection of visual evidence showcasing autographs and inscriptions in books acquired by White during his travels.
5. Appendix IV: Photos: A visual supplement documenting A. D. White’s private library and his personal study space.
Keywords
Andrew D. White, Oberammergau, Bayreuth Festival, Richard Wagner, Passion Play, fin-de-siècle, secular-religious, cultural history, American-German relations, Cornell University, pilgrimage, religiosity, historical manuscripts, cultural reception, German Empire.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary subject of this work?
The work explores Andrew D. White's role as a scholarly observer of German cultural institutions, specifically comparing the Oberammergau Passion Play to the Bayreuth Festival.
What are the central themes of the book?
Central themes include the reception of German high culture by American intellectuals, the distinction between authentic religious experience and theatrical display, and the rise of secular-religious trends in the late 19th century.
What is the author's primary research goal?
The goal is to analyze how White's firsthand experiences and personal correspondence reveal his critical perspective on the "disenchantment" of modern cultural performances compared to traditional religious observations.
What scientific methods are applied here?
The research relies on the analysis of primary source materials, including personal letters, diary entries, autobiography, and archival book collections held at Cornell University.
What topics are discussed in the main body?
The main body treats White’s academic connections to Germany, the professionalization and tourist appeal of Oberammergau in 1880, and his harsh critique of the artificiality he perceived in Richard Wagner’s performances.
Which keywords best characterize the work?
Keywords include Andrew D. White, Oberammergau, Bayreuth, cultural history, American-German intellectual exchange, and religiosity.
How does White's opinion on Oberammergau contrast with his view of Bayreuth?
White found Oberammergau to be an authentic and deeply moving "religious observance" where participants truly believed in their roles, whereas he viewed Bayreuth as an artificial, theatrical spectacle driven by commercialism and superficial "religiosity."
What role does the "aura" of objects play for White?
White highly valued the "aura" of authentic items, such as books he collected, photographs, and autographs, which served as tangible links to the religious sincerity he experienced at the Passion Play.
- Quote paper
- Holger Reiner Stunz (Author), 2007, Passionate Pilgrimage and "Painful Disenchantment", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/120564
