Absurd as it may seem, the “Nibelungen” dramas were given out of their proper order because a certain great Bayreuth artist insisted upon making his English debut in a particular character. Herr Max Alvary wished to be seen for the first time here in his fine impersonation of Siegfried; consequently, we had to have “Siegfried" first; then “Rheingold" and “Walkure”, and then “Gotterdammerung" to wind up with. I know  not whom to blame the more, Alvary for demanding such a piece of vandalism, or Harris for al lowing it; but in either case “de mortuis nil nisi bonum," and there I halt. Certainly Alvary was an ideal Siegfried; and he had no less an ideal Brunnhilde in Rosa Sucher, who unfortunately was recalled to Germany after a night or two.