Page:Czecho-Slovak Student Life, Volume 18.djvu/80

berammergau. Caiphas, the high priest, who appears in the second part of the Horlice passion drama, is played by a talented young actor, Jan Valecko, a stone mason by occupation, whose father once filled the part of Jesus Christ in the previous Horlice passion plays.

The original text of the Horlice passion play, written in 1816 by one Paul Kralhesl, was based on an ancient folklore book, “The Great Life of Christ,” written in 1682 by Martin Cochems, a Capuchin monk. In recent years the text has been put into blank verse, with song additions by Carl Landsteiner, a prior in Nickolsburg.

The Horlice passion play is not presented in the open, as in Oberammergau, but in a closed wooden building with a regular stage. The structure was erected in 1893 and is located in the mountains, a ten minutes’ walk from the Horlice village.

The performances began at 9:30 in the morning with the appearance of a Herald speaking a prologue, in which he described the feelings of the performers in presenting the sacred drama.

The excellent village orchestra, conducted by Frank Paydyl, a bookkeeper by profession, then played Josef Haydn’s oratorium, the “Creation,” followed by three beautiful tableaux: “Let There Be Light,” “The Fall of the Angels”, and “Adam and Eve in Paradise.” Then followed, in stirring and dramatic form, the fall of Adam and Eve, twenty pictures beginning with the toil of the forefathers and ending with the life of the young Jesus in his parents’ home in Nazareth.

In the afternoon, after an intermission of two hours, the real story of the passion play was presented in a highly dramatic manner. As in the morning session, each act was preceded by a chorus of forty tall and robust villagers, men and women who, dressed in white flowing robes as in the ancient Greek drama, were led by Eduard Windhager, a master tailor in daily life.

The drama proper, in five acts, depicts Christ confessing to his mother His great suffering, His bidding farewell at Bethany, the Last supper, Christ’s appearance before the High Council, Judas’ offer of betrayel of His Master to the Sanhedrin, imprisonment of Jesus, Peter’s denial of Christ before his judges, before Pilate and before King Herod, Judas’ remorse and seizure by the devil, Christ’s scourging, condemnation to death, cross bearing, crucifixion, death and resurrection.

All of these various stage pictures, following each other in close succession, are of enchanting and wondrous beauty. Especially well done are the scenes in which the high priests appear before Pilate and before King Herod demanding Christ’s life.

They are, however, less fortunate and impressive in the crucifixion scene, which was far more moving and stirring at Oberammergau, presented as it was there in the open air and close to nature, and removed from artificial stage surroundings.