HISTORY AND MYTHOLOGY IN OPERA Oceans of ink have been spilled in discussing the question of whether the subjects of operas should be taken from history or mythology, and the question is still a mooted one.

To my mind it would have been better if the question had never been raised, for it is of little consequence what the answer is.

The only things worth while are whether the music is good and the work interesting.

But _Tannhauser_, _Lohengrin_, _Tristan_ and _Siegfried_ appeared and the question sprang up.

The heroes of mythology, we are told, are invested with a prestige which historical characters can never have.