They do not sustain, as is sometimes supposed, the music and poetry.

On the contrary, the music and poetry give them such reality as they possess.
We could not endure the interminable utterances of the mournful Wotan, if it were not for the wonderful music that accompanies them.

Orpheus weeping over Eurydice would not move us greatly, if Gluck had not known how to captivate us by his first notes.

If it were not for Mozart's music, the puppets of the _Magic Flute_ would amount to nothing.
Musicians should, as a matter of fact, be allowed to choose both the subject and motives for their operas according to their temperaments and their feelings.

Much youthful talent is lost to-day because the young composers believe that they must obey set rules instead of obeying their own inspiration.