The Express.
London, England, 1853-08-27 00:00:00

FESTIVAL OF THE THREE CHOIRS.

(11t0S1 OUR CORRESPONDENT.)
GLOUCESTER, FRIDAY.

We arc now in a position to indicate the principal
features of the forthcoming " Festival of the three Choirs
of Worcester, Hereford, and Gloucester," the programme
having been set'led by the committee of the festival ; and
from the interest which is already excited in the event
there can be but little doubt that the meeting will be one
of unusual celebrity.
The principal vocal performers are Madame Clara
Novell°, Mdlle. Bellini, Mrs. Weiss, Madame Castellan,
Miss Dolby, Mrs. Luckey, Signor Gardoni, Mr. Lockey,
Mr. Weiss, Signor TagHale°, and Herr Formes. The
instrumental band is selected from the 'Loyal Italian Opera
and London concerts, with Mr. 11. Blagrove as leader; and
the choral baud will cousXt of 60 trebles, 41 altos, 48 tenors,
and 60 basses. The entire orchestra numbering 300 per-
former.. Mr. Arnott, organist of Gloucester Cathedral, is
the conductor.

The festival opens on Tuesday, the 13th September, and
will consist of sacred music, perforated at the cathedral in
the mornings, and of secular concerts in the evenings, at
the Shire-hall, where there is a splendid concert-room, ca-
pable of accommodating 2,000 persons. On the Tuesday
morning there will be full choral service at thescathedral,
and the sermon, which is always preached on the first
rooming in aid of the charity, for the relief of the widow,.
and orphans of clergymen of the dioceses of Gloucester and
Hereford, will be delivered by the 11.:v. Dr. Claxton, one of
the stewards of the festival. In the course of Tuesday
morning's service will be performed Handel', " Esther "
overture, Attwood's Coronation Althem, " I was glad,"
end a festival anthem, by Dr. G. J. Elvey, the first
time of its performance in public. The Te Drum
will be that composed by Handel for the vic-
tory of Dettingen, said Talris's well-known pieces
and responses will be used. Ooe new feature will be ens.
Wished at this festival—via., that pntormance of cathedral
service on the Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday mornings
by the united choir, at the early hour of eight o'clock.
These services will be open to the public free. On Wed-
nesday morning Mendelsaohn's grand oratorio " Elijah "
will be given entire at the cathedral, and, for the first time
at these festivals, Herr Formes will take all the music per-
taining to the part of the prophet, Signor Gardoni taking
the principal tenor songs. Madame Castellan, Miss Dolby,
and Mrs. Lockey (late Miss Williams) also take a share in
the oratorio. Madame Clara Novello will sing the opening
air to part 2, " Hear ye, Israel," and the lovely and fa-
vourite trio, " Lift their eyes," will be sung by
Clara Novelle, Mrs. Lockey, and Miss Dolby. On
Thursday morning will be performed parts I and 2
of Haydn's oratorio " The Creation," Mendelssohn's
unfinished posthumous oratorio of "ChristuP," the first time
at these festivals, and part 2 of Handel's Oratorio, " Israel
in Egypt." In these sacred performances all the princi-
pal singers will take part. Friday morning—the closing
performance of the festival—will be devoted, as WWII, o
the " Messiah," which is never omitted at these festivals.
There will be collections at the doors of the cathedral on
behalf of the Clergy, Widows, and Orphans' Charity every
morning.

The evening concerts take place on Tuesday, Wednesday,
and Thursday, and are made up for the most part of selec-
tions from well-known operas, including the works of
Mozart, Bellini, &Milli, Weber, Donizetti, Spohr, Men-
delsohn, Balfe, Hutton, Gluck, Nicolai, Beethoven, &c.
On Wednesday evening there will be given a selection
from F. Mori's " Fridolin," and on Thursday a selection
from Mendelsohn's "Midsummer Night's Dream." A
ball will follow Tuesday's concert.
The Great Western and Midland hallways will run
special trains, and already a great mazy lodgings have been
taken.