The Sun.
London, England, 1866-09-13 00:00:00

Worcester Musical Festival.

WORCESTER, Wednesday.
Many anxious faces were turned upwards this
morning as the festival visitors drew their curtains

and looked out upon the outward world. The pro'

spect was encouraging ; there was an evident change
in the weather. A pleasing autumnal calm had taken
the place of the blustering wind, which for some
days past had been so prevalent. There was conse-
quently a fresh accession of visitors anxious to attend
the morning performance of sacred music at the
cathedral to-day. The concert last night at the
College-hall in the cathedral precincts was attended
by one of the largest companies that ever assembled
within its ancient walls on the first evening of the
festival, this being considered the least fashionable
of the three concerts—and fashion has with some
people greater attractions than music. The old and
plain interior was admirably lighted up with pendant
coronet of gas-lights, and a star and arch hung over
the orchestra. The programme for the evening WIIS
as follows :

PART I.—Selection from the Opera of " Euryan-
, the," Weber ; Overture ; Introduction and Chorus,
" All hail the Morn ;" Cavatina, "Where the Loire's
bright wave," Mr. Cummings ; Air, " Flowers of
the Valley," Mdlle. Tietjens ; March and Chorus,
" Hither, hither, happy peasants ;" Quartet and
Chorus, " Light as fairy measure," Madame Lem-
mens-Sherrington, Madame Patey-Whytock, Mr.
Cummings, and Mr. Santley ; Cavatina, " Soft
Airs," Mr. Sims Reeves ; Hunters' Chorus, "When
morn first breaks ;" Scena, " Where shall I flit',
Mr. Santley ; Air and Chorus, " Good night, good
night," Madame Patey-Whytock.
PART ll.—Overture, " Cheval de Bronze,"
Auber ; Song, 6, The Children's Kingdom,,, Blu-
menthal, Madame Sainton-Dolby ; Scena, Ah
quelle nuit" (Domino Noir), Auber, Madame Lon-
mens-Sherrington ; " I'll weep for thee" (Oberon)!
Weber, Mr. Sims Reeves ; Scena and Chorus, "Bel
raggio (Semiramide), Rossini, Mdlle. Tietjcns ;
Quintetto, "Jim, hm !" (II Flauto Magico), Mozart,
Madame Lemmens-Sherrington, Madame Sainton-
Dolby, Madame Patey-Whytock, Mr. Sims Reeves,
and Mr. Santley ; Song and Chorus, " Haste thee,
Nymph" (L'Allegro), Handel, Mr. Lewis Thomas;
Ballad, " Maggie's Secret," Claribel, Madame
Sainton-Dolby ; Trio, " H facchio in unchino"
Matrimonio Segreto), Cimarosa, Mdlle. Tietjens,
Madame Lemmens-Sherrington, and Madame
Sainton Dolby ; Grand March, " Athalie," Mew
delssohn.

The muster at the cathedral this morning wag
considerably larger than yesterday. As far as could
be observed when the audience were seated, every
place was occupied, not only in the reserved 15s•
and 10s. seats, but also in the aisle, and the choir
also had numerous half-guinea occupants. The at-
traction to-day was the " Elijah." The parts were
allotted much in the accustomed manner at these
meetings, which it may be remembered was some-
what broken through at the last Gloucester festival,
when a foreigner was put to sing the bass solo. To-
day Mr. Santley took the part of the Prophet, with
Titiens to sing the " Hear, ye Israel," and Madame
Sainton-Dolby " 0 rest in the Lord." There was
no repeat, and no attempt to call for one, so that
the oratorio was taken smoothly through to the end•
Notwithstanding the unprecedentedly large collee-
tion for the charity yesterday, the amount received
at the door to-day was £327, including a cheque
for £2O from the Right lion. Sir J. S. Pakington• •