The Portland daily press., 1865-09-15
VISIT TO wA9nHvIL1R -coNonRr.

VISIT TO wATIHvI LIE -coNOERT.
It -~as our good fortune On Wefnesdsylast,
in company with several Fgenteinen Of this
city--some of thsn Of eminent musical abil-
ity-zso make a-bfisf visit to .WateryiIle, over
the Kennebec road under the charge of that
model abroad official Conductor Mitchell Of
Skowhegan. Ne pleasantsr route can be-
found in New England, especially that por-
ton of it where the road skirts the beautiful
Kennebec, but at the present time the fields
and pastures present desclate aspect fncon-
sequence of the severe drought, which is lust
now making its severity to appear.
Watcryille is one of the loveIiest towns in
the State, Astounding in tine Shade trees. large
gardens, wide streets and coy, sconifortable
dwellings. 1t is place where fine horses are
sp9rted BY fast men-we use the word in no
offensive sense-where beauty and rural com
fort abound, and in the midst of section OF
the State more fertile than ancient Canaan
with its abundance of milk and honey.
In the evening our company found them
selves seated together in the Congregational
Church, drawn, there by street poster which
announced frst-class A@s'Aii1V iic1A (
a GRAND MUSICAL CONCERT,
Mr.. and Mrs. NEWTON FITz, late of Mobile,
Ala, were to sing, assistel by Miss LUCY s.
G ARRoLL of Wateryille, and Miss ALICE
STEWARD of North Anson.h The church was
well filed by the elite of the town. The pull
pit had been removed, the piano placed on
the slight elevation below it, and the vocalists
faced the audience, standing upon the pulpit
platform. ..
The programme consisted of Songs, Duets,
Arias with variations, Ballads, Trios, &c.
We certainly were not prepared for such a
rich treat as we there enjoyed. Mrs. Fitz is
lady but little known in this part of the
State. She is native of Somerset County,
but for years she has given her whole at
tention to music, and for four or five years,
previous to and during the rebelhon,-she has
been the leading soprano singer in Mobile,
where she and her husbands native OF
Massachusetts-hav suffered a full share OF
deprivation. We will not here relate the sto-
ry of their trials during four years of war
and blockade, but it is one that entities them
to and viii secure for them a large share Of
| sympathy.
At the close Of the war they managed. by
parting with all Injuries and superluities, to
iaise means to return to New England, re-
joicing once more to breathe the atmosphere
OF their native hills, 1t is now. two months
since they came North, and during this time
they have given few concerts, Mr.. Fitz being
a very fine pianist. ,r
The concert Of Wednesday evening was one
ofthe higho t order; one of the. best we have ev-
erattended. Mrs. Fitz has rich voice, Of great
compass and power, capable of almost every
degree Of moduiation, and equal to that of al
most any prima donna who has heretofore APP
peared before Portland audience. In the
duets she, was assisted by. Waterville's fayorite
singer, Miss Carroll, who sang sweetly, and in
one Trio, by Me5srs. Shaw and CoIbys of this
city, who happened to be present. and who
were complimented by most enthusiastic
encore. Miss Steward played a fine, March,
and also an accompaniment for Mrs. Fitz's
solos. We have room for but word of dis
criminate notice. The duet-@See the pale
moon"-was received with such enthusiastic
and long-continaed applause that the fair vo-
calists were forced to repeat it. One aAria
with variations" betrayed a most wonderful
power and control of voice. "Duet from Nor
ma" was pronounced avery fine performance,
while the Swiss song with echoes" subdued
the audience into breathless silence, only to he
broken by the widest applause. "The last
Rose of Summer was like angel accents, and
went home to every heart. = T sAssA &
a' We are glad to learn that this talented lady
has been secured for the Concert at the new
church in Congress square, to be given on the
occasion of the opening che new Organ on
Tuesday evening next. We anticipate crowd
ed house. Is n ~ NG