Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1871-06-27
For the Spectator
VIRGINIA FEMALE INSTITUTE.

and 18th inst. We were present last year and
sincerely thought the exercises then were the
best and most interesting we had ever witnessed,
but this year several new features were intro
duced intended mainly for the benefit of the pu-
pills. but full of interest to the large and inteli-
gent audience assembled to witness the celebra-
| ton.
The chapel was decorated in the most chaste
and beautiful manner, due, learn, to the
taste of Prof. Richard, aided by the combined
taste and skill Of Professors Scharf and Ide The
stage was magnificent and its background most
| appropriately designed to enhance the beauty of
| the youthful and lovely creatures who occupied
| it. The whole was ablaze with wax candles,
which shed a peculiarly soft and appropriate
| light over the enchanting scene We were
charmed with the graceful and elegant entrance
of the young ladies due evidently to proper
training.
| Monday night the 18th inst, was mainly de-
voted to the exercises of the School of Modern
Languages, enlivened with a rich and beautiful
selection of classic music and recitations by
members of the elocution classes. Weber's mag
| nfcent Overture ''Jubel." rendered in perfect
| style by Misses Waterman, Wilkins, Flanagan
and Eilers of Prof Richards class. We con-
| fess ourselves amazed at the perfect mastery of
these pupils over this difficult composition Of
the great master. OF course it was applauded,
| for this could not be avoided
| Miss Santini, from New Orleans, recited in
German, a poem by Schiller, so perfectly, that
we naturally took her for German by birth and
education, but was undeceived by her splendid
subsequent recitations in French and English
She is equally at home in all three languages
child fOnrtaop ha iC trul IUu
and her recitations always left US entranced.
''Tannhauser," march from Wagner great
opera was splendidly rendered by Misses Castle
man, Rees, Deupree and Robson, on two pianos.
assisted by Miss Lowry on the organ, and Prof
Ide on the violin. It was absolutely faultless
Miss Buck of the elocution classes, read with
great beatty and impressivenessness. Byron's
Prisoner of Chillon." The speciality of the
evening was the French Dialogue, Lies Rico
Chefs" which was rendered with astounding sue
cess by Miss North, as Nine. Dorsay; Miss
Smith, as Nine. De Merecourt, Miss McCay, as
Mad lie Cecile; Miss M. Pritchard, as Julia
Miss Irwin, as Victorine; Miss E. Pritchard, as
Cuisiniere de Nine Dorsay, and Miss Santini, as
Marie. We were struck particularly with the
| readiness, naturalness, clear accent and singu-
| larly fine expression and action of each one of
| these pupils. Miss Irwin, as Victorine, was all
French and lost herself in the complete adop-
ton of the elaborate part she sustained. At its
| conclusion it was most cordially applauded, and
| was appropriately followed by Abts beautiful
Duett "Adieu to the Woodlands" sung most
sweetly by Miss Savage, of Memphis, and Miss
| Ross, of Georgia.
Miss Goree from Alabama. favored us with
| a reading from Hiawatha, which certainly did
her and her accomplished Prof of Elocuton,
great credit
Miss Harrison, of Virginia, rected in charm
ing style German poem, der Kuenstler."-
We are ignorant of German, but followed the
poem with deep interest simply by the express
sion, and by the sweet modulations of Miss Har-
rison's voice.
A "Marche Militaire,'' by Prof. Richard was
rendered in most brilliant style by four of his
pupils-Miss Happier, of North Carolina and
Misses Morris, j. Santini and NJ Pritchard, of
New Orleans, two pianos. Pref Richard,
during his two years residence as Professor in
this department, has established himself as d
successful teacher and as a composer OF great
merit.
There was a continued succession of splendid
vocal and instrumental pieces which impressed
| the audience with the richness of this depart
ment in fine performers. We understand there
are in the six classes Of the music school hun
dred and sixty music pupils, and that the only
difficulty in making up the Programme, was the
necessity Of leaving out SO many fine performers.
| Miss Rees, of Charleston, S. c., favored us
with the "Cavatina" from Ernani which she
most sweetly sung. It was highly enjoyed by
the audience. Miss Wilkins and Miss Water
man rendered L'etoile du Nord'' on two pianos
with great briliancy and beautiful expression
| Time and expression with perfect accuracy, are
the great features Of this music school, Bellinis
beautiful Quartette. "Ate, O cara was beauti-
| fully sung by Misses Smith, jackson and Castle
man, of Virginia, and Mrs Barclay, of Mis-
| souri,. Suppe's Light Cavalry" was brilliant
ly rendered by Misses Rowell and Moore of
Texas Miss NJ Hamilton. of Georgia, and Miss
Lizzie McCay, of New Orleans. This was beau
| tifully performed and with great accuracy One
Of the porfcrmers is scarcely twelve years old
Miss Pancoast, of Virginia. sung ''Illma'' by
Arditt with q charmingly rich, musical and
| highly cultivated voice. Her training reflects
credit on Prof. Ide One of Prof Richards Sc
lections from Faust and superbly arranged, was
splendidly performed by four of his pupils on
two Pianos, Misses Wilkins Waterman, Elan
Eagan and Eilers.
The sprightly Overture Jean de Paris by
Boieldieu, was rendered in the happiest manner
| by Miss Steele of Alabama, Miss Barclay, of
| Missouri, Misses Goss and Jordan, of Virginia,
on the pianos assisted by Miss Adams, of Vir-
glnia, on the organ and Prof. Ide on the violin.
These all splendid performers and their
coantenances plainly showed how we'll they I'M
| derstood the spirit of the composition and that
they did moi play as is too often the ease, as a
| mere automaton Miss Steele and Miss j Jordan
are graduates in music and they richly deserve
their Diplomas
What shall we say of 'La mort du Jeanne
d Arc" by Delavlgne, recited in French by Miss
Santini? It was magnificent. Miss Santin has
| the most remarkable control of her expressive
countenance we have ever known in one so
| young. We will only say we were completely
carried away by her wonderful recitative powers.
Prof Richard splendid March de Concert"
rendered to perfection on two pianos by two of
his pupils Miss Waterman, of New Orleans, and
! Miss Wilkins of Washington City closed the
! entertainment Of the first evening,
Wednesday evening, June 14th, was mainly
given up to the School of Music, which in rep
utation, has heretofore stood second to none in
the country. Its achievements this session have
placed it in our judgment, in the very front rank
of similar Institutions 1t now stands ''Prima
inter pares." The instrumental music was
specially grand and the pupils seemed each q
distinguished master of the art. We have never
before witnessed such q success.
That splendid Overture, "Cheval de Broze,'
was rendered by four of the graduates in music,
Miss Pritchard, of New Orleans, Misses Adams,
Smith and North of Virginia Two pianos, as
sisted by Miss Steele, Of Alabama, on the organ
and Prof. Ide on the violin. It was q charming
success and was received with immense APP