The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-11-16
THE OPENING NIGHT.
The Army and Navy Course.

The opening concert of the Army aud Navy
course called out large and brilliant audience
at City Hall last evening. The reputation
which this course has won in the past by the
high merit and attractive character of the en-
tertainments it has offered, and the fair prom
Use of the present season have given it an az
sured place in the regards of the people of
Portland, especially among those of musical
tastesand education. The concert last evening
was Disappointing iu nothing, and if it be an
earnest of the course the Army and Navy
Union has great reason TO congratulate itself.
The feature of the concert was the appear
ance of Miss Anna Drasdil, vocalist who is
considered to have the finest contralto voice
now to be had in this country, and who certain
ly made that claim good last evening. The
lady is large and striking in person, suggesting
Pdrepa, and has an excellent presence. Her
voice is strong, sweet aud flexible, with great
fuluess and melowness Of tone, and surpris-
ing range, her method is excellent, and in mere
technical execution nothing is left to be de-
sired. 1t is rare that.so perfect contrato is
heard where sweetness is not sacrificed to
strength nor strength to sweetness. In the
lingering accents of her first song, the SO
Mic Fernando" Of Donzetti, her voice
'Rang like golden jewel dcwn golden STAIR
and she was rapturously encored. Her second
appearance in the Duet with Miss Thursby
was the signal for cordial applause.
Scarcely second to the triumph won by Miss
Drasdil was that of Miss Emma Thursby
whose singing was remarkable feature of the
concert Her clear, pure and fluent voice,
with its pervading tone Of sweetness. the grace
of her delivery, and her beautiful presence
combined to make a strong impression upon
the expectant audience. 1t has been asserted of
Miss Thursby that she is wanting in feeling,
but surely that complaint could not have been
made last night, for her rendition of "The
Maid O. Dundee" in response to the recall af
ter the beautiful trills of the "Brd Song"
gave evidence of remarkable depth of feeling
finding even passionate expression, and strong
ly moved her listeners.
The Messrs. Winch are established favorites
in Portland, and received the usual cordial
welcome. Mr.. j. f. Winchs fine basso was
heard to excellent advantage in all its brllian-
cy and strength in Hatton's song "Bid Me
Live" which should have provoked an impor-
tunate encore. Mr.. w. j. Winch was most
pleasing in the trio with Miss Drasdil and
Miss Thursby, the unevenness of his voice be-
ing less apparent there than in the solo. All
the artists owed much to the unexceptionable
accompaniment of Mr.. Kotzschmar.
The concluding.number of the programme,
the quartette, 'Belli Figlia," was disappoint-
ing, the singers apparently failing to agree in
their notions of pitch and tune. and the result
being an unpleasant discord. With this excep-
ton the concert was thoroughly good.
A commemorate feature of the entertain
ment was its length. The programme was ad-
mirably made up, the encores were infrequent-
ly and briefly responded to, and the audience
was not burdened with surteit of sweets. The
result was that the doors were thrown open by
half-past nine, and the people went home
thoroughly pleased and never bit wearied.