, 1879-03-14
RUSSIAN FESTIVITIES,


Array-The Clnsing 1snll at tho Winter
pa1nce-Tl,rre Thousand Quests.
torrespanatnc* Hoston Adnyftser.
81. PETERSBURG, Feb. 10.-Thu grand gala ut
the theatre In honor Of Tic bridal couple, tho
Granl Duchess Anas,asia AIiklallovna und tho
hereditary Grnna Duke Of Aleekirnbcrg- -schwcr-
In, was great sueccss 1t took place at tho
Grand Theatre. There 'sas The usual amount
Of Jealousy nnd hcart.burn[ng amonE the mcm-
hers Of the Court, who each Thought himself IN.
titled to tho best place In tbs house, and The
number Of such places being limited, Of
couEao many wero disappointed. At 8
o'clock the theatre wns filled, except the Impc-
rial boz, wllirh remained empty until .. The
house Is very large alll beautiful. Around tho
pnrqucttc is row Of boxes; there arc three
tiers OF prosCenium boxes, two on each side of
tho stage, and tho Imperial box isdirccily oppo-
site the stng0 on thu second story. Above the
parQuetto rise five tiers Of boxes, one abovu
another. Tile prevailing colora aro crimson mud
gold. Besides tic chandelier mud rows OF gus
lights on each story, there is 4 row Of electric
lights on the upper tier. AS We drove up
10 the Theatre the whole front was illuminated.
There were the ipttiols "a" and I'M. >" crowns,
ssars, md various devices NIL over the building.
Tie strcots were all illuminated, also, md tic
sidewalks llncd With anxious people waiting to
see the Imperial family drive by. The scene
inside the theatre nc words can do Justice to.
Tho par1uctto uns filled With gentlemen. Not u
plain b!aek cont was to be seen. There were Nus
turs of Ceremonies und Chambcrlatns #, white,
md gold, as. black; there were Ministers Of thu
Empire tn dark cnata covered With gold lace ut
orders; there wcre Coss1ck officers fl fnng
scarlet coata; aud CreassaHs In black trimmed
with silver; t1lasars OF the gunrd III white couts
ri aAhI1 1tNpH with
orcd silk hussors ot the line In high boots crin
son breccllea, anl grecn coats With silver trim.
ming; officers Of tho Chcyalicr gliard IL short
while eoats with scarlet p!pinga, a,ld silver
PrcobaIcnsky Regiment with scarlet BREAST
plates OF cloth; In short, every uniform
aud every color that can be inagtned. There
was not q shoulder tllat Ind not blue, or red
or white ribbon across It. Of the Order OF st.
Alexander. or st.. Andrew, or st. Vladimir, or
some one else, II all the ribbons In the house
ha.l been taKcn oil aid inatcnel together they
would have stretched several mics. Each cont
the ccntfemcns tuiets were innch moro flssy
than tn. latllcs', md sig to think how much
time was spent over the proper arrangement OF
the various ornaments.
upon IN tho parqtcttc, living md continually
moving mass OF gold, silver, and bright colora
As the eyes asccndcd and swcpt tlie first row
OF boxes, community called tic libel ctnt,h
LlE ElG0k NAS EFcH IiUI6 uTs1llHHLs lIlu 1sTCht
Imperial box IN the middle, opposite ,tle
stage, was empty. On the right OF 1t strotclicd
tile se.ntclrrle OF boxes flied with the diplo-
matte cotps. Tllcrc Wns only ole gentleman
r. pan ts's eoat wGt orders sr
uniform was different, ui,l the Indies wcro In
full dress, low neck and short sleeves, With
Jewels md flowers on neck. aild hair. Tn tile
left OF tho Imperial box there Was hardly
gentleman to be seen. These scats woro al!ed
With tic wives and families of tho various Mint
lsscrs OF the Emp!rc. 20 on, oven to tile top Of
lie house, everywhere. gay uniforms, light ball
dresses, md beautiful jewels. Even tllu n,u-
sletans in tile orctcstFa weso dressed in uni
form.
Shortly after the Grand Chamberlain, the
Mlnistur OF the Court, anu eotlo Masters Of
Ceremonies wcro seen to cnter the Imperial
arranging thu sthu chairs. ills Arab was a. black
as Ink; he wore rcd-and.whftc turban. 4
short, black jacket trimmed with gold, scar
let sash, and full rel trousers. Tllc whole
sss eGars 1 ysf8 % Tue urv dace
the Imperial box, even the orchestra. Thu
LEADER stood With his baton uplltted, rrady to
give the sGnol TO conime1lce. There ncrn lew
moments Of dcathly sllcngr,-thcn, At . signal
er's baton fell, every soul In the house rose. ana
tlc Russian Hymn burat forth, The most hcautt-
full national hymn In the world. In few
seconds LIE Emperor appeared With thu bride.
~ ICAA VI NGAtENtHE 4OH0 AAAh WV
audience, winch were prolonged aud rc.
peAtei lis the Czarcwltch .nade hts ap-
iearance. Every one stood I'D. until tllu
HYMN was finished; then came tllo German
l!,l US the 1sus1c stopped tic cheers burst forth
ugatu louder and !ullcs, Tie Emperor took ILLS
plncu at tho right 0f The box, on bis right The
Cz4rcwltcl, mid un his left the bride and groom
Cd s as su au nrsr of the Ian cossask5, IL o,r
scaslut coat gathered Into The waist, and silver
rpaulettea uI.l trimmings Tie czarc-
witch was In thu, SANS uniform. Ihe
bride wure q pink satin. Hlie anI ull
tiIe CratL puclesses lIud tl'o red rtbton Of tho
Order OF 3d. Catherine across one shoulder. On
lur bend was dsadcm ot diamonds nna clnrr-
nlds. There was row OF diam o.,ls on ller neck,
s,,a sSyon Or eiFl.t M strist o. poasls two largo
tier. tbs czareyna's Jewels wcru rubIes
ot Immense Size, and diamonds; also
the Grand Dusl'ess ,, vladtmIr,s: ILs'y both 1
thrca or four necalaeos. The Grand Duchess
Cunst tsnltne had on tiara Of e!ncralds atil dia-
snolds, mud very remarkable necklace. 1t
covered all thu front Of her nrck. md was coIn
ppsed Of c,nera'ds as large % l,e9's eey, aasl
Immense diamonds Of Tcry beautiful color. The
Imperial box WIS oun glitter OF 1eWots. unll t1!a
rent ot the house looked guito Dlaln Ii, compar.
tson. although ta. only noInent be1ose 1t bud
Meanwhile the opera co,nmanced. They gave
the third act from "Faust," AIbani and Mas
Bnt being Tho principal performers. Neither Of
tlenl seeine4 TO bu iu very good voice; Albaui
sang ialse. aud tIassint Iuale too much Of a1,
effort. lhere wsa no applause. et!quctte. for,
bidding 1t, A iow opcsa-Elasses were pointed
| ut tte Imperial box, but not many, TAs Eu''
psror looked tho house. over quite thoroughly
Ducheasea. When the curtain went dowu
thc Imperial party retired to . drawing
room behind Tbs box. Tea. Ices, Ahl cake wers
now paascl round to all tho guests. fur every
QUO wio was In TIT theatre that evening was tfa
guest OF the Emperor; 1t WIS impossible 10 buy
places. In tho grccn,roou,, whrrc ordinary pcopc
10 10 walk hotx sen tho acts, where tables spread
Tlth various costly, dishes, ean. 2aR9s, aaa ~
kinds Of vine. IhS foHn s, wa ,.11; 1nsantsin!l'
au,s tlls tables trimmed With aow'
ers. Tie interluae lasted about twenty
mtuutes, when tue seats III the Imperial boz
werv ugain lIlcd, aud tue CURTAIN roaa 40 uEou at