West Virginia freeman. (Parkersburg, W. Va.) 1881-1886, 1882-01-04
WESTVIRGINIAFR FREEMAN.
Patti Cary and the Messiah, at
Cincinnati.
What the Freeman Reporter thought Of
Them.

with Theodore Thomas were the
attractions of Cincinnati. For a
day or so before she sang, the trains
running into the city were full,
most of the passengers intent on
hearing her. Many came from Co
lumbus, Dayton, Louisville, Spring
field and even Pittsburg.
About 6 p. m. we walked around
to the Music Hall, and there found
quite large crowd waiting at the
box office to buy standing tickets as
every seat had been sold. One
young man from Dayton waited at
the office from o'clock in the after
noon to $50 to be the first to get
his ticket. Lines were formed to
the office, and such crowding and
pushing you never see except on
such occasions.
At730 the doors were opened and
there was a general rush for the
best standing ROOM The front of
Music Hall presented quite lively
scene as the carriages drove up
with their gayly dressed occupants.
An awning had been built over the
pavement and carpet was laid from
the carriage steps to the Hall.
Three electric lamps together
with a number of gas jets made the
entrance almost as light as day. At
go. m. the doors were closed and
the Music Hall-viewed from the
dress-circle-presented an appear
ance seldom seen in this country.
Over seven thousand people occupi-
ed the Hall without being uncom-
fortably crowded. In the rear of the
Hall stood the immense organ, and
on tiers of seats arranged around it,
sat over 600 picked singers for the
chorus, with Thomas's Orchestra
in front of them.
Madame Patti was not ushered in
first, as one would expect, but thro'
some little mistake Cary came out
first led by NJ. Whitney and Patti
next, followed by Theodore Thorn
as. The audience greeted her with
moderate applause, but no hand
kercheifs were waved or shouts
heard. Patti is Of medium height,
and looked remarkably girlish as
she came on the stage with that
funny little walk Of hers. She
looks what she is, a Spaniard, with
iet-black hair, and sparkling eyes
looking out under dark eyebrows
She wore a rose-colored dress with
lace sleeves, without gloves. Her
ear-drops were of diamonds, about
the size of large cherries. She did
not look as pretty as Miss Cary,
who was attired in rich, white
satin dress, cut square in the neck,
with lace sleeves. She wore
bunch of field daisies at her breast
and some very fine diamonds.
THE MESSIAH,
is one of the old musical works of
Handel, that we never get tired of,
and although it was composed one
hundred and fifty years ago, is as
fresh as ever. This work was well
rendered on this occasion.
PATTI.
Of course, Patti was the center of
attraction, and the audience waited
eagerly to hear this. famous woman
sing her first recitative. She sang
the two parts most beautifully and
was encored both times. Her voice
is very rich, and each note stands
out as clear and round as if made
OH d flute. Her lower notes are re-
markedly distinct, and the trill
on the last note of the air, 81 know
that my Redeemer liveth," was the
finest thing I ever heard. She did
not come up to the expectation of
some people, and the managers gave
as an excuse that she was not well
acquainted with the score and was
not used to singing sacred music,
her great skill being in opera.
There were five solos in the Messiah
for her to sing, of which she only
sang two, and in those she did sing |
she would occasionally skip note
In our opinion there was no excuse
for this, as she knew she was to sing
and would be paid $4,000 for doing
so, and she should have prepared |
herself for the occasion, to give the
L Il