The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-05-24
Musical Cleveland.

cinnati in point of musical progress ana
culture in this state During last week the
attention of three fourths OF the people OF
the city, including educated and uneduca-
ted ones, has been turned in musical
direction, for the great event here is the
MAY Festival" This is the third Biennial
May Festival given by the Cleveland Vocal
Society, which is under the leadership OF
Prof Alfred Arthur The only possible
drawback to the event was the lack OF IA
fine music hall in the city, The festival
was held in the old Tabernacle on Ontario
street, which holds about four thousand
people, but in spite of the pains taken by
the society to hide all defects and improve
the general appearance Of the main part of
the building it had the look of great
dingy barn. The stage, however, was pref
tily decorated in white and gilt with pro-
fusion of choice flowers and plants The
chorus numbered three hundred voices
and were arranged on the upper tiers of
seats with the male singers in the center
and the altos and sopranos on each side,
In the orchestra almost every musical
instrument used by intelligent people now
adays was represented. Most of the ladies
were dressed in white with flowers, and
diamonds flashed from nearly every ear
One of the finest and most difficult pieces
rendered by the society was Mendelsohn's
famous oratorio of Elijah which was given
on the first evening of the festival with the
well known basso, Myron w. Whitney, as
Elijah, he receiving large share of the
applause The remainder Of the cast con
sisted of Mr.. A. l.. King, tenor Miss Hen
rietta Beebe, soprano; Miss Agnes Hun
tington, contralto; and Miss Kate Gerlach,
with full chorus and orchestra.
Perhaps the more pleasing features Of
this festival were the the afternoon con-
certs, which were just as well attended as
the evening entertainments
Among the noted ones taking part in
this festival were: Firstly, the trainor of
the orchestra, Mr., S. Z, Jacobsohn, who is
the great violin prodigy of Cincinnati, and
who brought several fine professionals
with him from that city, The chief attrac
ton was supposed to be Madame Trebelli,
who is an old celebrated singer, she having
made her first appearance in "Troyatore" a
number of years ago, She came well deco.
rated with royal medals, gold medallion
of the King of Sweden and one of Den
mark being worn by her, and she also wore
an elegant diamond and Topaz pin present
ed to her by the German Emperor. AT
the Wednesday afternoon concert she was
dressed in handsomely embroidered
electric blue silk, while her wrists neck
and ears blazed with magnificent dia-
monds She made by far the handsomest
appearance of any of the songstresses, but
her voice, although Il powerful one, did
not please the Clevelanders SO well as that
of the contralto, Miss Agnes Huntington,
who was the star of the festival. The lat
ter has rich, sympathetic voice that will
make her win favor with any audience she
happens to sing for Then she is young,
not more than twenty -four, and has been a
professional little less than two years,
Last, but not least, she is very pretty and
has pleasing manners. AT the Wednesday
concert she was dressed plainly in garnet
velvet and white satin, After singing in
the most lovely manner possible a triple
number of German songs, she was brought
back to the stage by perfect storm of APP
plause and delighted the audience still
more by singing the Knocking Bird" with
trill variations. At the same concert Miss
Henrietta Beebe, who is known 10 some of
our Ottawa musical people, sang Mozart's
Dore song, and responded with the Cary
Dance" by Malloy, think. Madame
Trebelli sang IA sparkling aria from Lucre
tia Borgia, which was suited perfectly to
her voice and style, but her second selec
ton, kathleen Mayourneen," was just the
reverse of suitable, for it is one thing to
sing brilliant aria and another to sing an
Irish love song in touching, sympathetic
manner. The remainder of the pro
gramme for that afternoon was excellent,
Mr. Jacobsohn giving fine violin solo,
Mr.. King singing Verdi's aria from
Louisa Miller" and responding with
Across the Far Blue Hills, Marie" Mr..
ii. l.. Fulkerson who is Clevelander
lately returned from musical studies in
Europe, sang, ooh, Swallow, Swallow" by
Mrs. Moncrief. The concert closed with
Chopin's grand waltz played by the full
orchestra. There were, of course, other
singers OF more or less local reputation
who took part In this entertainment, but
have not time to mention them. The ies-
tival as whole, which consisted of five
entertainments, was fine success. The
Cleveland Musical Society deserves the
highest praise for Its labors TO improve the
musical condition of the people, and the
greatest proof Of the appreciation Of the
citizens was shown by the immense crowds
that filled the Tabernacle nj both evening