Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-02-20
CINCINNATrs CONCERT.
The Benefit for the Flood Sufferers Ten
dered by Abbey Company Proves a
Magnificent Success.

dered by Abbey Company Proves a
| Magnificent Success.
A special from Cincinnati to the Con-
Tter-J0urRat gives a detailed account of
the grand concert, which was noted in
our kilograms Monday. 1t says:
The concert rendered to the Opera Fes-
tiyal directors for the benefit of the relief
fund by Mr.. Manager Abbey. the artists.
the stars and lesser lights Of his opera
company. the orchestra and its brilliant
leader-tendered by everybody, in short,
connected with the troupe, down to the
least little chorus singer in a black gown
with red rose in her bodice-took place
at Music Hall this afternoon and was
magnificent success.
Despite a persistent rain storm the
house was packed from pit to dome. if the
great auditorium of Music Hall NAV be
designated by so uncanonical a term as
pit, and that, too, at a Sunday concert.
ana with an audience so surcharged with
enthusiasm that it burst finally into tn
multuous applause at the sight of its own
splendid proportions. The crowd rallied
| slowly. At , 40 there were empty benches
here and there that made one suspect the
presence OF the trail of that serpent
the ticket speculatOr, but during the
last hfteen minutes before the hour
there poured down the aisles such a
throng Of eager men and women that the
debOnnaire young ushers were crowded
TO the wall, and when the opening strains
OF Sig. NIanesis VOluns in the Santa
Maria of ''DnOrah" fioated out upon the
air, there was not dozen vacant seats in
the lower part of the house, the dress cir
Gle showed a solid phalanX and the bal
c0nY, swung like bird cage in the outer
circle OF the hall, was crowded with ar
dent listeners.
The occasion will be remembered as
historic in the history Of the town, and
the programme was excellent, The first
first part went on quickly, with generous
recognition for each singer as he came.
Scalchi fioated out upon the platform in
magnificent toilet Of velvet, brOcaded in
tull-slZed pOppies, shading from dull
bronze to vivid red and yellow, the bodice
and train of this sumptuOus stuff. over a
white silk pettlcoat, fringed across the
butler with garland of silken poppies
in the cOlOrs of the brOcade. In her black
hair diamond aigrette held a cluster of
the same flowers. She sang 'Ah Duel
Giarno," in which she won great fame at
the last festival, and was rewarded with
a storm Of applause.
Furch Madi followed. her black velvet
gown, with garland of viOlets from
shoulder to waist, suiting her dionifed
carriage and the solemn selection she had
chosen from the ''Stabat Mater.v Then
came upon the scene of the glorious oueen
OF song, Madame Christine Nilsson, who
smilingly waited till the storm of an
plause which her coming awakened had
subsided a little, and then hushed the an
dience INTO breathless stiffness with the
recitative which precedes HandePs most |
magnlncent aria, "Angels Ever Bright
In response to braves and imperative |
recalls, she returned and sang as an en- |
core pathetic little ballad, ''Please Give |
Me Penny, Sir.7 This simple selection. |
sung with pathOs that melted every |
heart in the audien ce, awakened a perfect |
turOre. In the midst of the excitement |
Nilsson, escorted by Col. Nichols. came |
down the stairway that had been built |
from the stage to the auditorium and |
taking an alms-basket in her hand, passed |
down the middle aisle enforcing her mu-
slcal appeal, "a penny for chartyv
She wore short black dress of silk |
and lace, and black bonnet, her cOrsage
a perfect blaze of royal decorations and |
diamond stars. Following her came |
Sembrich, who, wearing a little bronze |
brown walking-dress and hat. the whole |
front a tlnkle of glitterng pendants, and |
escorted by Col. Markbrict, took the left |
side Of the aisle.
Nine. Valleria, exquisitely lovely in a |
pale pink satin petticOat, with bodice and |
train of rosy brOcade, decorated with a
multitude of pink bon Silene buds, her
throat and arms blazing with diamonds,
under the chaperOnage of Mr.. A. II. HIM |
kle, asked aims from section one.
Irebelli, in white and scarlet brocade |
wearing a royal decoration in her cor
sage and a high jeweled comb in her high
coIled halr' moved down the aisle OF sec
ton three with Mr.. Galbreath. Fursch
Madl, escorted by Mr.. WhepeY, taking
the lett Of the same section, while Mile.
LaBlache, under the chaperonage of Mr.
James Mcdonald, passed her basket down
section one. Meanwhile Madame La
Blache explored the dress circle and
won a golden harvest.
1t was scene never to be forgotten
Round after round Of applause shook the
house as the fair alms-gatherers ack-
n0Wledged some specially liberal shower
OF gold with a shower of thanks. One
burst followed another until at last the
harvest was gathered, the fair queen Of
song and her maids Of honor returned to
the stage, and, after many attempts,
Nine. LaBlache's soft cOntraltO stillpd
the tumult and the concert proceeded.
In the eleventh number of the pro-
gramme Madame Sembrich sang certain
Variations Pour la NOiX, series of vocal
gymnastics so 5ewIldering in brllliancy
that the yiOlinists dropped their
instruments and broke in upon
the selection with storm of
applause. She repeated it, and the entire
house rose at her and shouted itself
hoarse. Nianesi left his dais and, taking
Sembrich by both hands, offered her his
congratulations and his baton. She finally
ran on the stage, only to be brought back
In triumph. She put her hand upon her
heart in acknowledgement, she shook her
handkerchief at the audience in laughing
protest, and there leaped out of every
pocket an answering signal till the house
looked like a snow storm.
1t was complete ovation, the equal of
which has never been seen without the
walls of Music Hall.
Madame Galiere sang with breadth
of expression and siIvery purity of tone
the noble declaration Of the Christian
faith, 81 know that my Redeemer liveth.v
as to win triple recall, and was followed
by Irebelli, who had no need of the click
Of castanets to realize the brilliant
Carmen" then Capoul and Oyara and
the Osemmo IddiO of the finale, with
quartet of voices in each of the parts.
After a chorus of calls for Abbey, Abb
bey, who responded, bringing forward
Nilsson, and the announcement by Wan
eSi that the collection taken up by
Nilsson and her five lieutenants amounted
to l,39l 30, the audience reluctantly dis
persed, confident that they had assisted
at an entertainment unrivaled in the mu-
steal annals of the country.
The net receipts Of the concert were
81, 80 80.