The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-18
CHICAGO'S MUSICAL FEST.
The Late operate Season a Great Sue
cess Musically and Financially.
Nevada and Patti as Lyric Artists-The Amer
lean Woman Not Behind the Foreign
Songstress-Pattis Petty Peculiarities.
correspondence Of The Indianapolis Journal.

CHICAGO, April 16.-Chicago can boast of
many things. Foremost of all, about the
worst climate on the continent. Whenever l
visit that city of magnificent structure | am
forced into the conviction that the ele-
ments have chosen that particular spot for a
battle ground, upon which is settled all conflict
ing differences. On Tuesday it rained, hailed,
blew, showed and finally the sun came out, like
agentle peace-maker, ~dispelled the clouds and
shone resplendent before sinking 70 rest. One
of the ladies, having battled against a severe
catarrhal effect for several days, attempted to
apologize fc~ what she deemed an offensive and
frequent use of her handkerchief, ~whereupon a
lady resident exclaimed, why, that's nothingl
look herel" and she produced, from her pocket,
seven fine and daintily embroidered one.
The real Chicagoans, that is, those to the
manor born, are a strange mixture of energy,
determination, independence and audacity,
with a bump of egotism rising in
alarming proportion to other chronological
qualities. To them Chicago is the Mecca of in
tellect and distinction-the center of topograph-
zeal distance, and the hub around which New
York, Boston, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, st.
Louis and indianapolis revolve in mere inita-
tive reflection. The press of the last named
cities are referred to as country papers"
This expression is not used with a malicious
or ~satirical intent. 1t is simply from a settled
conviction that Chicago is the metropolis of Gre
alton. There has been a general idea that one
could shop in this city to better advantage than
in most others. This, too, is a mistaken idea.
''The Fair" and sIeas 6 Coz were originally
started on the low-price basis, thereby attracting
the people who follow up auction and bankrupt
sales, but to-day one can find articles as good
and as reasonable in indianapolis stores for the
same price.
The opera festival was a complete success,
artistically and financially. The receipts aver
aged one hundred thousand dollars a week. The
Northwest contributed the greater portion of the
outside patronage. and Chicago herself stood
loyalty to the front. Mr.. s. G.. Pratt, the pro-
jector and manager of the mammoth affair, de-
serves credit for a great undertaking. Person
ally he is courteous and ~obliging, but he does
not possess the suavity and affability that char
acterized the gallant George Ward Nichols in
his management of the Cincinnati festival. Mr..
Pratts appearance is of the Spanish type. He
is small in statue. has large, languid, black
eyes, black hair, and is considerably bald. One
of the festival agents assured me that there had
been no money made in the enterprise, but this
plea has long been known as ''the willy Colonel
Mapleson's subterfuge."
"Oh," exclaimed the youthful looking repre-
sentative of the operate venture, Il would not
have such a company on my hands for a fortune!
Now. see here; 1 have just come from Nine.
Scalchi. She is in a rage because Fursch- Maids
name was in larger type on the bills than hers.
When I tried to arrange it the other way, Madi
declared she would not appear.g
Are you greatly troubled by them9'
''Troubled9 They can make life uncomfortable!
just think of it. In the Suggesting of the
opera 'Mireilla,' last week. the village green
really requires a number Of goats. We skir-
mished around the city, and succeeded in obtain
ing them. Just a moment or so before the
curtain went up, Nevada took a peep of the
stage to see if the setting was to her liking. 1t
was the first time the opera had been presented
here, and she was anxious, of course. Well,
when her eyes struck the goats, there was a
scene. She declared she would not ste o her foot
upon the stage until they were taken off. The
stage manager. wishing to gain some reputation
for his work, insisted upon their remaining, but
AZ W TO In 4S(f tA0 "a 4A4 wi Il QP ultlk
they were led by their conquered shepherd away
from the scene of conflict
The large exposition building has been con-
verted into an opera-house of magnificent dimen-
sions. The main part of the lower floor is given
to the parquette, back of which is a raised dress
circle. The galleries are on either side. They
are FIVE seats deep and are suspended from the
wall by long iron bars. Below these is an upper
and lower row of private boxes, resembling a
line OF large scallops. Each box contains six
seats and has ito own nntrapca from tha rovri.
der without. The corridors run the entire length
of the building, and are wide and roomy. Tete-
a-tetes were placed along them at different inter-
walls, and hot house and tropical plants were ar
ranged in every available place. The arrange
ment of the gas jets rendered a beautiful effect.
Within a large circle of jets were thirty six small
%circlets. The result was dazzling in the ex-
treme.
Although the occupants of the boxes were in
evening toilet, with uncovered heads, there was
little display of full dress in the main auditorium.
A survey of the house did not reveal the brill
fancy, in point of costume, that is INDUCED in,
on like occasions, by Cincinnati audiences.
Neither was there the sociability between acts,
as in the aforementioned city, where the peo-
pie, at such intermissions, give themselves up to
conversation and promenading.
Nearly every seat was taken at the Nevada
performance on Monday night. The opera was
as sung by Sembrich. one year ago in the Queen
City. Upon that event Sembrich was dressed
in the customary red skirt and black bodice.
Nevada depressed from the original costuming of
the part considerably, by appearing in a
pale blue peasant suit embroidered in
white daisies. Her first appearance is strikingly
like Sembrich. Upon scrutiny, however, she is
quite unlike that artist. The resemblance re-
mains only in the upper contour of the face.
Her hair is the same in color and style of dress
ing Her brown eyes are large and ~lustrous.
She has a weak chin. which recedes and is mar
row across the Jaw. She is very slight in figure,
and displays an exceedingly bony neck in the
dress worn in the slecp-walking scene. If Ne
and her phrasing equal to that of Patti. She is
mistress of the sostenuto style, which is the
most wonderful among ner many superior quail
ties as a singer. Her trill is true and her ca
denzas clear in intonation. She has not the
brilliancy of Semhrich, but she SURPRISES
that artist in every other respect Her act
ing is pervaded by the utmost refement.