Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-08-01
A SWISS CELEBRArIOy.
Interesting and Beautiful Perform.
ance.

A correspondent Of the London
Times gives an interesting description
OF one part Of the recent Sempach csle'
bTation
For the performance Of the great ma
tional drama the slope Of hill Q few
hundred yards from the battle chapel
had been chosen. On this were ar
ranged, tier above tier, apparently end
less rows Of temporary seats, with q
place Of honor in the centre for the au-
thorities of the land. In front of the
spectators rose the stage, built OF
earthwork and boarded over, and
with steps rising up to where, as if
in the air, is the gigantic white
genius Of the free confederation, the
work OF the sculptor Sales Amlehn, Of
Surses. The background Of the stage
is formed by a dark pine wood, and be-
yond is the jagged crest Of Pilatus. BE.
tween US and the stage, in skilfully-
arranged depression, was arrayed' an
orchestra Of five hundred ladies' and
gentlemen, all giving their services
gratuitously. The former belonged to
The CTcilien verein Of Lucerne, the lat
ter Of various msennerchore; and
several distinguished solo singers, whose
voices rang out clear and sharp in tho
pure air, also gave their services. 1t
is but justice in this connection to men,
ton the names Of Messrs. Hindermann,
Burgmeier, and Director Moos.
Between us and the orchestra was .
road, along which the knights in armor
rode and the confederates marched in
their quaint and ancient costumes OF
many colors, armed with strange wea-
pons, mostly drawn from the museums
and arsenals Of their respective cantons.
There was room, also, for baggage
wagons, drawn by oxen, laden with the
spoils Of the fight, to pass before the
spectators. About 500 actors took
partin the performance-mostly peasant
men. women, and children from the
neighb0rhood, with soldiers from Luz
cerne and from the forest cantons. The
costumes were simple, appropriate, aud
very effective, and were all arranged by
Herr Weingartner, while great credit IS
due to Herr Muheim for the skill with
which the groups were arranged.
There were in all seven groups, and
when name them the imagination of
your readers will picture the scenes
much better than | can describe them
/. Harvest celebration.
Q. Entrance Of the armed confede-
rates.
3. The warriors take farewell Of their
families.
4. Decision and report of the battle.
5. Return Of the yictors and thanks
giving prayer.
c. Mourning for the fallen (Wiukel-
ried).
I. Closing picture-prophetic vision.
The piece performed is taken from
the cantata " Siegesfeler der Freiheit "
o. Celebration Of the Victory Of Free
dom ~, the words by Heinrich Weber,
the music by G lstav Arnold, who also
conducted the great orchestra.
The performance of the scene in con-
nection with the fourth group is render
ed very effectively by number Of
grooms galloping off in wild flight upon
their masters horses from the field Of
battle, along the road in front Of the
stage. These are quickly followed by
knights armed cap.a.pie, also in head
long fight. That many Of the grooms
unintentionally lost their steel caps,
which ratified on the ground behind
them, only enhanced the scene.
1t was a wonderful and impressive
sight, and when the national hymn
"Rufst du, mein Vsterland?" (Dost
thou call, 0, my fatherland?)-to the IA
miliar tune Of God Save the Queen"
had been sung at the close, the whole
vast audience gave uttersnce to we'll
deserved applause.
Then along the road, shaded with
fruit-trees, trOtted knights in steel aud
marched sturdily men-at-arms in mi
dinval garments, while by their sides
plodded the thousands Of sightseers.
Some Of us left the road and struck
across the meadows, from which the hay
had Just been carried. From the dis
lance nothing could be more picturesque
than the gaily.colored procession wind
ing along the road to the old UNCOVERED
gateway Of Sempach and the blue lake.