Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-05-19

This is the name and face of the central
figure OF the May Festival-one of the halt
dozen greatest operatic conductors especial
ly in Wagner's works. of the world. The
United States has reason to be proud that
he has elected to become one of her citizens.
and Pittsburg, that he has declared his
desire to found his future as a festival con-
ductor upon this, his first festival in
America.
Seidl was for years a member of wagner's
household, having been introduced into that
charmed circle by Hans Richter, who, be-
fore him, had been the secretary and assist
ant of the great poet-composer. His-per-
sonal association with all of Wagner's &C.
tivities for SO long period makes him an
unquestioned authority upon the interpre-
tation of Wagner's works, aud peculiarly
fits him to conduct festival wherein that el-
ementso largely predominates. Subsequently
he was conductor of Neumann's travelling
''Richsrd Wagner Theater" which carried
the 'Nibelungen Ring" throughout Europe.
The opera houses ofLeipzig and Bremen had
Seidl at the helm for some time, since when
he has been the conductor of the German
opera at the Metropolitan Opera House, of
New York, where the superb performances of
Wagner's works have WED with those to be
heard in the most favored European capitals.
sss
The whole town is beginning to talk May
Festival All indications point to greater
popular success for this weeks big event than
has yet been reached by anything of the kind
in this city. The box sale, which is relied on
for $1,000 of the $2S 00o being spent on the
festival bids tair to realize about that sum. All
but dozen OF the boxes have been sold for the
season at 500 apiece; beginning with tomorrow
the rest will be on sale for single concerts at
S25 each (six seats), and are pretty sure to be
quickly snapped up. The general sale bas been
really good, in view of the size of the house,
which makes people think there will be plenty
of room, even if they don't hurry to pre-empt it.
They had better see about it tomorrow or
Tuesday, however, or be content with the leay-
ings.
Intending auditors will do we'll to remember
that the concerts are to begin promptly at Sis
and 2l5 o'clock, respectively, and that the
doors VIII then be closed until some convenient
pOlHt in the programme for the entrance of
lste comers. A l5minute intermission will
give the audience an opportunity to rise and
stroll about soclaly-an element of no slight
importance to the full enjoyment of the latter
part OF the programme.
The programmes have been sufficiently dis
used in this column from general stand
l detail in the next preceding issue of THE
ISPATCH. Though the selections may not be
together such as the true festival standard
Quires, they most certainly do furnish list of
leces which, when performed by such a large
nd distinguished force, cannot fail to yield
;reat enjoyment and some profit to everyone
Who attends. The good things have been dis
ubuted among seven concerts with much i'm
artiality; the sheets at the box Office show how
ard it has been for the public to fix upon any |
ae eoHeert as the favorfte. |
= ScbS1fsnn once remarked that "All that the |
artist who works for the church, and has to |
move within the strict boundaries prescribed |
by her, loses with regard to success and ap- |
plause from the great mass, he receives back a |
hundred fold in another way. To build houses |
is easy for him who can erect churches; and |
therefore he who is able to compose an ora |
torio, viii easily win success with smaller |
Schumann should have been in Pittsburg last |
week to see how the oratorio may win, rather |
than lose, with regard to success and applause |
from the great mass"-snd that in comparison |
with works especially chosen along lower |
lines on purpose to catch applause |
from the general public, The testi-
the greater part of the people present enjoyed |
the Mozart Clubs "Elijah" more than the Bos- |
ton Symphony Orchestra's piquant potpourri |
of modern sensationalism.
VIII Mr.. Ellis and Mr.. Gomez please remem-
Der this until the next time?
~.
The Mozart Clubs triumph last week has set /
people to thinking. When Georg Henschel
asks the privilege of thanking a chorus for the
pleasure 1t has given him; when Wilhelm
Gericke, most 1rigid of men, expresses
most cordial praise of its work, and
his best orchestral players join heartily in it;
when C. c. Mellor, John Q. Everson and Henry
Kleber feel moved to write formal let
tiers of congratulation accompanied in
the first case by 200 copies of Mendels-
sohn's Hymn of Praise" with score and parts;
and in the last by fat check toward the de-
ficit); and when the unanimous encomiums of
critics and audience are added to all this-then
it is about time for Pittsburg to realize that it
possesses in its Mozart Club musical treasure
such as is rare among the cities of the land
The result should be a large increase in the
associate membership, and, best of all, an |
endowment fund to enable the unselfiSh and
workers Of the club to go ahead
with their noble enterprise upon scale COM
mensurate with the wealth and growing musi-
cal taste of the City of Natural Gas