Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-05-21
THE MAY EVENT
Pittsburg'S Music Festival to
be. Formally Opened
IN A BLAZE OF GLORY.
All the Artists and Musicians are
Here, Ready for Work.
THE AUDITORIUM is FINISHED
And is Great Marvel in its Perfect Acous-
tic Arrangement.
E AUDITORIUM is FINISHED
WHAT THE MAY FESTIVAL WILL COST

When Anton Seidl stepped on the
prompter's stand at the Exposition yester
day afternoon and began to work his long
arms and broad shoulders like a steam
pump, as he swung his baton, wild burst
ofmelody filled the edifce. 1t was the first
rehearsal of the great orchestra, and the few
ladies and gentlemen present stood en-
tranced. The noisy carpenter in the loft
and the box decorators stopped their work
enraptured.
The finishing touches to the temporary
work at the big building are rapidly being
made and tonight everything will be in
readiness FOR the opening of the May Festi-
val Manager Charles Locke with his CON-
pany of artists and the orchestra arrived
yesterday morning. Last night q full dress
rehearsal of the chorus was conducted by
Carl Retter, and this morning there will
be another.
SEIDL's FEARS DISMISSED.
Anton SeidI regretted the building was
curved, and he was afraid the sound would
be too much concentrated in one place, but
the first rehearsal of the orchestra, even In
the empty auditorium, dissIpated such fears.
The music could be heard distinctly in the
rear end of the large room as well as in
other parts.
The actual seating capacity of the audi
torium will accommodate Is, 900 people, but
this was entirely too large, SO part of the
south end of the room was cut of. Here the
stage is erected and the large sounding
board above is almost perfect.
Under the stage are the dressing rooms,
and the singers will be admitted through a
door at the east end of the building They
will 90 on the stage from both sides up short
stairways.
The seats are arranged in a very simple
manner and people will have no trouble in
finding their places. About 80 ushers will
be on hand. 1t will be remembered that
the building runs parallel with the river
on Duquesne way near the point The
side doors will be kept closed, and the audi
ence will be admitted through one main
entrance with three large openings at the
north end. These passage ways open into
large lobby where the
USHERs WILL BE FOUND
To direct the people to their places. The
seating capacity has been gauged for 5000
people. The boxes are arranged around the
pit on both sides and at the rear.
Just inside of the main entrance two stair
ways on either side lead to the galleries. A
little farther in the corridor two more short
stalrways are encountered running to the ele-
waited stage for the people, and the pit can be
reached by continuing through the main aisle
on the first floor. The boxes are easily reached
and are nicely arranged. They are numbered,
beginning st the stage and running around the
parquet. All the odd numbers are on the
lett hand side; all the even numbers
on the right, facing the stage, and if box
holders will remember this fact much con-
fusion can be avoided. A sort of portico has
the room. At short distances stairways have
been placed. so that the boxes can be easily
reached. In addition the numbers of the
boxes have been painted on the woodwork
outside and one will know at a glance where
his box is without wandering into the wrong
one or disturbing other people.
DECoRUM TO BE OBSERVED.
The singing will begin promptly at o'clock
and the doors will be closed at once No one
will be admitted until there is a break in the
programme. Manager Locke says these rules
will be strictly adhered to. All the boxes have
been neatly decorated by Mr.. Roenigk with
bright-colored bunting Mr.. Westinghouse has
taken special pains with the one he holds 1t is
ornamenUed with new choral and shrimp
pink.
A desperate attempt has been made to finish
the paving On DuQuesne way, but without
avail Carriages will reach the building by
way Of Penn avenue and Second street. and
they will be compelled in leaving to drive
around the Point on Second and First avenues
and Water street
The singers and musicians are stopping at
the various hotels Anton Seidl, Miss Emma
Juch and her mother. Miss Aus der 0he, Signor
Perotti and Emil Fischer are at the Anderson:
Iilli Lehman. Kalisch and her husband are at
the Monongahela House; Campanari. Ricket-
son, Herbert Forester, Victor Herbert Max
Bendix and Helene Won Doenhoff are stopping
at the Seventh Avenue Hotel. The famous or
chestra is scattered around among all the
hotels.
Emma Juch is well known to Pittsburg audi
l. \ CT.
PLAYED here once before for the Mozart Club.
The sweet German singer with the short body
and golden hair is quiet in manner and easily
pleased. Miss Juch occupies rooms go and IS
at the Anderson. These are the finest parlorS
in the hotel, and Booth, Barrett or Mrs. Lang
try always engage them when they come to
Pittsburg-
ENORMOUS EXPENSE OF IT.
1t will cost about $4,000 to give the May
Festival as mapped out, and the extensive pro-
gramme will be carried out in every detail. OF
this amount the Exposition Society will get 8
per cent of the net receipts.
To begin with, the singers and musicians
will be paid $4,000; the work in the building
will cost 1850; $1,000 was spent for advertising
and about 1000 for printing; $500 was expend-
ed for chairs and the decorations will amount
to 81 600.
The railroads will sell excursion tickets at 2
cents per mile within a radius of l25 miles Of
the city. There is great demand for special
trains and special cars, and large crowds are
expected to visit the city.
Even last night 400 eager people gained ac-
cess. by various pretexts, to the grand audi
torium of the Exposition building, to listen to
the final rehearsal but one of the Festival which
opens to-day. In the chorus there were 457
voices, aside from the soloists while the mag
nfhcent orchestra contained y instruments, all
trained harmonlOusly Director Anton Seidl,
assisted by Prof. Carl Retter, has the
singers
UNDER BEAUTIFUL CONTROL,
and there is a surety Of the already promised
big audiences hearing music tonight the like
of which was never listened to in this city.
The floor win be heavily laid with mating,
thereby increasing the acoustic properties,
which are already superb.
There are about 30 ushers in charge of the
different sections as follows:
Directors-Jolln Boise, John W. Fullwood,
David Green. James Smith and Charles Smith.
Box Ushers-T b. Hall, William Essex and G.
Dress Circle. C. OOnnOr, H. E. Geisanerhier,
l. G. Manchester.
BalcOnies-E. Richie, A. Geilefaus, H. z.
Neibaum. Elmer Fleming, Logan Williams. Allie
DeROy, A. NJ. Andrews. Charles Brown Robert
Martin, Morris Green and William Pretzel.
Orchestra Ushers-Nilliam H. Priest, Grant
Armour, W. Nj. Aubery and l.. S. Brown.
j. A. Sesvor has full charge Of this corps.
The final rehearsal will be given at II noon
to-day, and the doors will be thrown open at
sharp in the evening for the grand concert at
Sis.