Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-02
THE MUSIC WORLD.
Pittsburg Has Expressed a Desire for
Summer Entertainment,
FREE CONCERTS IN THE PARKS.
The Experiment Of Light Opera h Proving
Q Decided Success
ITEMS FOB LOVERS OF THE ART Dry1Nl

ITEMS FOB LOVERS OF THE ART DIVINE
According to present indications Pitts.
burg is becoming to see the falsity of the
idea, so long and so generally accepted, that
people do not care for public amusements
on summer evenings. As matter of fact
the summer season, when ordinary business
activities are slack and the young man s
fancies lightly turn from love to loafng, is
the very time when most people have the
most leisure and the most inclination for
| amusement.
The wealthier class nowadays takes its
journeying in the spring and fall as much
| as in the summer, and the rest of the COM
munity only get away for a week or two at
the most In spite Of the talk that "every-
body is out Of town." the stubborn fact is
that on any given day you will find the
great majority Of all classes in town. Es-
pecially in such cool summers as we have
lately had.
Amusement caterers are coming to realize
that this great city wants public entertain
ment all the year around. Open air con-
certs, al fresco drama and spectacle and
even indoor opera have come this year to
monopoly. And they are reaping their re-
ward. From the 600 or more patrons of the
fashionable GAS You Like IT, at 50 so
apiece to the thronging thousands at the
free band concerts, the record is one of
hearty support from all classes of people.
THE FREHfBAND CONCERT.
The free band concerts in the various
parks are, from popular point of view, the
most deserving of these dog-day doings.
The traction roads for the
sake of traffic. other business
concerns for the sake of advertising and
some few from philanthropic motives have
this season Joined in giving the public
more free music than it has ever had before
Such enterprises deserve all encourage
ment; the only trouble is, as has been found
by past experience, that they are irregular
forts Of this kind could scarcely be any
thing else. With the proof before their
eyes of the immense public demand of such
concerts, why do not our municipal author
tiles take them in hand?
What is a park, anyhow A mere open
space does not suffice; there must be roads
and walks to enable the people to enjoy it
Then come the other improvements-the
grass, trees, flowers, waters and grottos to
please the public eye-greenhouseI and
geological garden to instruct them. These
are already included in the meaning of the
work park in the understanding Of this
community.
There is no reason why free popular con-
certs should not be included in the park
idea for US, as they long have been in other
large cities, where thousands of dollars are
regularly appropriated for that purpose.
The overwhelming mass of the people can
and will enjoy such concerts; they are a
legitimate public use for public funds,
unless it can be maintained that the rights
of the peoples ear are inferior to those of
the eye
Pittsburg and Allegheny cannot afford
particular.
SUMMER OPERA AT THE DUQUEsNM
From an artistic standpoint the most
creditable of the summer entertainments is
the season of light opera by the Garrow
troupe at the Duquesne Theater. These
evenings have been perfectly comfortable
inside the cozy auditorium, and neither
"Girofe- -Giro1a" of last week nor the "Bo-
hemian Girl'' of this can be said to be too
heavy for midsummer digestion.
The company is exceptionally capable and
well-balanced. Among the principals Mr..
John E. Brand readily ranks first both as
singer and actor; his light, but pure, barry
tone is handled with much fneness and
feeling. Mr.. Henry Hallam's smooth tenor,
also, is skilfully managed; SO good voice
is not common in this class of work. Miss
Laura Clement makes quite a satisfactory
heroine vocally and histrionically, though
she does fbt possess the Unborn opera boufe
spirit. That veteran comedian, Mr.. Charles
H. Drew, is mine of fun, Of course,
and he sings better than many of
his rivals in that line-which is
not saying much. Miss Roche, Mr.. Jenkins,
Miss Swain and Miss Bernard all deserve
good word for their part in the excellent en-
semble. The chorus is larger, prettier and
more musical than is GENERALLY the case, and
Conductor William Robinson is to be
felicitated upon its singing as also upon the
smooth accompaniments of the orchestra.
1t is not surprising to learn that the first
week of such performances, even in mid
summer, has proven great success