Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-29
ADJUSTMENTS.

The Choral Society scored success. both
artistically and financially. in the perform
ance Of Handles great oratorio THE Mes
| siah' at Convention Hall last night. The
audience did not fill the hall, but there
were about 1900 people present and that
| number insured profit to the treasury Of
| the society that will be very welcome. The
Choral Society has given 1.-The Messiah"
many times, but never with such excellent
effect As last night. in the first place, the
society never sang 50 many voices as last
| night, and the number would have been
greater had 1t not been for the epidemic
of colds and influenza. The actual num-
Der in the chorus last night was 343, COM
posed Of 2Od ladies, about an equal num-
Der Of sopranos and altos, 81 tenors and IS
basses. The arrangement Of the chorus
was such as to focus the tone as much as
possible and the result was a volume of
sound that completely filled the hall. In
| cluded in the chorus were several organiza-
| lions that had Joined with the Chorals in
their efforts to make this presentation of
THE Messiah" a notable event in the his
tory of oratorio performances in this Dis
trict These were the Mt. Vernon Choral
Society, the Mozart Chorus Club, the Mt.
Pleasant Choral Society, the Euterpe Glee
Club and the Capital Glee Club.
Prof. JOSEF kaspar, the director OF the
CnOral society, ndu reason TO De PROUD
Of the work of the force under his control
last night. From the first chorus number,
And the Glory of the Lord, &c." to the
final Worthy is the Lamb" there was but
little to criticise. In a few places there was
some uncertainty, particularly IN the tugue
movement in the GLORY to God" but in 9TH
err numbers the chorus redeemed themselves
and earned an encore for their excellent
singing OF For Unto Us a Child is Born"
a compliment rarely paid to a chorus. The
great "HalleluJah" chorus was also finely
sung, and. in fact, the chorus may feel well
satisfied with Its noble work. The soioists
were all satisfactory and their voices har-
mOnized we'll In concerted work. Two or
the singers, Miss Gertrude Edmands and
Mr.. Ericsson Bushnell, had sung here be-
fore and had established themselves as
favorites. They were both warmly well
coined. and In every number gave complete
satisfaction. Mrs. Genevra tombstone Bish-
op. the soprano, had never been heard here
before. but she came with a good reputa-
ton. which her work last night justified in
q degree. In most OF her numbers she was
all that could be desired, but in the great
test II Know That My Redeemer Liveth,"
her voice was hardly broad and full enough
to interpret the true devotional spirit or the
composition. She fulfilled the technical re-
Quirements OF the score, but lacked the
lofty feeling. Mr.. J. II. Mckinley, who was
to have sung the tenor role. was prevented
from coming by grip and Mr.. +. e. Towne,
who sang IN his stead. displayed tenor
voice of good quality, which ne used artist
ically. He was thoroughly at home in the
music and made altogether the most favor
able impression OF any tenor who mas ap-
peared here in oratorto.
The Baltimore symphony Orchestra fur
nished the accompaniment ana did excellent
work, more satisfactory in many respects
than that OF the Damrosch Orchestra
year ago.
The prestige of this splendid performance
Of the Messiah will arouse fresh interest
in the Choral Society and its future concerts
will be eagerly anticipated.
Mrs Grundy, jr.--The presentation of
new play is always an interesting event.
Neither manager nor actors are sure of the
effect Ii will have upon the public. no mat
ter how we'll 1t may have gone at rehearsal.
Consequently there is always some uncer-
tainty on the part of the players and good
deal of anxiety on the part of the manager
as to the result Of a first performance. The
old idea of trying II on the dog" and max
ing first production merely a dress re-
hearsai was abandoned long ago. The
most astute managers believe now that the
first performance of play should be wit
messed by an Intelligent and critical aud
fence, so that If 1t passes their judgment
1t Is good for a money maker elsewhere.
Mr.. Charles Frohman has come to believe
that the theater going public of Washing
ton is as fair in it's judgment intelli-
gent in it's appreciation of the class Of
Amusement that is generally desired. and
as competent to pass verdict upon the
merits OF dramatic work and the abilities
Of players as any city In the country. Con-
sequently he has made this city the scene
of the first presentation of many Of his
most pronounced successes. His first ven-
ture in that respect was "Wilkinson's Wild
ows." and this was followed by Settled
Out Of Court" 1.-THE Girl / Left Behind
Me-" "Aristocracy' and 1.-The Other Man"
all Of which We're first produced upon the
stage of Washington theater. All have
justified the opinion EXPRESSED OF them here
1T their initial production. Last night Mr..
Frohman gave WashIngtonians an onnor-
Crnndv. tr.." an adartation nv Mr.. Clyde
Fitch Of the French success. "Cnrrigan VS..
Corrigan." 1t was internreted Nv rorr-
nanv 1T admirable comedians. who did all
in their mower for the plav. and for two
acts the interest Of the audience was kent
up. and there was continual laughter. The
Mere Il q -',g farce, and affords e-ce'-
lent opportunities for Mr. Josenh Holland.
Mr. RIA Roberts. Mr.. Harry Brown. Mr..
on Dietrichstein. Nv. Tho~'as Rurns. Mr..
Henry STANDING and Miss Henrietta Cross
man and Miss Margaret Craven to do some
verv amusing work.
1or apartments in q hotnl sets the pace Of
funny incidents. which Is increased in the
second act. where thesrena Is laid In a court
loom. during the trial Of a divorce suit
The th,~1 oct is certainly a chance from
that which has preceded IL and Introduces
the audience tn the rooms of the strong
man and the clairvoyont. who runs q me-
naeerie and circus. Here the two young
kangaroo. and the other a rolar bear.
and the whole business is Of the knock
sbOut variety stvle. II may he that when
practice has given more snap and go to the
action that this act will be bette, but the
| Idea In n bad one. and should he changed.
| The location of the action may he retained.
| but the proper denonement could he made
| without resortine to the wild beast disguise.
Jack Dempsev at Administrators will
he q strong drawing card at Alhaughs The
| ater tomorrow nipht, In the person OF Jack
| Dempsey. the lipht weight champion. and
the winner Of fiftv-one battles. Afte. the
| last act Of the Bottom of the Sea" Jack
DEMPSEY win spar three rounds with Joe
| Fielding. well known tn Washingtonians.
| and anv local snarrer ~ his class 1t will
| he purely and thoroughly a scientific con-
| test. Dempsey's reputation Is such as to
| warrant a good exhibition. and the fight
will be one of the highest order.
| Remington Xmas Festival.
Yesterday at l o'clock a group of children
were seated around a beautiful Christmas
! tree in the ante room of the Church Of Our
| Redaemer Lutheran Rev r Wiseman