Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-11-08
ANU SENIIGNTS.

st Paul" by the Choral Society.-The
first performance by the Washington Cho-
raj Society this season drew to Convention
Hall last night an audience of over 1000
people. all of whom were demonstrative in
their satisfaction of the excellent manner
in which Memberships ora torio of st.
Paul. was presented This work is a union
of dramatic and devotional elements, and
affords more scope for chorus work than
anything that the society has yet done. 1t
was selected for the first concert this year
because 1t was believed that the task of
preparing an oratOriO would excite addi-
tional interest in the members and urge a
more prompt and regular attendance than
has been usual at the beginning of a sea-
son. This proved to be fact and the good
work OF the society last night testified to
the diligence of the rehearsals Only once
or twice vas there any uncertainty in the
Choruses, and in some of them the test of
precision was quite severe The society
sang i'll excellent tune and time and its
work was applauded constantly. Prof
Josef Kaspar, the director, had his vocal
force well in hand, and while the orchestra
at times was not all that ii should have
been, 1t did very well after but one rehear-
sal The soloists were all satisfactory
Miss Lillian Blauvelt was heard to much
better advantage than when she sang in
The Creation" last spring. Then her
weakness was in the, recitative and in a
work she was interpreting. No such fault
could be found last might. Nearly all her
numbers were recitatiye, but she delivered
the tones with proper expression and her
enunclation was clear and distinct. She
captured her audience with her opening
phrase, and the interest increased until she
was obliged to repeat the arioso Il will
sing of Thy great mercies," so enthusiastic
was the applause. Anton Schott sang the
tenor score. and delivered many of his reel
tatives with real dramatic ferVor. He was
obliged to repeat his aria BE Thou faith
full unto death" Dr. Carl Duff was the
bass soloist, taking the place of Mr.. Emil
Fischer, who was prevented from appearing
on account of throat affection. DR.. Duff
came here stranger, and there was a nat
ural feeling of disappointment at his being
a substitute but he proved himself n thor
ough artist, singing with great feeling and
a true conception of the spirit of the work.
He sang the entire Iole with great nicely
and finish. and deserves only the warmest
praise. The contraltO was given but one
number but in that single opportunity Miss
Florence Stidham delighted the audience
and showed that Washington has at least
one oratorio singer. She delivered her reci-
tative in excellent style, and in the arioso
that followed she was artistic and effective.
She fully deserved the emphatic applause
she received. The success of the first con-
cert augurs well for the prospects of the
Choral Society for the whole season.
Tim Murphy's New Play.-First nighters
are promised another novelty this week in
the production at the Academy of Music
Friday evening of the original satirical
comedy, "Alimony," in three acts, by Her
bert Hall Winslow, written expressly for
Comedians Tim Murphy and Eugene Can
field. AS suggested by the title, the COM
edy satiriZes the divorce laws, and those
who have been fortunate enough to witness
the rehearsals are enthusiastic over it. In
this comedy the comedians will be given
full scope not only as actors, but as spe-
cialsts as well, and new music and catchy
pleasantries are promised in addition to
funny lines and rafting situations. The
plot concerns the adventures of Commodore
Joshua Towline of the Erie canal. retired,
who is a brusque but susceptible old boy,
but of Puritanical ideas concerning the sub
ject of divorce. His daughter Daffodl is
married to Vanderheyden Knickerbocker.
They make start overland for California
on pleasure. but the commodore, having
been induced to seek some land specula-
lions in Dakota, stops over at the village
of Gayville where are introduced the va
rious characters of the play. The comedy
will be produced under the stage direction
of Mr. Percy Winter. The cast is as fol-
lows: Commodore Joshua Towline, Mr..
Tim Murphy; Berry Towline. Mr.. Eugene
Garfield; Hesa J. Byrd. Mr.. George Ma
comber; Vanderheyden Knickerbocker, Mr..
Clarence Handyside; Manhattan Quick,
Richard Cotter: Hon. Ward Heller. James
Manley DaffOdil, Miss Dorothy Shcrrod;
Mrs. Separate Maintenance, Miss Lorraine
Dreux; Fan-Ta1 Miss Sallie Stembler; Mrs.
Clara Up-to-date, Miss Jess Williams.