The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-05-15

SECOND FESTIVAL NIGHT
MR.. WATKINS MILLS. THE BASSO. Is
ALSO WELL RECEIVED.
Cantata of Fair Ellen" with Nine.
NOrdica and Mr. Mills in the
Solo Parts.

The second evening concert of the Nav
music festival did not pack Tominson
Hall as did the first, but the great audi
torium was fairly we'll filed with an audi
ence as brilliant and as full of musical en-
thusiasm as that of the night before. The
orchestra was, if anything. i'm better form
than on Monday night It's work from be-
ginning to end seemed as nearly faultless
and as near perfection it is possible for
d great musical organization to attain. 1t
performed the delicate task of accom-
panying Mime. Nordca's solo with won
derful expression and sympathy, and gave
further evidence OF it's excellence in the
performance of the adagio and gavotte of
Bach, but ii was in the rendition of Prof
Arens's fantasia that it fairly outdid itself
Prof. Arens himself conducted this, and
certainly during its whole career the COM
position will never have a more sympa-
thetic or more thoroughly artistic rendi-
ton.
The basso, Mr.. Mills had the second
number on the programme, singing an aria
from Gounod's Queen Of Sheba" To say
that Mr.. Mills was surprise to the audi
ence does not fairly express it; there were
few in the house who had heard him be-
fore. and knew that he possessed a bass
remarkable for its strength and richness
what is more it is under perfect control
and he modulates it TO the finest shade of
sentiment apparently without an effort.
The audience was delighted and captivated,
and came down with a storm of applause
that would not subside until he responded
with a drinking song that still further en-
raptured his hearers. They made an effort
to again recall him, but it was in vain.
of applause went up from the chorus and
was re-echoed throughout the vast hall as
Nine Nordica. the bright particular star
of the evening, seen advancing on the
arm of conductor Mollenhauer Indianapo-
lis is in love with Nordica. in love not only
with her magnificent voice, but with her
beautiful face, her gracious manner and
her altogether charming personality. Her
voice. wonderful as it is in its scope and
clearness, has also the quality of human
sympathy and magnetism that draws to her
not only the worshipers of music. but all
mankind. She is the kind of woman as
we'll az the kind OF singer that one. would
dare and do Great things for. Certainly
nothing could have been more fiattering
than the intense and riotous enthusiasm
shown in her reception last evening, and
yet her ovation when she appeared upon the
stage scarcely more than earnest
OF the scene that followed her magnificent
effort in the Mignon polonaise. The house
was swept by hurricane of applause; half
the audience and all of the great chorus were
on their feet waving handkerchiefs and
flowers. AS the diva started to retire some
member of the chorus threw rose at her
and she graciously stopped to pick it up,
the effect was contagious and in less
time than il takes to tell about IL she
the center of perfect shower of roses
that came from every direction and fell
in profuson about her. She could not
gather them all, but picking up great
handful of them she gracefully bowed her
acknowledgment and retired. This the
audience would not have at all and they
appiauded. cheered and applauded again and
again until she reappeared and sang the
beautiful lullaby that again set her hearers
wild
Taken as a whole the second concert was
as thoroughly successful from an artistic
point of view the first, and though the
receipts were not up to the high-water
mark of Monday night, the attendance was
OF a very gratifying character.