River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1895-03-21
QUEEN ESTHER.
The Story of Holy Writ Rendered
Beautiful and Impressive by Sixty
Skillful Artists in Lyric and
Spectacular Drama.
Our Citizens Turn Out En- Masse to
Witness the Splendid Rendition
BY Home Artists.

Our Citizens Turn Out En- MasSe to
Witness the Splendid Rendition
By Home Artists.
The Cantata of Queen Esther was
rendered by the Choral Club of sixty
voices at Opera Hall on the evenings
of the 18th and 18th to full house at
both recitals. The people had high
expectations of the merit of the play
and unlimited confidence i'm the
abilityof the players. Their estimate
OF the entertainment was fully sus-
tanned by the most satisfactory
results in every feature. The
character of the play was well known
as reproduction of the scenes and
personalities of the sacred narrative
of the Book of Esther. This is a
superb epic poem with stirring events
and tragic incidents, with frequent
reverses and swift Justice, the craft
of man against human rights, the
ultimate triumph of virtue.
The drama of Queen Esther as
rendered by the Choral Club was
this epic poem set to music and
| accompanied with all such vivid
realities and scenic attendants as it
is possible TO represent such an elabor-
ate plot in actual performance.
| The audience at both entertain
ments manifested their appreciation
of the performance by frequent
| applause unaccompanied by any
boisterous displays of indecorum, an
evidence that the sublime character
of the play appealed to the candol
and judgment, and indicated that
the audience was composed of the
intelligent and considerate alone.
The costumes and paraphernalia of
the stage were special feature of the
drama. They were unique, in great
variety, distinctive, Characteristic
The insignia of rank, the EN- blems of
nobility, heraldic emblazonry, the
trappings and ornaments, the battle
aXes-were magnificent represe nta
tions of the appurtenances of the
court of an oriental monarch. The
costumes were especially worthy of
/ mention. Much of tue pomp and
circum stance, the scenic grandeur
| and magniflcence of the courts of
| those ancient monarchs was directly
produced or UNNECESSARILY enhanced
! by the costliness, the splendor and
the contrasted variety of the costumes
| worn.
We do not betray the confidence of
the management, nor does it detract
from the high order of the play, to
say that the most elaborate and ex-
pensive costumes were secured for
this temporary purpose from the
theaters of st. Paul, as some of these
garments, rich i'm material and
ornamentation, represent a small
fortune in themselves. The costumes
of the king and queen, of Hannah,
Mordecai and Zerish, Humans wife,
were of superior make and finish and
elaborate with ornamentation. OIL
course many IF the garments worn by
the performers were specially pre-
pared by the wearers for this occasion.
All were attractive by their peculiar
ity, adaptability and appropriateness,
and distinctive with special adorn-
ments. The costumes of the queens
maids, Misses Lulu Gibbs and Eta
Harnsberger, attracted special
attention and elected many express
sions of admiration. The acting. as
far as one could determine without
the opportunity of comparison with
star actors in the same roles, was
faultless, was excellent without ex-
ception. The intricate evolutions.
panied with music and the full
chorus were performed without a |
single break in the harmonious
complications. The leading characters
only can be specialized, as a great
part of the drama was performed 10y
the whole cast accompanied by the
chorus-all acting in concert. The
whole chorus, individually and con-
sidered in its entirety is deserving of
unstinted praise; there was no lack
of enthusiasm, no evidence of
hesitancy in any instance, but the
whole chorus of voices arose in
harmony and power. and was sustain
ed on these exalted lines to the end.
The leading parts, in which there
was a distinct individuality of per-
Torrance can be readily specialized.
The principal actors were the king,
Ahasuerus, represented by Herbert
Reed; the Queen, Esther, whose part
was performed by Mrs. DR.. Toby:
Hannah. assumed by Frank b. Thayer;
Mordecai, the Jew, indicated by S. j
Rasmussen, and Zerish, the wife of
Hannah, presented Thursday evening
| by Miss Clara Evans, and Friday
evening by Miss Ethel Heasley. These,
| the chief actors in the play, from the
exalted stations occupied, from the
personalities represented, were con-
| spicuous as much for their splendid
| attire as the august positions occupied
in the plot of the drama. The king
was gorgeous by the richness of his
attire, but the ornate display of
glittering jewelry was dispensed with
as superfuity and detraction
from lofty worth, The glittering
tinsel is displayed by underlings.
| Supercilious hauteur is not an
accessory but a substitute for great
ness. The crown of royalty was one
OF intrinsic value distinguishing the
king, The golden Scepter, the
emblem OF despotic power, was
always in his right hand, the slight
est movement of which was a signal
of life or death. The king was
characteristically and uniformly
kingiy, conscious Of his poWer and
place-confident In the love of his
people-no assumption of superiority
was manifested or needed. His
movements were dignified and de-
liberate, the words he spoke while
words of despotic authority, absolute,
| from which there was no appeal, were
replete with wisdom, cOnsiderate for