The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-05-14
Standing Room Only. and That at a
Premium. So Eager Were the PeO-
pie to. Hear Famous NeIba.
LA DIVA'S GREAT TRIUMPH
THE AUDIENCE SHOUTS AND CRIES
FOR MORE OF HER song.
Excellent Work of the Orchestra and
Chorus--Mr. Heinrich Warmly Re-
ceised-Othcr SoIoists.

The high-water mark OF success has been
reached by the festival association Con-
sidered from an artistic. social or a finan-
cial point OF view. hast evenings concert
went away ahead OF anything in the past.
The wisdom OF the directors in securing
the great Melba has been more than yindi-
Gated The variegated job lot of weather
furnished last evening held no terrors for
the association, for every one of the 2776
seats that had been crowded into Tomlin-
son Hall had been sold long ago, and peo-
pie had been lingering about all day wait
ing IN the hope that some of those pur-
chased by spectators might be returned
But the hope vain and they had TO
take their chances on standing room.
Never did indianapolis turn out more
magnificent audience. All the beauty.
culture and wealth of the city was there
dressed in its very best. Small wonder it
is that the principals the chorus, the
orchestra and all who participated in the
wonderful feast of music outdd them
selves. Such a cOncourse as filled the vast
space OF Tomlinson Hall last night could
not but inspire them TO do their utmost
great crowd on foot and a long line of
carriages were waiting when the doors
were swung open, and from that time until
nearly half past solid mass OF people
poured in through the doors and swept up
the broad staircases on either side. Natur-
ally 1t was a slow and dlgnifed crowd
While it was rather tight jam. there was
no hurry, and there was none of the putting
anxiety that usually characterizes great
crowd. Shortly after s O'Clock no less a
parsonage than the ex-President of the
United States General Harrison, might
H..w~
case in democratic fashion, closely hedged
about in a jam of pretty girls. handsome
ly dressed matrons and men of all ages
1t was impossible to get the crowd seated
by s:l5. but Ave minutes later they were
in their seats and the doors were promptly
closed
Then began the flow of music that ex-
panded the souls and aroused to the highest
pitch enthusiasm of Indiana's lovers of
music. The people were in a mood TO be
pleased, and they found not flaw in the
whole evenings work to mar their pleas
ure. On the contrary, though they ex-
pected much. they found as the evening
progressed, revelation following revelation
that exceeded their highest expectations
The frat agreeable surprise in the
work Of the orchestra. Any fears that
pated after the first few bars or Beethoven's
"Egmont," and the auditors settled back
in their seats. comfortable i'm the knowl-
edge that the orchestra was fully up to the
high standard of the chorus and principals.
The second agreeable surprise came i'm Mr.
Henrich's aria. His rich, full baritone
brought the audience him al once. When
he responded to an encore with The Two
1iorr l,a thai, boo
Indeed. the rich strains of the MAR
seillaise" that run through the song welled
up it seemed great temptation to the
audience to join in the well-known air.
Then came the turn of the chorus. and
here was a revelation indeed, though those
who carefully observed the result of the
training last year expected a great deal
If they were disappointed at all it was be-
cause their expectations were exceeded.
While Faning's "'Daybreak' would not be
great achievement for body of thirty
or forty trained singers. there are few d-
rectors who would not hesitate to attempt
its delicate shading and artistic effects
with "a great chorus Of $50 voices. Yet SO
thorough was the training of this years
chorus that the rendition seemed faultless.
After due appreciation of the chorus had
been shown the house became suddenly still
as death. The effect was strangely solemn:
The vast concourse of nearly three thousand
people was stilled in breathless silence. The
great Melba was about to appear and In
danapolis was 10 hear. for the first time.
the wonderful voice which. beginning but
few years ago its career III far away Aus
tralia, has conquered the world. When the
diva appeared her welcome was cordial but
not tempestuous The audience was curious.
Ii had heard much OF her greatness, but il
had never heard her sing, and one of the
characteristics of an indianapolis audience
is that 1t never takes anything for granted.
Though a handsome woman. she was not
strikingly beautiful nor was there in her
dress any effort TO captivate the audience.
Ii was blue silk under spangled tulle and
was in no wise pretentious. Her manner,
things the audience had ample time to
think about while the orchestra was play
ing the rather long prelude to the bird sopg
from Handers III Penseroso.' The en-
trancement began with her singing. She
seems TO sing absolutely without effort and
the clear notes flow from her lips with all
ing over a cascade. The audience was
breathless. 1t is hardly exaggeration TO
say that one could have heard a pin drop
during the slight pauses of the song. But
when ii ended with the magnificent trill
that forms the grand finale. there was a
tempestuous burst Of applause that broke
like a mighty storm. 1t would exhaust. it
self and then swell up again into mighty
rumble and not few OF the enthusiasts
diva appeared and bowed her acknowledge
ments but the audience would have no re-
fusal and the storm of applause broke again
and again until she was compelled 10 re-
peat the finale. The rest OF the programme
was simply a repetition of the triumphs
that had gone before. Though to the artists
themselves 1t seemed very long one the
audience was loath TO leave even after ii
o'clock, when II ended.
Not only the Festival Association and the
participants in last nights work. but the
city and the State as well are to be con-
graduated upon what is. by far, the most
successful festival yet given. Indianapolis
began the cultivation OF a general musical
taste in a humble way at "A time when
Cincinnati was unquestonably the musical
center of the West. She has steadily pro-
gressed making each years festival more
successful than the last, until IL must be
generally conceded that. with last nights
concert the older city on the banks of the
lai,i- fare..er lnses her musical Siinranacy