The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-24
A FESTIVAL NEXT YEAR
SUCCESS OF ONE LAST WEEK AS
SURES A SEASON OF SONG IN 1898.
Directors Bid Goodbye TO Mr.. Van
Der stuc1en-PrOpOsed TO Have u
SeasOn-TicI1et subscription.

The directors of the May festival dropped
in on Mr.. Van der Stucken at the Denison
yesterday afternoon and had a chat with
the musical director before his departure
for Europe. There was considerable fe-
licitation upon the success of the festival
During the afternoon a number of must
clans and others called on Mr. Van der
Stucken, congratuating him and bidding
him good bye. He will go direct to New
York from Indianapolis sailing this week.
Most Of his time abroad will be spent at
Hanover, Germany. He will return in Sep
TENDER and begin active work again with
his orchestra at Cincinnati.
In talking over festival affairs, it was
the sentiment of the directors that an
other festival be given next year. Last
winter it was practically determined that
it would be best to give biennial festivals
hereafter, holding the next one after that
of 1897 in 1899 Next year Cincinnati will
have a festival, and this would make the
two cities alternate in these events. The
great success of the 1897 festival, however,
has changed this view and it seems to be
the present intention to have the spring
season of music in 1898 as usual. The di-
rectors will hold two meetings the coming
week and settle this matter. Tuesday aft
ernoon a meeting will be held merely for
the purpose of auditing bills and closing
up matters connected with the last festival.
AS stated yesterday the deficit will proba-
bly, not exceed $500, and even this small
amount may be scaled, or the deficit wiped
away entirely.
A comparison of the cost Of maintaining
the Springfield, Mass, festival, the largest
of those in the East, with that of the Indi-
is
statement of receipts and expenditures
published recently in musical paper
shows that from 1856 to 1896 the Springfield
festival had a net loss of ST. 49O.69. Only in
one year, 1889, has the surplus exceeded $500,
and that year the surplus was Sl,3o6Sl
Every year, from 1890 to 1893 inclusive, there
was a loss, that of 1898 reaching S2,34o 10.
Last year the deficit was $l0QL5S. The fg-
ures for the present year have not yet
been published. In 1896 the expenditures
were Sl3, 1912, less than those at lndlanap-
oils this year The Springfield festival is
one of the Oldest in the country and 1t has
one source OF revenue which the Indianap-
oils association does not draw upon. A
charge is made for chorus membership, ana
last year the fees from this source
amounted to $693, besides a donation OF S5Uo.
Indianapolis has never had even TINS large
q donation According to Miss RuSSell, the
English festivals not intrequently make
large profits, that of the Leeds festival last
year reaching several thousand dollars All
the profits are given to hospitals there, and
the festivals have the advantage OF large
individual purchases of seats by wealthy
men and the nobility.
For next year there has been some talk
of opening subscriptions TO season TICKETS
a long time in advance, and letting the sue
cess of this plan determine whether or not
a festival should be held. The present plan
of having a guarantee fund Is not as satls-
factory as would be some plan by Wnlch
the management would know before aftlStS
are engaged whether or not the teStlVa1
was to be a financial success AT present
the guarantor merely has the satisfaction
of knowing that he is contributing TO ala
an enterprise that is pushing the city Tor
ward for q subscription to the 1und en-
titles him to no seats. Inc guafantoTS,
however, have always given the olTeCtoIs
the most loyal of support Last FRIDAY
morning, when it seemed that there would
probably be a considerable deficit, num-
Der of the guarantorS, business men, came
to the directors and assured them lhaI any
deficit would be cheerfully met.
Mr. Van der Stucken, in conVers1ng with
the directors yesterday, took occasion 10
commitment Mr. ErnestinoH and refer TO
his high ability The prfect harmony thdt
has existed between the two musical d1rec-
to marvel at, when the general touchl-
ness" of artists and musical directors IS
taken into consideration 'Oh, they are
both modest men,, remarked one Director,
in commenting on this, and they were Doln
more interested in the ultimate success OF
the festival than any self-glorihcation.
Mr. Ernestinoff, although a popular man
when he was persuaded to engage IN the
festival work had established himself more
firmly in the hearts OF the muSlcaI peopl9
of indianapolis when the festival closed
Saturday night The chorus is enthusiastic
The success of the festival was a general
tonic of conversation yesterday, and IN the
Sunday morning church croWds 1requent
comments on the excellence OF the season
heard