The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-09
STARS OF THE FESTIVAL
NINE. DE y~ERE-sAPIO, THE PRIMA
DONNA OF OPENING NIGHT.
Much Interest in Her A~ppearance and
that of Miss RusseII-WaGner Pro-
Sramme Second Night.

most favorable. With the famous artists
and excellent orchestra engaged. and the
splendid, earnest work the chorus has
done, there has been no doubt of the ar
tlst1c success of the various concerts. The
unusually large advance sale of season
tickets for the last three days is an indica-
ton that the patronage will be greater
than ever before in the history Of the an
nual entertainments, and the directors con-
hdently believe that when the sale of seats
for single concerts begins, next Thursday
morning, the demand will be enormous.
This is particularly true for the Calve
nlght, for no famous singer has ever APP
peared in indianapolis whose coming is
awaited with greater interest. Although
the prices of seats will be advanced one
dollar each for the concert at which she
sings, there is every reason to believe that
all will be sold, in advance of the enter
tainment. Orders for seats for this particu-
lar concert and others as we'll, continue to
pour in from out of town.
THE CHILDREN'S CHORUS.
The festival managers will make every
possible effort To accommodate with seats
everybody who wants to attend any of the
concerts. When the sale opens next Thurs
day the number of seats sold to each pur-
chaser will be limited, so that all may have
a chance. The greatest demand, aside
from that for the Calve night, is expected
for Saturday afternoon concert, when the
chorus of LOCO school children will sing
Benoit's beautiful c~antata, Into Life 1t
is amazing how well the children already
sing, and their chorus is expected to be
one of the most attractive features of the
festival. Leonard Leopold Peter Benoit,
the composer of this work, was born at
Haerlebeke, West Flanders, Aug. II, 1894,
was educated at Brussels, and is the chief
modern exponent of the Flemish school Of
music. Director of the Conservatory of
Antwerp, he has so devoted himself to
developing the national tendency, that his
own productions have not, as yet, at
tracted general attention beyond the con-
fines of his country. AS a composer, his
style is dramatic, and his orchestration
%singularly powerful. His first efforts were
of a religious character, and he has writ
ten much church music besides oratorios,
etc; His principal dramatic production is
Charlotte Corday,'' yet he seems partial
to the cantata form. and has used it re-
peatedly. The Kinder Cantata," to be
given at the festival is a work of great
beauty and fascination, combining the sim
plicity of a child chorale with the intricate
Instrumentation of a-Wagner score.
of variety, and suggestive Of courage and
hope-a beautiful image of the young ma
ture it describes. The simple. fresh voice
parts represent childhood and budding
youth, while the complicated orchestral ac-
compartment would Indicate the world,
wherein these growing souls are called to
AXE a place. 1t is natures summons to
the children, reckoning and drawing them
Into Life"
FEATURES OF THE CONCERTS.
In point of attractiVeness there is very
little choice between the five concerts to
be given at the festival. The chorus, which
from a musical point of view is the chief
feature Of a festival, will have it's best
opportunity at the first and second night
concerts. Those who have heard the re-
hearsals of Go~ring-Thomas's beautiful
cantata, 1.-THE Swan and the Skylark,"
which will be given the first evening, are
most enthusiastic in it's praise. 1t is d
stirring, melodious composition, which the
chorus has had IN active rehearsal for four
months. On the same evening "Beetho-
Ven'S Choral Fantasia" will be given by
the chorus, with Mr.. Oliver Willard Pierce
as pianist and the Cincinnati symphony
Orchestra, of sixty musicians. The ~soloists
for the opening concert of the festival are
Ffrangcon-Davies, Mr.. Evan Williams. Miss
Sara Layton Walker and Mr.. oliver Will
lard Pierce.
NINE. DE VERE-SAPIO.
Nine. De Vere-Sapio has not sung here
since the first Indianapolis festival, and
she has become one of the greatest of lyric
al (lolo plilCC tiift iAAiC LNCNNllNiS DAAC Il
peared in Cincinnati and the critic of the
Times-Star said of her:
almost Immediately after came Miss De
We're. Rejoice Greatly was the air, and
for a moment it seemed as if the mighty
hall, so full of humaity, threatened to
overwhelm her. She stood there in a mar
velously beautiful white gown of China
crepe, looking more like a classical Gre
clan maiden than like a nineteenth-century
creature of flesh and blood. But the en-
barrassment, if embarrassment there was,
passed like a shadow, ana her pure, lar
reaching soprano notes went floating over
the hall: Shout, o daughter of Jerusalem,
behold, thy King cometh unto thee 1t
was delightful to listen to her. There IS
nothing conventional in her delivery, and
her voice is SO fresh and so bell-like in it's
vibrant quality, that it is difficult to COM
pare her with others who have essayed the
same part. Her triumph was instantane-
Gus, and the hall Numbered with applause
she was in her first solo, it did not COM
pare with the impression that she made
deemer Liveth.' If any one had doubted
her before. all doubts vanished. Then it
was that she made doubly sure of her well
come. All, said an old musician who has
heard all The Messiah performances
here, that has never been sung so SUI
perbly in this hall And that seemed to
citation is especially to be praised. Each
word. was sharp, clear and distinct: You
heard and understood what she said"
Mr.. Ffangcon-Davies is an entirely new
artist to indianapolis audiences, but is the
greatest baritone now singing III OIdIOFlOS
and festivals. Last week he sang at a
| concert at Chicago, and was thus COM
mended by the Times-Herald:
'Of the ~soloists the favorite, was easily
Mr.. Ffrangcon-Davies. 1t was his first APP
pearance before a Chicago audience and
his triumph was complete. His manner of
singing the ~Polyphemus love song in the
'Acis and Galatea' placed him at once in
the highest favor, and mis- rendition OF The
Templar's Soliloquy' was rewarded with
the most demonstrative applause, His sue
cess was unqualified, but not more than
he deserved He has a remarkable bass
voice, full Of power, dramatic and sympa-
thetic. His enunciation is almost perfect,
and his manner of singing extremely pleas
ing. The audience and the chorus made d
demonstration in his honor, but 1t was no
more than a just recognition OF his mas
terful performance.
H WAGNER CONCERT.
The principal artist at the Wagner con-
cert to be given the second night of the
festival week will be Miss Ella Russell, an
American prima donna who has achieved
for herself a great reputation in the Euro
pean capitals, which has been well Endorsed
by her recent work in this country. OF
her debut in New York city the World
said:
.sr,1In Dr-roJY H. A-,arioon Gipuor ,o.ao