Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-05-06
SONGS AND SINGERS.
THE MAY MUSIC FESTIVAL WILL
me THE EVENT OF THE SEASON.
4 GALAXY OF CELEBRATED ARTlSYS,
The First Concert to He Given To-
night with n Most Attractive Pro-
grnmme-The Outlook Most Fro
mfSirg--yyho the soloists Are.

The May festival or the wednesday
Club. which Will be the event OF the
week. and. indeed. OF the season, VIII
be begun at the Academy OF MUSIC TO-
night. There will be two concerts to-
morrow. The festival Will be conducted
on this occasion on far more elaborate
scale than ever before which means 'hat
II will probably be the most important
musical event that has ever taken place
In Richmond.
The Wednesday Club chorus of l5o
voices will be assisted by the German
Choral Society OF sixty voices, and the
Boston Festival Orchestra of forty-two
artists. in the rendition Of superb pro-
yramme. arranged with admirable FORE
sight. the details of which have already
appeared in these columns.
WHO THE soLoISTs ARE.
AT an enormous outlay the Wednesday
Club has secured the services of nine
celebrated soloists. Mrs. Frances Dunton
Wood and Miss Rose Stewart are the
SOPRANOS The former is probably the
foremost oratorio singer OF to-day; her
voice has been much admired for It's great
purity. evenness of the registers, anu
above ALL the beauty of the upper notes.
The latter has been enthuslasucaily en-
dorsed not alone by press and public, Dut
bv eminent composers. Franz List said
of her that she has. indeed. a most beau
tiful voice and sings with the SAVIOR
falre of a grand artist. Etelka Gerster.
(;anrleua Kraus. Matilda Marchesi,
Rubensteln. and Nevada had expressed
similar sentiments.
Mrs Katherine Bloodgood, Is one OF
the best contraltos in America. she mas
a strong. full voice of excellent timore,
which. at the same time, Is rich, mellow
and sympathetic.
Miss Jennie Mae Spencer, Is the Sc
cond contral.o. The musical censors OF
Boston have predicted a brilliant career
for her Her voice is said TO De rleh
and of wonderful strength.
THE LEADING TENOR.
1t is always pleasure, in writing OF
an artist. to be able TO record career
that is more than usually successful, ana
without exaggeration, Mr.. Mckinley
may be said to have obtained, solely
through merit and hard work posi-
ton In the musical world of this country
that few occupy. but TO which many
unsuccessfuily aspire.
Mr.. Mckinley stands to-day with
repertoire including every standard orato-
rio written and sung. 1t is not
difficult to understand the reason OF
Mr.. McKinley's popularity when we
consider this fact; and the demand for
mis- services by ali the leading oratorio
societies in this country attests their APP
probation of his exceptional ability in
this direction.
MR.. HEINRICH MEYN, BARITONE.
Mr.. Heinrich Meyn, the baritone. has
mad a most successful career. When he
came 10 this country nc at once as
sumed a leading position, and wherever
he sings, If a concert or oratofio In
which he has appeared IS to be repeated
the following season, his engagement is
generally closed on the moment he is
booked a year ahead for festivals. az
which he is an annual feature ana ms
great popularity is best explained by the
fact. that whatever Mr.. Meyn does he
does well.
Miss Minnie Little, the pianist, bids
defiance 10 traditions. which tell that
woman is not physically capable Of. nor
mentally adapted to, the Interpretation
of the most virile styles OF composition.
Mr.. Charles Morenhont, yiolinist, ANA
MIR. Won Vechten Rogers harpist, both
renowned solsts will also be heard.
The festival Will be under the direction
day Club, assisted by Mr.. Charles f.
Mutter. of the German-American Choral
Society. and Mr.. Emil Mollenhauer. con-
ductor Of the Boston Festival Orchestra
THE PROGRAMME TONIGHT.
The following admirable programme
will be heard tonight:
Overture, "Oberon." Weter) Festival
Orchestra; Chorus, Hail Bright Abode,
CTannhauser) (Wagner) Festival Cho-
rus and Orchestra; Aria, Lend
Me Your Aid" (Gounod) Mr.. Nc
Kinley; Scene and Air from
Donna Caritea," Mercadante,) Miss
Spencer; (a) Air for String
(3ach-WilhelmD, (b) Perpetual Motion
(Novacet) played by all the first vlolins;
bonanza, Evening Star" Cfannhauser)
(Wagner) Mr.. Meyn; intermission; Aria,
An! Patria Mia" (Aida) (Verdi,) Mrs.
Wood. (Oboe Obligato. by Mr.. Arthur
Trepte); Symphonic Poem, LES Pre-
lades," (Lisz.) Festival Orchestra;
Quartette. from "Rigoletto," Verdi)
Mrs Wood. Miss Spencer, Mr.. Mckinley.
Mr. Meyn; Choral Ode. "The Sun Wor-
shippers" (Goring Tnomas) Mrs. Wood.
Me-. Mckinley, Festival Chorus and Or
chestra.
Tnere has been already a very grati-
flying sale Of tickets and brilliant audi
ences are expected at all three OF the