The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-10-27
THE MUSICAL FESTIVAL.
Mr.. Homer N. Chase Outlines tho Plans
for Next Year.

Manager Homer N. Chase of the Maine
Musical Festival, has been in Bangor and
talked over the great affair with the
newspapers there. Among other things
the Wing says that Mr.. Chase told them
that neither Mr.. Chapman nor himself
would undertake the festival next year
on the basis of this years returns. They
would want a guarantee of about $780, 900
$40, 600 here and like amount for Port
land. He stated that the success of the
festival this year was made possible by
the concessions which the artists made to
Mr.. Chapman In the peouniary return for
their services; that next year the festival
would cost much more. The favorable
weather this year was also another assist
ance.
Mr.. Chase said Mr.. Chapman is now
engaged in making arrangements for next
year, securing artists and blocking out
matters. He has an idea now of produc-
ing the grand oratorio of Elijah" next
year. Emma Eames will probably be en-
gagged. Nordica, he said, received $500
for three appearances at the Worcester
festival, and will not now make any en-
gagements for less than $1250, and
Eames's terms are about the same. Mr..
Chase thought other cities and towns
would be taken into the chorus next year,
Ellsworth, Bucksport, Houlton and per-
hapes other towns in the eastern section,
and Saco, Biddeford, Gorham and other
he oh will
receive the benefit of fine instruction in
singing and receive liberal education in
music at an expense of only two or three
dollars. At the time of the festival there
will be a selection of the best voices in
order to reduce the number to the proper
limit.
The plan for guarantee suggested by
Mr.. Chase is for patron list OF 1000 in
each section, each member of the chorus
to secure two names, or to get the list in
some other manner. He thought the
proper proportion might be 1000 for Ban
gor and the other 1000 for the towns
around and the same idea for Portland.
The patron tickets will be again %. Mr..
Chase said they were not looking to make
SIC, 1000, only desiring to receive fair re-
turn for the immense amount of work re-
quired to carry out such a big project as
festival, in which the expenses run up
unexpectedly large, exceeding their esti-
mates in each particular, although they
thought they had placed their figures be-
forehand sufficiently high.
AS to the date of next years festival
Mr.. Chase thought September the best
month. Some had suggested June as the
best time, but he thought that not
practicable. The date has not been de-
cided upon as yet, of course. He hopes
that Mr.. Chapman's arrangements will
be perfected in few days SO that work
can be commenced at once for next year.
Bath and Waterville, he heard last night,
have organized for 1898, beside Bangor.
The members of the Bangor festival
chorus met Monday evening at the \. NJ.
G. A. building, about two hundred being
present, to organize. Mr.. A. b. Taylor
was chosen chairman and Mr.. ID. W.
Libby secretary pro tenn. There was a
discussion as to whether the chorus should
unite with the Derthick club or form
separate organization. The vote was in
favor of the latter plan, the name to be
decided upon later. A nominating COM
mittee for officers was appointed as 10
lows: W. A. Palmer, Mrs. E. L. Wa
gait, Mr.. Joseph Emerson. They will
report at meeting of the organization on
Tuesday evening of next week. The fol-
lowing committee on constitution and by
laws was appointed: Mr.. 6. S. Sllsby.
Mr.. A. G. Morton, Mrs. A. W. Nelson,