The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-10-22
ECHOES FROM THE FESTIVAL.
Director Chapman Thinks He May Hold
the Next in June.

All the great and lesser artists IN the
chorus have returned home.
Director Chapman left for New YORK
with Mrs. Chapman last evening. Dlreo-
tor Chapman says there is propapill'y
that he will produce the entertainments
in June next season instead OF III octo-
Der as he did this year. He says that the
work in Maine has kept him from HIS
New York societies for some weeks alter
the usual date of beginning reheafsais'
and he cannot bring those organizations
up to their usual winter WORK WlehouO
more time for drilling. Again. ne mas
sacrificed the entire summer to the Malne
Festival; that over he will plunge direct
ly into the work in New York, SO thae ne
will have no rest in an entire year. ne
does not feel that his health Will enoure
another whole summer given over W
work in Maine. 1t is thus belieVeo ohao
the festivals of 1898 will come IN June.
Now that the choruses are drilled INTO
fair condition, another season will bring
less work Of that kind, and Will enable
the director to leave his New YORK lapors
at the end of their season and begin MS
work in Maine in time to bring the les
tival to head before the first OF July.
Mr.. Homer NJ Chase, the business man
of the concern, is entitled to the greatest
praise for his labor and energy. When
the festival started in Lewiston ana the
gentlemen associated with him IN that
city discovered what great enterprise
was on their hands, they pulled OUT ana
the affair would have fallen to the
ground If Mr.. Chase had not taken 1t
up and put it through with such vim anu
courage. Musically, Mr.. Chapman did
one giants work, and from business
point Mr.. Chase did another's. MI
Chase said he could not tell exactly what
the financial result of the festival would
be in the two cities. He said that Ban
gor did as well as she could, but Portland
had done nobly and had pulled the affair
through with out loss and he thought
there would be margin of profit.
A suggestion has been made that 1t
would be proper thing for the two Sec
lions of the state to have their two asso-
Citations to take the whole charge of the
festival in their respective sections, put
the profits into the treasury, and engage
Mr.. Chapman as director at a fixed sum.
That would take the bulk Of the labors
off of his shoulders, enable him to take it
easy and assure him of q good salary.
That is the way the thing is done at the
Worcester festival.
Applications for chorus positions have
already come in from many Maine towns
which were not included in this years
choruses and there will be an opportunity
to select the very best for next year.
In connection with the musical festival
great praise should be given Janitor
Elmer E. Brown, who has labored early
and late to make the festival success.
There have been a hundred and one
things to do in the complete preparation
for the occasion, but in all his multifold
duties Mr.. Brown has never, for mo-
ment, been found wanting. His work
every night has kept him up into the
small hours of the morning, and with
but few hours sleep snatched were and
there on lounge or chair, he has been
constantly at work since Sunday morn
ing. Mrs. Chapman, Mr.. Chapman, Mr.
Chase, and everyone connected with the
festival, all complimented him highly,
and Mrs. Chapman said he would be a
treasure in New York. Mr.. Browns as
sistants, Councilmen Brown and City
Messenger MCGOWAN, had charge of the
front of the house, and SO we'll did they
manage that there wasn't complaint
or hitch. No such quick and accurate
seating has been known here.