The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-12-11
ORATORIO OF MESSIAH.
LAST OPEN REHEARSAL LAST
NIGHT LONG AND SEVERE.

Something About the SoIoists for the
Performance, Tuesday, December 1s-
Dress Rehearsal VIII he Tuesday After
noon-BOst0n Festival Orchestra En-
| gagea-saIe of Seats for Guarantors
Dec. I3 and Tor Public Dec. Is.
The rehearsal of the Gounod society
last night in Republican hall was the
last but one before the regular dress
rehearsal for the performance of the
I Messiah" Tuesday, December 49,.
With the concert eight days away the
chorus finds itself in better shape for
it's work than ever before on the eve of
a production. The two rehearsals yet
| to come will serve to make the fine
points still more fine and to smooth out
| the few ragged spots.
| To an outsider who is unaccustomed
| to the rehearsals training the Gounod
seems a most business-like and serious
performance There are no delays be-
tween the different numbers except
those necessary to find the place, and
only scant time is allowed even then.
A ten-minute intermission is the only
! real break in the two hours of singing.
But the effect of such drill is apparent,
Signor Agramonte expresses himself as
well pleased with the work so far and
expects something better from his
chorus than New Haven has yet heard.
Last night the entire work was sung
and many of the larger numbers re-
peated several times till the eXacting
conductor was satisfied This was par
ticularly true of the Hallelujah chorus,
which was gone over in detail four
times. 1t speaks we'll for the tone
quality of the Gounod that the last rem
dition was clearer, better and more true
to pitch than the first.
Last nights rehearsal was the last to
which the public will be admitted and
business it is to be there will be per-
mitted inside the doors AT o'clock
Tuesday afternoon there will be a dress
rehearsal at the Hyperion theater with
soloists and orchestra.
The sale of tickets for the guarantors
will begin Thursday morning, Decem-
Der 10, and the public sale on Friday
morning, December Is. 1t was an
nounced during the intermission last
night by Secretary Hopper that the
family circle would be reserved at ST.
The prices of the regular reserved seats
will be 81 and $1.5O. The programmes
of the oratorio will be at the music
stores on Thursday containing the text
of the work, the list of soloists and
other interesting matter. No charge
will be made for the programmes.
AS the time goes on and the people
of New Haven are coming to hear more
about the soloists the Gounod manage
ment have obtained for the oratorio,
there is a growing satisfaction and a
certainty that they, the soloists, will be
able to make their part of the perform
ance equal to the high standard set by
the chorus.
Nine. Charlotte Maconda, the So
prano. is probably as well known as
any American soprano now singing in
oratorio. She has been very successful
wherever she has appeared and has had
many fiattering press notices from all
parts of the country. One of her
greatest successes was made in the
great Maine festivals of 1898 and 1899
Nine Maconda is an American by birth
and received her musical training al
most entirely in this country. Her voice |
is high soprano of pure quality and
very flexible with register of nearly
three octaves. Her middle register is I
of unusual richness She has sung
with many of the western singing soci-
cites in the past two years.
Mrs. Morris Black of New York is the !
contralto chosen for the performance |
and the choice is an excellent one Mrs. |
Black was formerly Miss Sara Layton |
Walker of Indianapolis and as such be-
gan her musical career in the west. She !
has built UP fine reputation in ora
torio and recital work in both east and
west and has won the praise of New /
York's most severe critics. Her voice
Is one which suits the lovely aras that
Handel has given to the contralto in
this oratorio. While not of great size
1t Is full, sweet and touching and she
has absolute control over every note in
her range. Her good enunciation adds
to the pleasure of those who want to
know what the singer is saying. Mrs,
Black had the honor to be selected by
Frank Damrosch, out of twelve appli-
cants of ability to sing in two per-
formances Of the Messiah" in New
York city during the Christmas holi-
days.
George Hamlin of Chicago, who will
sing the tenor part, is one of the best
tenors of America to-day His voice is
IF the character known as lyric, and
he uses it with splendid taste. He is a
student, too, and a man of culture
which has its influence on all he sings.
EIe is very popular in recital also and
has recently brought out in Chicago
and elsewhere a number of Richard
Strauss songs, hitherto unknown in
America.
Julian Walker, the basso, comes from
New York, although he is by birth an
and received most of his
raining in his mother country. He, h
ooAis an excellent musician, as well as
4 vocalist. He has been called by some
"a second Heinrich, but better" How
,ver that may be, he is certainly a man
Who has come rapidly to the top and
so. His voice is broad and
vet verv SVInDathe and