The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-09-26
Topeka TRIUMPH
Auditorium is Formally Dedi-
Gated Last Evening.
Large Audience Hears the Rem
dition of 6 Elijah"
AN EXCELLENT CHORUS
Three Hundred Voices Sing the
Sacred Words.
Symphony Orchestra of 10
Pieces Plays Accompaniment.
THE HALL is PERFECT
Singers Are Heard Distinctly
in Every Location.
Grand Concert Will Be the Bill
For Tonight.
Three Hundred Voices Sing the
Sacred Words.
Symphony Orchestra of 45
Pieces Plays Accompaniment.
THE HALL is PERFECT
Singers Are Heard Distinctly
in Every Location.
Grand Concert Will Be the Bill
For Tonight.
me Auditorium is christened.

The Auditorium is christened-
In a wave of harmony and flood OF
melody. Topeka's immense new conven-
ton hall received its baptism Mendeis-
sohn's oratorio, Elijah by a granu
chorus of three hundred voices, as the
opening event, was success. Inc
great chorus showed the effects of its
careful and diIigent training under the
direction of Professor Waldemar Won
Dahlen. and the presence of much indi-
vidual and collective talent as Well
Topeka can we'll be proud of having not
only the largest and finest convention
hall in the state of Kansas. but also a
most superb oratorio chorus And three
thousand people sat in that vast build
ing for the first time, rejoicing IN the
sweet strains of choral music, with
which pleasing emotions was mingled a
deep sense of qualification that the
great end upon which so much untiring
effort has been expended, is now at
tanned.
SEATING THE AUDIENCE
1t was a sight to see the people arrive
and take their places as a part of the
biggest indoor gathering this city has
ever known First they came by twos
and threes and not very early either.
Such an expanse Of yellow seats, gleam-
ing bright or dull as the light or shade
fell on them, it seemed never could De
obliterated. The first dozen people. TO
arrive were microscopic to the view; the
first hundred looked lost, the next hun
dred still looked lonesome. and the first
half thousand only made themselves
black dots on the yellow background
like the average Sunday morning con-
gregation in a. dispirited church
Then, when o'clock neared, the audi
ence streamed in faster. A steady pro-
cession swept through the spacious dou-
bic front entrance and more poured in
the balcony entrances at the side.
knowledge of their alphabets stood the
members of the City Troop in good
stead Counting out their ABC'S the mill
places that the incOmers had bargained
for There We're a few Implications and
some minor annoyances, but on the
whole the big audience was seated in
good order in the midst of all that new
ness.
Overhead the bright bulbs b1azed in
the disk of the big sunfiower chandelier.
curving yellow petals and shimmering
along the sky-blue ceiling. Back Of the
platform there was more color. The
rear wall was draped with even folds of
the red. white and blue, and above the
bunting stretched the legend, 1854
Kansas Semi-Centennial Exposition
1904"
SINGERS MARCH IN.
1t was $3.50 by the clock ere the inn
mense audience was well settled Over
in the fire department. quarters to- be
the chorus was assembled. Now the 500
singers threaded their way down the
wing a1sleS on either side and took their
places in an orderly manner in the tiers
OF seats behind the Kansas City SYM