Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1902-08-22
MUSICAL FESTIVAL OPENS
Annual Fall Session Of Concerts BSgin'
Under AuspioiOus Augury.
SOCIETY FAVoRs THE FIRST CONCERT
EIIery's Royal italian Band Gets Z
Generous welcome and In Re-
turn Gives an Evening
of Pleasure.


entertainments was shown last night on the
first appearance OF Ellery's Royal Italian
band for the benefit OF the Auditorium COM
pany. The box office reported the receipt
Of about $500 paid admissions and the
crowd inside of the grounds numbered about
500 more. For the first time the decorative
lights we're turned on and the scene was
one Of exceptional beauty. The tastily dec
Grated booths added much to the attractive
ness but the space within the walls was
inadequate for the crowd, which attempted
to promenade during the intermission.
Not only the musical contingent. but up
perdom In general was scattered about
through the tent in couples and groups,
contributing that element Of success to the
first night performance that so largely de-
termines the popularity of such affairs. 1t
was not the dressy audience that had been
expected, however, but that was due to the
threatening clouds rather than the inten-
tion of the women who had planned to
make the opening night at least memoir
able occasion. There we're plenty Of smart
toilettes, however, also an admirable array
of men from the younger set, scattered
about the edge Of the tent, evidently appre-
ciating each others company more than the
music and discussing the events of the
week at the Field club with an enthusiasm
that directed in another channel might have
been valuable to the Auditorium enterprise.
Boom Night for Booths.
During the intermission the promenade
fairly swarmed and the various womens
organizations of the city who had taken the
refreshment concessions reaped the harvest
of their enterprise. In gaily decorated
booths all in different colors, but chiefly
in Japanese design. several score Of women,
in Jap costumes, dispensed iced drinks pea
nuts, popcorn. chewing gum and coffee at
so much per dispense, with plenty of smiles
thrown in. all Of which the crowd over the
counter seemed to appreciate, judging from
the receipts, of which, by the way, the
Auditorium company gets rs per cent Of
the gross and the women the rest Of the
net, which will at least amount to the honor
Of having helped in the cause. and the
abandon with which they consumed every
thing that was for sale.
In a sixty-ive foot booth on the Capitol
avenue side, gay with bright colored Ian
terms and festoons OF colored bunting the
women of the First Baptist church called
out their wares to the passing crowd, and
not in vain, according to Mesdames G. w.
Clarke. H. X. Burket. Edward Johnson, ].
H. Dumont and S. v. Fullaway. who were
in charge.
Several Attractive Places.
Unity church has the space adjoining and
here all the attractiveness OF the first
booth Is repeated, only in different colors
and flowers and women, Mesdames H. 1.
Bettis and H. D. Reed supervising the sales
which are being made by the young women
Of the church. st. Matthias auxiliary has
the booth at the end of the walk but they
were not in operation last night, owing to
the failure of ''the man" to materialize
with the stock of peanuts and popcorn they
had expected to sell, but they assured their
friends that they will do their share in
future. Mrs. Constance Wilson and Miss
Fayette Cole are in charge.
Holy Family church has a spacious booth
curtained off with pretty Japanese stun
that suggests a delightful little retreat
when it is all finished, which will be this
evening. Miss Agnes Shannon is in charge
OF the booth. Over on the other side Of
the grounds the women OF Clifton Hill
Presbyterian church are selling a variety
OF refreshments from long booth trimmed
with flags and tissue paper Of correspond
ing color, Mrs. F. R. Martin presiding there.
Built around the corner and the largest
booth on the grounds Is that Of the Saliva
tion Army, and here, under the direction of
Mrs j. A. Salmon and Adjutant Dodds, a
dozen or more army lassies are disguised
as Japanese girls and serving tea from as
many prettily decorated tables. Plymouth
| Congregational church has q small tent
where the women OF its Aid society will
sell refreshments after this evening.
Last, but by no means least, is the booth
Of the auditorium company, presided over
by Miss Lena Bellman, where cigars and
the like. and, incidentally, auditorium stock,
may be procured.
what the band is Like.
1t would be hard to give a comparative
idea OF the merits Of the band. The Amer
lean people are accustomed to the arrange
ment Of programs and Instrumentation
known as the German. illustrated well by
Innes, Sousa and Bellstedt Sorrentino with
the Banda Rosa gave us the pure Italian
style of program and instrumentation,
while Rivela has conceded much to the
custom Of America, retaining much that is
purely Italian. The result is that he is
better understood by the general public
probably, than sorrentino. while there is
something gained in novelty over the bet
ter known masters.
The program opened with the march, ded-
icated to the Auditorium company and en-
titled, The Festival" II was heard for
the first time last night and proved to be
attractive to the crowd. The second num-
ber was the overture from "Mignon," in
which signor Caramel rendered a solo on
the French horn. Slgnor Palma was un-
able to appear in the third number, a
trumpet solo, a Schubert serenade and
this was rendered by Slgnor DeMitris. This
was followed by the prelude from Cav
allieri Rusticana," and the first part
Of the program closed with the sextet
from Lucia" by Signori DeMitris, Di Ma
tale. Marino. Curti. Bastle and Di Fulvio.
The number which proved to be the most
popular with the audience was In the sec
Ond half Of the program After a polka
'Minnetonka," by Rivels, and a harp solo,
''The Last Rose OF Summer" rendered by
signor setaro. had been presented. the
band gave a selection from Carmen"
| opening with a grand fantasie and closing
with the finale OF act vi. In this fnaIe
the power OF the band was shown. Every
instrument was in use and the effect was
electrical upon the hearers. The program
closed with a march, THE American Re
public"
While there were nine numbers on the
program, seventeen selections were pre-,
sented. each number but the last calling
for a return OF the players In some selec-
tion not upon the program.
Programs for Today: