The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-02-16
Some Points
About Music
in Hou S ton
and Elsewhere

sang victor Hugo's sweet little lyric, ''san'
| Toll" in the English version Of NJ. j. Bar
nett TO the exquisite musical setting Of Guy
| O'nardelot. Then the Womens Choral
/ club, OF which the bride is member. sang
| part OF the Bridal Chorus from "Lohen
| grin" after which the bridal procession
| entered the church 10 the inspiring strains
Of the wedding march played by MIR. Aid
ridge Kidd.
| As this writer happens to know that
many school children read this page aud
that some OF them expect to go to the
matinee this week when Carmen will
be presented, she gives here tire sketchiest
outline OF that romance written by Prosper
Merimee which Bizet selected as the story
for his opera Carmen"
The scene is laid In Seville. The nrst
act opens In the public square where some
loungers and loaflng soldiers with their
Lieutenant Don Jose arc whiting the com.
Ing OF the cigar factory girls on their way
TO work Amongst these cigar makers
Carmen Is the prettiest and most heartiess
Of them oll Before they appear,
Nlchrgin, o village maiden, enters bearing
message to Don Jose from his mother,
but not finding him. sue departs. When
the cigar girls pass by Carmen observes
Don Jose seated with an air Of indiffer.
ence and she throws him the rose she
wears In her bosom. AS the girls diSnp-
pear Mlcheala returns and delivers her
message. The sight OF the gentle girl and
the thought Of home dispel Don Jose's
sudden passion for Carmen. He is about
10 throw away her rose. when n sudden
disturbance Is heard In the factory Car.
men has quareled with one Of the girls
and wounded her. She IS arrested, hut
later she so bewitches the lieutenant that
he conuives at and effects her escape as
she IS being led 10 prison bv the soldiers.
In the second acts Carmen has returned
70 her wandering GYPSY life and she is
Ia cabaret singing and dancing when
hscamllo the victorious bull fighter of
Grenada, arrives aud Carmen IL fascinated
by him. When EscamlllO and the soldiers
depart Carmen waits With two gypsy
smugglers for the coming or Don lose
Urged thereto by the smuRgiers Carmen
persuades the lieutenant 70 join their baud
He is so madly In love with her that he
does no. heed the trumpet call which sum
mons him 10 duty. When another officer
comes In to compel Jose 10 return TO his
Jose escapes 10 the mountains.
In the third act Jose and Carmen. who
Ia growing very Indifferent 20 him, are to-
gethcr IN the haunt Of he smugglers
After n little Escamillo. who has been fol-
lowing Carmen, appears. His presence and
manner arouse the jealousy of bon Jose.
they rush at each other to fight, hut the
smngglers separate them. Escamlllo in
vites them TO the approaching bull fight
OF Seville and dcpcrts While Don lose
Is uphraiding Carmen, the faithful
Nichtala, Who has becn guided to the
riot. begs him TO return with her M HIS
mother Is diving. Duty prevails this tine
and he follows Micheala az Escamlllo's
tnrntnc song Is heard dying away in til,
in the last act II ia the day Of the bul'
night Carmen is with Escamillo, though
the Gypsies warn her that Don Jose Is
seeking her. Anil great pomp Escamillo
enters the arena and Carmea Is about to
| Follow when Jose appears and stops her.
He arpcnls 10 her bui she will not listen.
and al last In 6t OF wild anger she hurs
the ring he had given her az his feet. The
shouts OF the people announce another
| victory for Escnmilln, Carmen cries on;
| with Joy. Don Jose springs Mt her aud
| stabs her Just IA Escamillo energies from
me con est
Isn't it a hldeous story from start to
hnishi One reason FOR giving it here Is
lnat. SO many expressed pleasure or salts.
| faction because the plot Of tho less fAmil
! lar opera IN which the Frcnch company
| win be heard here this week was given
Bizcts music vs. worthy Of henltbler
story than that Of Carmen as given above.
At the Metropolitan oporA house Ia New
York this week Mr.. Padarewskrs "Manru'
was produced with great pomp and cir
cumstance Tor the first time in America
Nine. semhrich took tho part Of the he
roine ne the solicitation Of AR Paderew,
| ski, who was anxious not only to have 80
consummate an artist in his opera. but
| DESTROYS also that Nine Spmhrich sbouid
7 imporsonate a character for which she
/ could feel n natural racial sympathy
GERMAN-TEXAN SAENGERBuND.
The German immigrants who came IA
Texas about 1910 under the leadership Of
| Prince Salms had scarcely overcome the
| trial year, full Of hardships and prlvations
In their new colony of New Braunfcls
when the inherent love Of song-musle as
serted itself by the establishment OF tbs
| first singing society, which was organized
In 1s45, under llveoak tree on tho bank.
| Of the Comal river There were but eight
singers Mt the start, who would occasion
! ally come together whenever they all hap
pened to be stopping in the colony. Regular
! rchearSals did not take place until the or
J ganlzation OF the singing society, Germanla
| IN 1850, on the 2nd day Of March. the an
! niversary or the Republic OF Texas From
! that time on the love OF song beZau Il
| spteud more and more among the German
| settlers OF Texas
About the same time singing society
| was started IN San Antonio. and In 1885
! the ''Deutsche MaennerchOr' was organized
az Austin, which Is 70 this date stu II
! existence. being the oldest society belong
ing "a the German-rexsn Saengerbund
| While celebrating the 18th Of July, In tn;
! year ~ 1853, sundry songs were rendered bJ
( the Germa ola society, which were parti
I olrated In by a number OF singers from
/ san Antonio also.
IL was on this occasion that the suzres
: tion OF forming q SAengerhund (siuc9rS
leaguel was made. and the singing soclN
ties OF San Antonio aud Austin we're In
vlted by the New Braunfels society Ia
meet at a sacngerfcst to take place In New
hraunfels' on the 18th and 10th OF October.
And The singers came although heavy
rains had fallen over the entire country.
moklng roads almost impossible, and swell
lps rivers Anc creeks to overAnwinE Thr
san Antonio singers succeeded only after
great difficulties IN crossing the sulado an 4
/ Cibolo creeks. The Austin singers hnd 10
/ nlake n halt with their wagons before mo
! overlooking hanks Of the Blanco river In
! normal condition the rlverhed contained
! about one foot OF water, but now, howevera
/ presented the picture OF a big sea Tho
! crossing had 20 be accomplished however
| because on the following DIV the saeurer,
! fest was to begin In New Rraupfels and a
distance OF twenty-four miles had stiH ia
| be covered ~
At the risk OF their lives the attemp,
was made, and when they finally succeeded
! In reaching the other side OF the river
they found that all their effects also their
music hooks, had been carried away by
the waters, An they saved was their lives
ana their banner. This banner will be M
| the next saengerfeSt In Houstou)
All the singers arrived, however In time
~ New Brauufels and Notwithstanding tht
| fact that the way from the town 10 IN,
I gtuWorE' hnlf Ia