The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-01-20
Birmingham Society Turns Out
in Brilliant Array
VERY GOOD PERFORMANCE
Some of the Principals Were Excel.
lent and the Chorus Was Stronq
and Hendsome-The Sopranos
Were Especially Effective.
BY ANNIE KENDRlck WALKER.

rian music, nor protesting an exclusive
alteration, is able to arrive-by extraor-
binary exerton-in time for the overture
and to remain through three hours of
Wagner
The audience that heard Tannhauser
! last evening had doubtless enjoyed grand
opera ON even more extensive scale an
audience truly cosmopolitan and discrim-
mating casual glance through the
| foyer and more scrutinizing one as the
parquet and boxes filled up, showed that
| same contingent of society that goes
north for the opera season a.. that is
! frequently seen in the old French Opera
house on Bourbon street. The cosmopoli-
I tan inclination to pass an evening at the
/ opera, which is natural to this large and
! cultured element, needed little nurturing
for evening of Magnerian opera, but
| for all classes of admirers there have
! been sufficient opportunities during the
| week to develop true appreciation of
! opera. With lectures on Tannhauser ev-
! cry day we have had a week of Wagner.
the series of lectures eliminating in the
opera itself, which was so brilliantly pre-
| sented last evening.
! In the audience the different classes of
admirers were represented; that class
| which elevates Wagner above all Others
and what are known exclusive Wag-
| nerians. There was also the rational adj
mirer, best described by a noted French
whose appreciation is based on the analy-
! sis of the classics. Two other classes were
| also represented. The one who delights
| to find the elements of Beethoven and
| Weber united In Wagner; and, the other
who is musealy ignorant, but who is
strongly affected by what the critics call
| the scenic spendor and color of Wagner
| The music of Tannhauser is popular in
| the society realm. The libretto in GER
| tain respects reflects the varying moods
of the Maynard minstrel. The opera is
an epitome of life, and society in its
| laces and jewels gave a few wel-bred
shudders and then settled itself quite
comfortably in its opera chairs to enjoy
the Pilgrims chorus.
The Audience Socially.
| The audience was extremely brilliant
and interesting. The boxes held gay
parties and the parquet was equally as
picturesque looking, since the evening
dress always, worn at the opera gave
distinct interest to those who were in
delicate enough to scrutinize the beauty
of the gowns and the splendor of the
jewels.
Among the handsomest women in the
audience was Mrs. William Wegener, the
! wife of the celebrated tenor who APP
! peared In the role of TannEauser Mrs
| Wegener, who was formerly Miss Lila
, Allen of Montgomery, was a brilliant Ala
bama belle. and her presence at ale JEFF
! ferson last evening was of great inter-
est to those friends who knew her before
her marriage. She was magnifcently
| gowned, her opera toilette in a delicate
shade of pink, with the yoke and corsage
! rich in a trimming of seed pearls With
this was worn a Charlotte Corday hat
of pink, trimmed with white plumes, and
the opera cloak completing this charm
ing toilette was of white cloth lined
throughout with fur. Mrs. Wegener was
|
party. Mrs. Allen was a distinguished
figure in an opera gown of black lace
over white.
In the Boxes.
Among those occupying boxes were Col.
| and Mrs. Robert H. Pearson, Mrs. John
W. Stagg and Miss Annie Pearson, the
ladies In the party in opera toilettes of
white.
Mr. and Mrs ] C. Maben, Miss Maben
and Signor Moretti were in one of the
lower boxes. Mrs. Maben was in black,
and her daughter wore white, with
smart white hat. Major and Mrs. Frank
Y. Anderson, the latter looking charming
in black Lace Major and Mrs. Tutwier,
the latter in blue. and Mr.. and Mrs.
Kettig were in the box adjoining the
| Pearson box. Mrs. Kettig was in pink
net embroidered in gold.
Others In the lower boxes were Mr..
Exum, Mr. Ramsay, Mr. McCray and
| L-r John Knox.
Among the well-known people in the
audience were Mr.. and Mrs. William ID.
Neshitt Mr.. and Mrs. George Cruikshank
and Miss Cruil1shank, Mrs. T. G. Bush,
Miss Williams and Miss Edna Bush, the
ladies in the party wearing superb opera
gowns. Mr.. and Mrs. William A. Cheno-
weth were at the opera, Mrs. Chenoweth
wearing a beautiful toilette in an ecrue
tint combined with laces IN the same
shade.
General and Mrs. Rhodes, the latter
beautiful in blue, and Mr.. and Mrs. Rob
ert Jemison were in the audience. Mrs.
Jemison wore an elegant opera gown.
! Mr.. and Mrs. Scion Jacobs We're among
those seen in the audience Mrs. Jacobs
wearing a handsome opera gown of black
embroidered In jetted sequims.
Mr.. and Mrs. Ross c. Smith were In
the audience, the latter in an opera gown
of red.
charming opera party was Miss Bes-
sic Jemison and her guest, Miss Mary
McNeal of Sewanee, Tenn, the party in
Guiding Miss Jemison. Miss 4'cNeal, Mr..
Morgan Frierson and Mr.. Hill Ferguson.
Miss Margaret Nixon was at the opera.
her gown of white combined with laces
and her hat of white.
Among others seen in the audience were:
Miss Anderson. Mrs. Dimmmiclx Miss
Adeline Thornton. Mr.. and Mrs. James
Bowron, Mr.. and Mrs, Crawford, Mr..
and Mrs. Badham, Mr. and Mrs. John l..
Parker Mr.. and Mrs. Dahr Petersen,
Mr.. and Mrs Cartwright Mr.. and Mrs.
Emrode Meade. Miss Weathery Miss
Catchings Miss Hardie, Miss Dawson Mr..
w. A. Porter Captain LAMA, u. S.
A.; Miss LeMay Caldwell, Miss
Iathrop, Miss Kate Smith. Mrs. Joseph
R. Smith. Mr. and Mrs. Calvin Jones,
Mrs. Charles j. Smith, Mrs William b.
Leedy, Mrs Addison c.. Smith.
| Miss FallOn, Mr. and Mrs
Gussen, Mr.. and Mrs. Morris Marx. Mr..
and Mrs. NJ. V. Joseph, Mr.. and Mrs.
Robert Munger Mr.. and Mrs. A. T.
London. Mrs. Jack Johnson, Mrs. r. G.
Stevens. Mr.. and Mrs. A. NJ Hobson,
Miss Cullom, Mrs. b. NJ. Starks, Mrs.
Clifford, Miss Clifford. Mrs Arthur
Smith, Mrs. Bondurant, Miss King Miss
Seymour Nance, Mr.. Carpenter Nc
Thomas Bowron. Mr.. Thomas Watson
and DR.. George NJ. Brown.
BY A MUSIC CRITIC.