The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-15
AMERICANA MAKES
 4 SPLENDID HIT
 -~---- Large Audience AppIauds Great Musical Allegery FESTIVAL ENDS TONIGHT
 ~-----.--- Brilliant Programme This Afternoon and Tonight Win Close Big Musical Evsnt-innes' Band Makes
 New Friends.
FESTIVAL ENDS TONIGHT

 ernoon at 2:so clock and grand operatlc concert at S:30 o'clock.
 Yesterdays matinee programme was one of the best from an artistic point of view ever presented in this city. Americana" an allegory of the civil war, was the at traction last night. This pIece as it's name indicates, is patriotic and spectac- ular. It introduces war songs and popu- lar songs of the war period, some spirited and some sentimental, and now and then, by way of variety, a familiar air from Italian opera is heard.
 The audience last night was the largest of the week, and 1t was both fashionable and enthusiastic
 MT. Innes, the director of the festival, arranged Americana" and composed the overture and the incidental music. He does not claim for 1t high value as a con- cert work, but presents it to the public as popular and stimulating effort. And It's object Is admirably carried out It made a splendid hit and cannot fail to arouse civic pride wherever it Is pro- duced
 Americana" brought out all of the fes- tival forces-Innes' superb orchestral band, vocal soloists, large chorus and children's chorus. Fully five hundred voices were heard in Dixie and other fa- miliar tunes, and My Country Iris of Thee" was sung as a finale by chorus and audience
 After the overture, J. B. Babb, sec- retary of the Commercial club made an nf triotic. He paid a glowing tribute to the men who met on the field of battle in the mighty struggle of 1se1-65, and concluded with q magnificent sketch of the United States of today-aunited na- ton, never to be divided.
 The vocal soloists were Miss Lister- mann, Miss De Sellem, Signor Pizzetti and MT. Evarts. Miss De Sellem, the contralto, was in fine form. and was warmly received, and Miss Listemann was a general favorite, being forced to respond to a hearty encore. Both these artists take high rank, and besides ex- cellent yocalization, they have winning stage manners.
 The big chorus acquitted itself with dis tinct credit. The Farewell" sung by male voices unaccompanied. was es- pecally beautiful and effective, and Down on the Sewanee River" by the soulfully rendered.
 In addition to the musical forces, Con- federate veterans and several companies of soldiers took part in Americans" As a sort of a climax they marched across the stage, with color bearer and a marching band The Stars and Stripes and the Stars and Bars fioated in the breeze. The audience yelled and cheered. It had been many a day since emotions at once so tender and heroic had stirred a Birmingham audience. The scene and the music combined were wonderfully reminiscent and animating.
 The programme yesterday afternoon was of a symphonic order and the band was in superb form. The Euterpean club of the Birmingham High school distinguished itself by singing with band accompaniment Wagner's "Hall Bright Abode" This number was ad- mirably well done, as indeed was every number on the bill. "The Merry Widow" (musical joke) was played by request.
 The rich programme, for. this after noon and tonight follow:
 AFTERNOON 2:30 O'CLOCK.
 Children's Festival Song-Philip Memoli, director.
 Soloists.
 Rhapsody-Lalo.
 la) Romanza--Tschaik aikowsky.
 (b) Serenade Rococo-Meyer-H Hell mund.
 Aria for Contralto
 -Overture-Kalbitz
 (a) Trust in the Lord-Handel.
 (b) Birds of Spring (Brinkworth) the children's festival chorus.
 Scenes from Cavalleria-Mascagni. Aria for Baritone-Zara.
 American Fantasy (Herbert) intro- ducing the children's festival chorus in number of well known folk" songs and ending with America" in the singing of which, all are invited to join.
 NIGHT, S;sO O'CLOCK.
 Grand opera concert.
 PART I--Wagner.
 Tannhauser-Overtur
 The Master S!ngers-Walters' Prize Song-H. J. Williams.
 Lohengrin-Elsa's Dream-Virginia Listemann.
 Parsifal-Celebration of the Love Feast-Festival chorus.
 PART II.
 The World-Famous Dance of the Seven Veils-Richard Strauss.
 Kammenoi Ostrow--Rubinstein
 Scenes from Trovatore, introducing the festival solosts in the best known arias from this famous opera and end ing with the universally popular Anvil Chorus.
 No one who loves music can afford 10 miss either of these concerts