The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-10-16
SPLENDID MUSIC
SUNG BY SOLOISTS
Big Throng Listens to Sacred
Story and Views Great
Tragedy
BY WALTER ANTHONY

The final scenes of the passion play
were consummated last night at the
Coliseum before the largest audience
that has thus far been in attendance.
and as the crowd left the big building
the last shred of doubt left the mind of
even the most skeptical about the pro-
priety of exhibiting the story of the
Redeemer on the stage.
Even the tableau showing the Lord
.'after he had spoken to them" and
was taken up into heaven to sit at
the right hand of God. was as i'm
craft of stage mana cement became al
lied with the miraculous. so realistic
and splendid was the picture. And as
the purple curtains closed in front of
the spectacle of the risen Christ, as
cending into heaven, hte choir. SON
orously supported by the big orchestra,
sang the triumphant strains of the hal
lelujah chorus from Handlers oratorio.
THE Messiah" 1t was not a theatrical
| presentation at all. 1t was reality,
and the countenancss of those who
pushed their way to the exit doors
showed the influence of the presenta-
/ ton.
MUSIC Is SPLENDID
Particularly the music last night was
splendid. The arid lengths of inactive
oratorio became green and vital
1 through the pictures which the stage
| disclosed of the suffering, crucifixion
and the death of Christ on the cross.
Rossini's somewhat bombastic "Cujus
Amman" from "Sabat Mater" as
sumed dignity and bigness that I had
never before observed in it.
Incidentally it was excellently sung
/ by Manlloyd Jones. Miss Lucille Speet-
zen sang the "Inflammatus" from the
same composition with thrilling effect
under the direction of Father Huesges
who in this number particularly kept
/ his singers and instrumentalists to-
! gether in splendid style. Miss Speetzens
i voice scared vigorously to the climax
! tone and poised easily on the hlgh 7
which is usually out of the reach OF
sopranos The chorus chanting be-
meath her and the orchestra sustaining
the harmonies supplied with stage pic
ture and singer an ensemble effect
| which can mot be described nor critl-
cised. The result became a truth, and
/ Rather Huesges' baton a scepter.
MADE WHOLESOME AND FINE
If the incidents of the last night OF
the Passion Play show could be written
about as reverently as they were eA-
/ hibited then it would be the writer
Measure to describe them. That may
I not be done. Inc dW AhiAtHS ~ 80
scene on the cross, with the two thieves
/ optstretched beside the Man God; the
piercing spear, the lamentations OF
Mary and the final death of the victim
are subjects that remain outside the
realm of common conversation. Only
the beauty and devotion which pre-
! scented them at the Coliseum justified
the task and made it wholesome and
/ fine In a cynical age Father Kraus
! los brought the freshness and inno-
cence and goodness of a life devoted 70
the cause he serves. The result he has
| left to the God he serves and to his
/ FELLOW men. AS he conceived it, the
! Passion Play has been a beneficent in
/ fuence. It has been dramatically true
hut not theatrical. The impossible has
been accomplished. A miracle play has