The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-12-13
Wednesday Club Plans
to Bring Other Stars
Here in Spring.
GRAND OPERA IS
ULTIMATE GOAL
Seni-Annual Seasons Discussed
at Annual Meeting of Club.
Proposition Is to Make AT
fair of 1919 Greatest in
History of Organi-
cation.

Sefenty-hve members Of the Metro
! polttan Grand Oaerl chorus. the Metro
politan Orchestra. Madame Alma Cluck,
prima donna of tnat organization six
opera stars to he chosen .Iom such
| names of Caruso, Riccardc Martin.
| Geraldine Farrar. Louise Homer and
Madame Schuman- HeinE, I!mbaIist
the RUSSIAN virtLoso and the famous
Richmond pianist, John Powell, Will
| be brought here TO augment md assist
the chorus of the Wednesday Club in
| sNins this city next spring the great
| est music festival in it's history.
such are the plans outlined and en-
| thusiastically adopted last night al,
the annual meeting of the Wednesday
CLUB at the Jefferson Hotel
| Going AG.er Chorus.
LOUIS r.. Wcitzei. organist and choir
| master OF the Grace Street Presbytcr-
ian Church. and for years the accom-
PIANIST OF the club. was chosen by the
executive committee to conduct tho
work of the Richmond chorus, and
| was instructed to begin Immediately
the difficult task of organizing and
welding together a singing body OF
| TOUR or five hundred local voices. jan
uary was named as the night for the
hrst meeting of the chorus, by which
time all preliminary details will have
peen arranged. The board of COVER
hots VIII secure Immediately Il suit
| able hall for rehcarsals
According to the plans already
agreed upon. Richmond will be given
next May Its first concert, in which
tne most celebrated and accomplishcd
artists of the musical world Will an
pear. The Wednesday Club will give
lhis city grand opera except for the
saase settins and the costumins. Cor
respondence between President j. c.
| Corley, of the Wednesday Club and
| the directors of the metropolitan unera
company disclosed the fact that many
OF that famous organization could be
| engaged for local concert at reason
! aDie rates. as the company can ston
| over here either going or returning
! from Atlanta.
Want operate Music.
When 1t was found that the week
oi opera In Atlanta fell a tho time OF
the May Festival here, the board Of
| governors Immediately met and re-
| commended the adoption of the fol-
! lowing resolution:
RESOLVED That in the opinion of
this board. II is desirable to give
operate music in concert form at the
approaching festivals, and TO that end
10 organize forthwith local chorus
ana engage a portion of the Metro
nontan chorus to sing in conjunction
with the local chorus, provided il Is
, found practical TO blend the two
| choruses"
| This resolution was unanimously
adopted. after the fear of some mem
hers had been allayed that the intro
duction of the Metropolitan chorus
and the singing of operate music
would result in the dissolution of the
Wednesday Club. The board of gov
| .
| that such was not the intent OF the
resolution, and made clear that tho
Metropolitan chorus was designed to
| augment the Wednesday Club chorus
OF 400 or 500 voices
| Radical Action Needed.
Lively discussion was provoked When
sident Corley suggested that two
festivals be given each year under
the auspices of the Wednesday Club,
a midwlnter concert of purely oratorIo
music, to be sung by the "Wednesday
Club chorus. assisted by regular ora
torio stars and an orchestra accus-
toned TO play oratorio music and n
May Festival of grand opera to be
| given by the metropolitan company
in Its entirety, to consSst the full
performance of two q three operas.
Radical as this suggestion seemed It
was enthusiastically Endorsed by II.
|
| nesdaT Club" In n speech which polnt-
ed out the need for radical action on
the part of tho club to preserve its
position and educational power He
called this suggestion the eventual So
luton. Had It not been demonstrated
that Richmond has no auditorium with
a stage suited to the production of
| grand opera. ii is probable that the
| club would have adopted the semi-an-
\ nj n faz al MA
stood. conviction was expressed that
within the year. the Wednesday Club
must make arrangements to give
Richmond a season OF grand opera
With Atlanta, Washington, Philndcl-
phla. Boston and many smaller cities
having their SEASONS of Metropolitan
opera, 1t was agreed that Richmond
demanded and would shortly get
similar operate festival. The prorres
sives in the club say that If grand
opera is to come here, 1t should come
under the auspices of the Wedn esday
Club. and from the enthusiasm shown
on the subject last night. 1t seems GER
| tain that such will shortly be the
case.
Real 0pern Stars.
| Immediately after the adoption by
| the club Of the resolution concerning
| the Metropolitan chorus, President
OF the Metropolitan Orchestra had been
obtained for the coming festival
Madame Alma Gluck, whose wonder
| full voice captured the hearts OF those
who heard her at The last festival has
also been engaged, Mr.. Corley stated
In addition, five of the shining lights
of the New York opera arc to be sign
ed up, as soon as possible The So
lection Is to be made from tho stars
~. CONTINUED on TLird a'oce,1 49,