The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-05-03
BY W. DOUGLAS GORDON.

With the great steel roof OF the
City Auditorium echcing the mighty
strains of Tschaikowsky's Slavic
March" the most brilliant and sue
cessful series of concerts ever given
in Richmond came to an end last
night. All honor to the Wednesday
Club. Reaching out above ana beyond
anything and everything that has ever
boon attempted in this section, thu
president and governors of this organ
ization have given to the Richmond
public the best. the highest and the
greatest music that can be heard, save
in the great cities OF the world After
MS festival, nothing remains eXcentS
grand opera In Its entirety
To MIR. Scrivcnor. as trainer OF tile
chorus. with Miss TrIgg. and to him.
as chairman of the committee on
music. with his able associates, be-
iongs the credit of the programs and
for the artists and orchestra. hui to
PRESIDENT Corlcy. who, with the men
who have aided and upheld him. has
worked and toiled for months over
the intricate and discouraging pecu.g
mary details OF the tremendous mn
dertakins. should be given the hearty
thanks OF the whole community for
haNing made 1t possible TO carry out
inc artistic arrangements oil the music
committee, plans, which, Completed,
ana erected, have given TO Richmond
such music as it has never heard be-
fore. .sft44gE
Crowd There In Afternoon. + #
early In the afternoon itifbecan,e
apparent that the character IL Of ms
festival was OF an mdnitciy h,pba.5
order than it had ever been il liza
eighteen years of the clubs existence.
the afternoon audience was p,,,chE
iarSer than any preceding matinee hail
otawn--the great hall was well hIJed. 4
almost full ts t'iNSS,'.s
But at night came the crownine
lriuinph OF years Of self -sacritlc,n. 81
uhseliish work--hundreds were turned y
aM Wy rom inc balcony, and there were +
not more than twenty seats yacnntlon :
the main floor. and the housn so.,tai
3.400 800 $500 = i
me afternoon concert opened with
me overture to Aubcrs Fra Diayolo,o A
with It's quick, inspiring, marchinn.5
martial rhythm, and for the second h
number appeared Amato. the mar
veious, singing the famous Largo al
sar,o.unl, from Rossinfs Barber OF
seville" Here tho actor Amnto
showed himself. With Wonderful facile s
expression he sang the almost breath
Tess account of how the people called i
TO him-"FiSaro here. Figaro there.
running up in tones OF ringing beauty
10 me Il above the third ieger line, Of
me pass cleft Later In thei6concert !,
TINS splendid young Italian sang the
great aria from Massenet's "I.e Roi de i
Lahore" in tones of such heroic hrflII 4
ilant' almost Incredible power that ono
sat almost appalled, that 50 much
should be given TO one man.
Truly Wonderful ynicr.
In this glorious aria Signor Amato
sang with q smoothncss, a legato
style. that displayed the art OF tina
bel cunto" singer devcloped 10 itsG
highest degree. Ills softer tones floated 4
as do those of lyric tenor, but to-
ward the end OF the aria his mighty
voice swcllcd and rounded ana grew
until II seemed that he must have &
reached the end OF even his limitiess
power and then he went in and up to 4
a great. ringing G, held ii there and
then swellcd and thrilled It,
After this. he came back and sang <
the Incompatible song Of wolfram,
TO the Evening STAR beginning
with the recitativc, he sang sombrcly4 4
the lines usually translated Like y
deaths dark shadow. night around MS s
fallcth" and then after the fourst
measures OF the harp, lie entered int III
the exquisite melody. 70. Thou y
Sublime, sweet Evening star" with a +
simple, tender softness, pcrfcctiunf
of art, ana dignity OF GemcanOr thatS3
made oven those Of is who under;
stand not one word OF Italian sit inSS
trnscst silence, drinking In the ALI
most unnatural beauty ofa greatI
golden voice N
House tpnfamds Wick ham. 5sssS5ts
L Miss Florence Wtckham made hers
only appearance during the festival s.
at this concert Her first number waa n
the "gIabanera.'. frcaa "carmen,;M
which she sang With pcnsiderabIafa
dramatic power and IN a free. FUN and j.
we'll rounded voice. For an cneGreEl
she sang just ono half OF tbs Aria froaas