The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-04-30

again. it was a psychological incident that hardly bears analysis; and, artistic or not, Atlanta and her visitors loved the singers for it. At the close of the opera the audience, after repeated curtain calls for the stars, fingered, waving hands and ex- changing good-bys with the smiling sing CTS. who in happy spirit waved their hands and waited kisses in farewell until next year.
 Singers Entertained
 Atlanta's enthusiasm, it's progressive spirit and it's appreciation for art is shown not only in it's manner of receiving the Metropolitan artists as artists, but In well coming them socially. Dinner dances ar ranged fer the days which the mati- nee performances left @ free evening dinner parties at the Capital City and Piedmont Driving clubs, an entertainment at Ft McPherson and afternoon teas for visitors and artists at Georgia Terrace, with the informal little meeting among guests at the hotels, completed a very full
 week. And these incidental pleasures met a delightful response from the singers. parties, they are forming friendships in Atlanta and one big friendship for the south. Frequently they were noted among the guests at box parties on evenings which left them idle. Enrico Caruso sat one evening and merrily applauded the singers, starting the applause again and again as It died out. Beautiful Mme. Homer, in evening attire and with her hair arranged as always, simply and gracefully at her neck, was another grac- ious listener one evening; and so with the others, alternating the role of artiste
 with that of guest.
 At the Capital City club on Friday even ing. followign the production of Faust" several hundred, Atlantans sand visitors,
 crafi fa,. r1- rivalled. The big ballroom in which the tables were placed was inadequate; sev- eral adjoining rooms were brought into requisiton, and here the diners, all In evening dress, sat for several hours lis- tening to the dinner speeches from mem- bers of Atlantas Festival association and toasts from their guests. In the center
 was long oval table, laden with high
 baskets of Easter lilies and roses and smaller blossoms, elegant in appoint ments. Here were the hosts of the even- ing with those of the singers who were leaving the next day, and others who were remaining for the final performances. MT. John W. Grant gave a clever talk, in which there was much true Atlanta en- thusiasm. He introduced MT. Robert F.. Maddox, who presided as toastmaster in very graceful fashion. Among the artists who responded was the conductor, MT. AL fred Hertz, who, like De Sigurola and several others disclaimed any ability as a speech maker. but gave a warm express sion of his own and his companions ap- preciation of southern hospitality as ex- pressed by Atlanta. MT Carl Jorn de- clined to speak. T cannot" he said, ''but can sing And sing he did, the most exquisite little Russian to toast. Mir. Otto Kahn. one of the Metropolitan directors,
 gave a stirring talk. He was graceful both in his expression of pleasure in the success of the Metropolitan opera in At lanta. a success expressed financially in gross receipts of Ss0,000, and in his out line of future plans for the opera-plans
 which will make that city a southern cen ter for opera and will mean an increased musical appreciation. And hearing Mir. Kahn give his enthusiastic tribute to At lanta were people from many states, north and south, people representing the best that the country has to offer in culture, musical appreciation and social promi- hence. And to those from Atlanta's sister city -Brmingham-hardly less than to At lanta's own his praise of the Atlanta spir- it. as he said, that of a people who have every reason to be standard bearers of the highest ideals of art. brought thrill of pride. For Atlanta in this matter of opera represents the south: she is giving
 an impetus to artistic appreciation and de- velopment which deserves all and more of the patronage that the south is so en- | thusiastically giving.