The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1913-05-14
BIG AUDIENCE
APPRECIATED
THE CREATION
Opera House Crowded With
Most Friendly and Re
sponsive Patrons, Prov
ing Wisdom Of Establish
ing a Choral Society in
Pensacola.
BY GilflIan Scott.

If any further evidence were want =
ing 10 prove the wisdom of establish
ing a. choral society in Pensacola, other
than the success of the weekly gather
ings for rehearsal during the past three
months. last nights performance OF
Haydn's oratorio, The Creation" sup
piled it.
The opera house was filled with q
large and appreciative audience. whose
attitude was most friendly and respon-
sive, making the work in hand pleas
IRE to all.
Right from the start came impera =
tive demands for encores which simply
had to be acceded to. and it was this
display of mutual good nature in the
beginning which put everyone at their
ease and enabled the performers to do
their very best. Certain it is that an
audience can make or mar a perform
ance. and fortunate are the performers
whose audience create just the right
friendly atmosphere as IN this case.
The band and chorus, over a hun
dred in number, were seated on the
stage. upon a platform which had been
specially constructed for the occasion,
rising tier above tier, and were most
effectively grouped.
Mrs. w. S. Garfield is to be thanked
for the charming array Of palms which
SO effectively decorated the stage. A
hashlight photograph was taken from
the balcony, which will doubtless be
very much in demand as a memento
of so delightful and important an oc-
casion. An announcement viii ! be
made in The Journal when these can
be had.
The principal singers were Emma
La Pra de Tam. of Mobile. soprano;
Nta Osborn Benn, mezzo soprano and
contra,to; Mrs. w. :. Garfield tenor;
DIR. c. r. Mitchell, baritone, and Prof.
Robert Lawrence, of New Orleans,
bass.
The proceedings proper were prefaced
by a short miscellaneous pTogra m, in
Guiding a spirited rendering of the
overture to .'Tannhauser." a solo by
Mrs. Benn. MY Heart TO Hear Thy
Voice" (Saint Saens). which was sung
in Mrs. Benns customary artistic and
IA uitIess manner. resulting in a de-
mand for more the encore. Schubert's
THE Serenade," was, If
possible. even more welcome. and was
sung amidst a brca thess stiffness dur |
ng which the Droverbiai pin might |
have been heard drop-the greatest |
a large audience can be- |
stow upon a singer.
Mr. Athelstan Charlton followed with !
, cello solo, SchUberts Ave Maria" |
As has been previously stated in these /
columns. Mr.. Charlton is an artist of a /
5ery high order His rendering was
smooth and sure. proving |
is complete mastery Ot the instru
rent and in the encore which followed |
Is a matter of course, Lees Summer
serenade" he exhibited deep sense
If musicianly feeling and power of ex-
preston.
Miss Charlotte Erson's piano accom-
1animents TO these two items were
played most sympathetically and artis-
ically.
And then came a solo by the ever
Welcome Emma Da wdy-Sessonns, The
Try of Rachel (Salter); has Mrs. Ses-
oms ever sung better Impossible,
such dramatic fervor. such culture and
ehnement of tone, such perfect enun-
iation not a word nor a syllable but |
ouId be distinctly heard and under
TODD, and then the magnificent vocal
rgan. apart from the finished produc-
ion: small wonder indeed that here
CONTINUED on Page Two)