The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-05-07
RICHMOND IS NOW
READY FOR OPERA,
SAYS MR.. C0R[EI
President Of the Wednesday
Club Enthusiastic Over
Festival Success
GREATER PLANS FOR
NEXT YEAR IN VIEW
Receipts This Year Pay All
Expense and Wipe Out Old
Debts--To Spend More
Next Season

THE success of the twentieth an
nual music festival of the Wednesday
club has been such that it means
even greater things for Richmond in
a way for next year than ever before,
stated j. G.. Corley. president of the
Wednesday club. last night.
ut means that next year the
Wednesday club will increase its ap-
preparation for securing the best ar
lists to be had by not less than S.
600. This will mean an expenditure
on the part of the club in the neigh
borhood of $4,000. This year the
club has-speat about $4,000 and for
next year 1t will be recommended
that at least 5000 additional be app
appropriated. About $1,000 Of this
amount will be used in furthering
the work of the chorus. and $1,000
will be added to the appropriation for
artists.
When you consider that up to three
years ago the highest amount ever
spent by the club in one year was
$4,000, you can appreciate the adj
vance that has been made In q short
while. From $4,000 a year to $20.-
GEO is quite a jump. and It means
something.
Ready For Grand Opera.
1T means that Richmond il now
ready for grand opera and ID willfmg
to pay for it.
This does not mean that w viii
have grand opera next year. for there
Is one difficulty that has not yet been
overcome. but which we hope to ~
able to eliminate within short while.
This difficulty is the lack Of q suit.
able building. II Richmond had =
proper auditorium. next season ~
would have a week of grand opera
and it would prove a paying venture.
The Wednesday club stands ready
to give Richmond grand opera Just
as seen as Richmond will furnish this
proper building. Through small ex-
penditures for artists, the Wednesday
club up to the present time has man
aged to come out each year in debt.
This year by securing the best
artists to be had and spending more
money than we had ever spent be-
fore, the Wednesday club has not only
paid for it's May festival, but when the
books are made up it will be found
that we have wiped out our indebted
ness
Richmond Wants Good Music.
Richmond wants good music.
wants the best to be had and is ready
and willing to pay for it. Being in
terested in music In business way
through the manufacturers Of musical
instruments l am in position to know
whereof / speak and l know OF no
city in the country of its size that
spends more money for music than
Richmond.
while the Wednesday club cannot
promise grand opera 10 Richmond for
next year. l feel assured that the fol-
lowing season will see week OF
grand opera In Richmond in q
handsome auditorium. Already there
Is a we'll defined movement on foot
for an auditorium and we feel that
the building will be ready Tor US ~
season after next"
Asked If he referred to a municipal
building, Mr.. Corley stated that he
did He stated that the new munich
pal building that will be erected ~
Eleventh and Broad and Capitol
streets can easily be constructed Tor
an auditorium on the main floor and
the remainder to be used for other
municipal purposes.
City VIII Build 1t.
II think that when this matter II
properly presented to the council that
the members Of that body will see II 10
the proper light. l am informed that
there is a movement among the hotel
men of the city to provide for hand
some organ, costing in the neighbor.
hood of $4,000, which will be INSTALL
ed when the city provides the building
But returning to the work OF thu
Wednesday club. That orgaEizatiOm
was never in a more satisfactory COM.
dition. Mr.. Baker. since taking hold
Of the chorus has worked wonders !
and the progress has been remarkable 4
The club had been depleted by tho
withdrawal Of many old members an1 {
lit was necessary to build up. Mr.
Baker has succeeded in doing this ana
we hope to have one of the nne~e
choral organizations in the country.
To Improve Chorus.
"The coming OF grand opera wiz
not mean the abandonment Of the
chorus, but the Improvement and ems
largement Of It. This educattone1
feature of the Wednesday club WIN
be encouraged more literally th4Mx
ever before and we will make farxo4N
appropriation for 1t this year thoNE
heretofore. The oratorios tnaugurafe
during the season just closing VIII h
continued and there win probably A
more OF them In the future. sSS
THE annual meeting OF thu W41&@
nesday club will be held earlier tN&[
season than har been the CuaAom
the past. This will be done In 011l
that arrangements may b. maAa oA12
to secure the very best talent aNaa
able. We. Of course, hAve n mllr1
that MA want .nlsnnAY "a 4
do q to start out early to
TO this end we will appropkia &
money than ever before and Nsk