The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-01-16
STARS SIGNED FOR
MUSIC FESTIVAL
Frieda Hempel, Alma Gluck and
Louise Homer Among No
table Singers Engaged.
AMaTo AND ALTHOUsE, TOO
Directors Conclude Negotiations
for Greatest Concerts in His
tory of Richmond.
AMaTo AND ALTHOUsE, TOO

The Wednesday Club, through it's
officers and directors now in New York,
signed contracts yesterday with seven
OF the most prominent stars in the
musical world to sing IN Richmond at
the annual spring music festival con-
Quoted by that organization. The art
lists engaged for the concerts are:
Alma Gluck, lyric soprano; Pasquale
Amato, baritone; Frieda Hempel. col
oratura soprano; Paul Althousc. Tenor;
Louise Homer. contrnlto: Sophie Bras
lau contralto; Olive Kline; The Metro
politan Opera Orchestra.
The list of singers is the most i'm
pressive ever secured by the Wednes-
day Club. The concerts last spring
cost something like $4,000. but the
price to be paid the stars named above
will run several thousand dollars in
excess Of that figure.
Unquestionabl the coming festival
will surpass in quality of performers
and in cost OF production any affair
of like character presented heretofore
in the South. In New York the mere
Eame of several of these stars on the
program OF the Metropolitan Opera
House is sufficient to pack the great
theatre with music lovers.
Early Demand for Seats.
The tentative engagements made by
the club several months ago for the
services of singers for the festival did
not hold entirely, and q trip to New
York was made by six directors Of tho
organization to conclude negotiations.
In the party were II. 4. Meloney. George
w. Stevens Norman Call, NJ. T. Spiccr,
q. Jeter Jones and j. Scott Parrish.
They reached New York on Wednesday
night in time to attend the perform
ance at the metropolitan Opera House
and secured the signatures of the sing
ers whom they wanted for Richmond
yesterday.
The annual May Festival will be
given on May IL and -. The large
chorus, under the leadership Of W.
Henry Baker, is hard at work upon
some ambitious scores, and the choral
work promises to be feature. Three
concerts Will be given. two at night
and one in tho afternoon OF May 12.
Seats in the auditorium are already
being bought by those who are accus-
toned to attend the festival year af
ter year. In order to secure desirable
seats oil are urged to subscribe with
out delay.
Stars without Equal.
While the beautiful Alma Gluck per-
haps is most firmly enthroned In the
hearts OF the Richmond public. the
name OF Louise Homer shines bright
est in the operatic world of all the
well known names In the Wednesday
NluD ISt. TOT years Sne WAS the lead
ing cOntralto in the Metropolitan Opera
Company, and her fame runs as far
as music is heard. She has appeared
in concert here twice before under the
auspices of tho Wednesday Club.
Next in prominence in the musical
world is Frieda Hempel, who, prior to
her sensational debut on the stage OF
the Metropolitan, was the leading
coloratura soprano in the Royal Opera
House In Berlin. Her virtuosity en-
ables her to accomplish such vocal
feats rs only Marcc!l1 Scmlrich could
perform. The appearance OF Frieda
Hempel in Richmond will mark an era
in the musical progress of the city.
Pasquale Amato, tho most celebrated
baritone in the world: Paul Althouse.
tenor of the Metropolitan Opera Com
pany, and Sophie. Braslau. who Is sing
ing prominent contralto roles at the
metropolitan, need no Introduction to
Richmond audiences. Their marvellous
voices have been heard here in other
years at the May Festival. and their
admirers are legion. Alma Gluck. who
loves Richmond almost as dearly as
she Is beloved by the people OF the
city, has only recently returned from
a triumphant summer In Europe and
may look forward to fervent well
come In May.