Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-12-01
SOCIETY TURNS OUT
Il IN FORCE AT OPERA
handsome Gowns and Brilliant
Jewels Vie With Singers
for Attention

Not since the opening opera at the
Academy Of Music. nearly seventy .Hye
years ago., when Gaxsanisa sang Leo
nora and Brisuoli was Manrico In III
Trovatore"; not since the night Of the
ball which opened the dear old Acad-
emy when a fountain Of real cologne
played In the center Of the great dance
foor, has that historic old home Of mu-
sic and arts In Philadelphia housed
such a brilliant audience as that which
attended the opening opera Of the sea
son last evening.
Gowns and jewels and beautiful
women We'd with Csruso. Ponselle and
the other great singers, and wonderful
as the artists and the opera were, IL
was difficult to say IL they or the audi
ence were the victors.
Brilliance was the keynote Of the per.
formance, of the gowns, OF the jewels
and the great opera house itself. while
the rejuvenated foyer was only sub
dued by the soft amber. colorcd lights
which threw golden glow over the
gowns Of the women and seemed to
bring the rich colors Of the jewels into
even greater radiance.
II there ever was any doubt as to
how the social world in this city would
respond to return to the Academy
1t vas entirely dispelled last night, for
society. with an extra large and very
masse. though II was late In arriving.
In fact many Of the boxes were empty
until nearly the end of the first cat.
There Ia nominees about the
Academy that seems typical Of all Phil
adelphia, and those in the parQuet and
circle, tho balcony boxes and the seats
back Of them appeared to be all one
great party. Every one knew every
one else, and between the acts the
buzz Of conversation was incessant.
Diamond and Sapphire Colfar
Mrs. Alexander Van Rensselaer, wort
Q beautiful collar Of diamonds and
sapphires about her throat, and her
was In the box with her. wore q mag
nificent cap coronet Of diamonds set In
Mrs. T. Dewitt Cuyler wore very
handsome Jewels. too, and Mrs. Theo
dore Cramp had a tilet shaped. coronet
fiat on her head, which was extremely
brilliant on her blue black hair. Mr..
and Mrs. Cramp had their son in law
and daughter, Mr.. and Mrs. Henry
Pepper yaux, with them In their box
and Mr.. and Mrs. Archibald Barklie.
Mrs. Cramp wore cream satin trimmed
with bands Of silver. and Mrs. Barklie' q
gown was Of gold brocade, while Mrs,
vaux chose pale blue silk. with silver
sequin straps across the shoulders.
Some of the new styles Of wearing
L. Lst- ,al 90
phen Calhoun, the former Miss Mary
Dickinson Newbold. had her hair ar
ranged In an entirely new way. Across
her forehead was drawn a full band Of
rose red velvet, the exact shade Of hei
gown. Then her dark hair was ar.
ranged out over the ears and coiled
rather high In the back. but no hair
showed above the band In front. The
Colhouns had Mr.. and Mrs. Richard
Tilghman as their guests. Mrs. Tlgh
man looked very pretty In black vel
vet dress made on distinctly plain lines
and with no touch Of color. It was
square necked, cut rather high and had
sleeves to the elbow. She wore re-
markably beautiful pair Of dull gold
oriental earrings with this costume.
Adjourn to the Foyer
Between the second and third acts the
audience adjourned to the foyer on the
second floor Of the Academy which has
been made into one OF the most besuti
full ball rooms In the country. The
crystal mirrors and chandeliers CLEANED
In the golden hight and the pale pure
cream and gold walls made q wonder
full contrast between the mirror filled
windows and doors. Palms and flower,
decorated the end of the room wher,
the orchestra played for the dancing