The Great May Festival

The much heralded and impatiently awaited May Festival has come and gone, and is a delightful memory. It proved to be all that was promised by its promoters, and more. It was a grand success from every point of view - financially, artistically and in the satisfaction and pleasure experienced by the thousands who had the good fortune to attend it. Unquestionably it was the finest musical treat in the history of the University and probably of the state. The hundreds from neighboring cities as well as our own citizens all attest its unqualified success, and Profs. Stanley and Kelsey are entitled to the gratitude of all lovers of music for the pleasure afforded, and may justly assume a satisfied air with the success of the great undertaking. The festival embraced three entertainments; the first, the symphony concert, occurred on Friday evening, followed Saturday afternoon by a matinee, and Saturday evening by Verdi's immortal Manzoni requiem. The opening was auspicious. An hour before the opening ef the spacious University hall large numbers of people had assembled, and immediately on throwing open the doors an audience of at least 3,500 filed in and filled every seat, and many had to stand. The scène was a brilliant and inspiring one when the first number of the program was called. It was an overture by the Symphony Orchestra of fifty pieces. During this performance the house warmed up, and at its close the orchestra was warmly applauded. Mr. Towne farther aroused the audience by his tenor aria, "O Paradise." He was roundly applauded, but failed to respond. It remained, however, for Mr. Arthur Friedheim and Miss Stewart to bring out all the latent enthusiasm and fairly carry the vast audience off its feet. Mr. Friedheim has a marvelous delicacy of touch and is a master of the piano. He responded unwillingly to a spirited encoré. Miss Stewart's first number was changed from what the program announced and by request she rendered the mad scène from "Lucia." She has a most pleasing and unaffected manner on the stage, a wonderfully sweet voice and the purest of tones. She won a place with her audience, second to none and she may always in future depend upon an enthusiastic greeting from Ann Arborites. She was compelled to respond to aa encoré. Miss Stein has been heard by Ann Arbor people before and her appearance was greeted with applause. She rendered in fine style an aria from Rienzi and was heartily encored and she repeatedly bowed her acknowledgements but declined to respond with another number. The solo program was closed by Mr. Max Heinrich with the famous scène from "Walkure" known as "Wotan's Farewell." Mr. Heinrich always pleases Ann Arbor audiences and in his latest performance there is no exception. The evening closed with a symphony by the orchestra. The Saturday atternoon performance served to keep the enthusiasm of the music lovers up to a white heat. Miss Stewart added to her laurels as did Mr. Friedheim. Her singing was most beautiful and charming and she carried her audience to the highest pitch of enthusiasm that had been attained. She rendered the aria "Una Voci" from the "Barber of Serville." In responding to an encoré she sang "Du Bist Eine Blume." The admiration of the audience was increased by this. Mr. Giese rendered a cello solo which was warmly received. His expression was excellent. The piano concerto by Mr. Friedheim was fully up to his usual performances and was highly pleasing. Mr. Felix Wenternitz, violin soloist, rendered several charming selections. The orchestra performed its part in a most artistic manner. The series closed Saturday evening with the finest program of all and the largest and most enthusiastic audience. The evening program consisted of Verdi's Manzoni requiem. The production is religious in character and is held to be one of the greatest compositions that has ever inspired the mind of acoraposer. Itiswritten for chorus, orchestra and solo. The chorus work was performed by the Choral Union of this city composed of 280 voices, and it is no flattery to say ihat in Saturday evening's concert the Union scored the greatest success in its history. lts work cannot be too hiyhlv, commended and it reflects great credit upon Prof. Stanly for his careful and painstaking training. The work of drilling such a chorus is enormous, but the Professor certainly received his reward Saturday evening. The solo work was rendered by the renowned artists, Miss Etnma Juch, soprano; MissGertrude May Stein, contralto, Mr. Max Heinrich, baratone. All of these artists have been heard in Ann Arbor before and their work is deserving of all praise. Miss Juch is a charming soprana. She has perfect confidence in herself and her voice is wonderfully clear and pure and her control of it is unsurpassed. The rendering of the parts asssigned her was marvellous. Her rendering of some of the more difficult parts could not fail to thrill with exquisite pleasure any lover of fine music. Miss Stein's work was also of the first order of merit, and she was roundly applauded. Messrs. Towne and Heinrich were also happy in the rendition of the parts taken by them. The orchestra added its f uil quota to the success of the concert. Mr. Mollenhauer, the leader of the orchestra, may well be proud of his work in bringing his organization up to such a high pitch of excellence. At the opening of the evening program. Prof. Stanly took occasion to inform the audience of the complete success of the great undertaking and to invite them to another festival next May, when "The Damnation of Faust" would be presented by artists of equal merit. The first May Festival has been a surprising success, and the public appreciation of the undertaking as evidenced by the immense audiences at each performance, and the overflowingenthusiasm must serve as a great encouragement to those who are working so hard to stimulate musical and artistic culture in our beautiful city. The promoters o the great work are deserving of all praise. Mrs. Agatha Helber died at her home on East Washington street Friday evening at nine o'clock, just after returning frora making some neighboring calis. She was born in Germany seventy-one years ago and came to this country in 1854 with her husband, Dr. Christian Helber She leaves three children surviving her, Mrs. John Burg and Eugene Helber of this city and Mrs. John son of Saline. She was a very industrious women, possessed of grea energy and of strong individuality of character. The funeral was hek at the house Sunday afternoon.