A Fine Musical Festival

The annual June Festival of St. Thomas' conservatory of music was held at the opera house last Thursday evening, and too much praise cannot be bestowed upon this exhibition of the talents and training of the pupils of that institution. The music was fine and the perfect time and easy technique of the piano performers shows the result of careful studyand strong discipline. The scènes and drills which interspersed the program were pretty and were the result of considerable labor on the part of those having the entertainment in charge. It is certain that the festival throughout will compare favorably with exibitions of the work of pupils in any institution of a similar kind in the country. The festival was as great a success financially as it was artistically, every seat in the opera house having been sold before the doors were opened for the entertainment. The audience was an appreciative one and each number on the program was received with applause. A number were present from Ypsilanti, Northfield, Dexter and the surrounding towns. Fr. Kelly and the ladies in charge deserve credit for giving Ann Arbor one of the best and prettiest of local entertainments that has been given here in some time. The first number on the program was a 16-hand piece, Minuet Mozart. It was given by the Misses L. Covert, M. Tice, L. Fitchel, D. Wall, G. Kress, N. Brown, A. Donegan and A. Ryan. It was a fine introduction to the program. The second number, May Bells, Barjiel, was by a ladies' chorus composed of the Misses R. Seery, M. Clarken, G. Hawes, A. Reilly, C. Gilbert, N. Brown, M. Tice, M. Audette, L. Rinsey, L. Tice and Mrs. Roy McClure. Miss K. Burns accompanied on the piano. The voices were well trained and it proved a very enjoyable number. The third number, Tarentalla,was i 16-hand piece by the little Misses J. Clarken, S. Rinsey, A. Tice, L. Granger, V. Tice, K. O'Mara, I. Meuth and L. Covert. The little ones captivated the audience and received an enthusiastic encoré to which they did not respond. The original rêverie by Miss M. Clarken showed deep thought and was well read. The Chopin Waltz, op. 64, by the Misses K. Burns, N. Brown, T. Kearns and C. Gilbert, proved a very pleasing number. The recitation, Zingarella, by Miss L. Fitchel in costume showed fine training on her part. Miss Fitchel has a good voice and was entirely unaffected in her manner. Part first closed with a 16-hand piano piece by the Misses M. Walsh, A. Donegan, L. Covert, M. Tice, L. Rinsey, M. Foley, N. Fohey and M. Fohey. Part two proved a very pleasing part of the program. The first number was the drill of the Spanish Archers. About 20 boys took part. The scène was very pretty, the handome costumes of the boys being shown off well by different colored lights thrown on the stage. The drilling was well done, all the movements being executed with the precisión of a military troop. The recilation, Justinian, by Miss G. Kress, was well received. She told the story of Justinian's rebuke in a very pleasing manner and was loudly applauded. The finest number of the evening, however, was the Meeting of the Nereids and Oreads, in which about 30 young ladies took part. The curtain rose on a very handsome scène, the Oreads being grouped on a large rock with a background of water. The Nereids appeared on the scène in a beautiful barge which slowly worked its way on the stage, apparently propelled by oars in the hands of the Nereids. The music was very appropriate, and added greatly to the completeness of the scène. The Moonbeams' Revel was also a part of this scène. It was by the little Misses B. Riley, A. Tice, I. Ross, M. Kennedy, S. Rinsey, S. Cropsey, K. O'Mara, F. Parsons, B. Parsons. L. Covert, J. Fullerton, H. Fullerton, and J. Clarken. Their dancing was very pretty and the little ones appeared very sweet. "The Lights and Shades of Story" was a series of poses by the Misses C. O'Hearn, M. Dwyer, M. Audette, G. Kress, N. Brown, L. Fitchel, V. Fohey, M. Clarken and C. Gilbert. This was also a very enjoyable number. The Argus has never seen posing which was superior. The young ladies dropped into some of the more difficult poses with an ease and grace which could not be excelled. 'The "Galop Chromatique Liszt op 12" by Misses K. Burns, V. Fohey, C. Gilbert, G. Kress, D. Wall, T. Kearns, N. Brown_, and L. Rinsey was a fine pijno number. This difficult piece was performed with precisión and ease which speaks very well for the perfomers. The program closed by the chorus "O Lovely night," Abt, and when the curtain went down the audience was only sorry that the program was so soon over.