Show THE GREAT OPERA FESTIVAL Faitl and Scalclii Open thc Season in Chicago Last Night Special to the DEMOCRAT CHICAGO April 7Before S oclock last night nearly every seat in the immense im-mense auditorium was engaged and fifteen fif-teen minutes later at the close of the overture several hundred persons monopolized monop-olized the standing room back of the parquette and in the aisles The opera was Rossinis Semiramide and the first strains of the overture satisfied the audience that the acoustic arrangement of the hall was admirable The softest I tones of Arditis large and welltrained orchestra were perfectly audible in all parts of the house Patti in the title role could not have wished a warmer reception recep-tion than was accorded her nor could Scalchi complain on that account The chorus of 400 voices half of which were composed of the local contingent under he direction of Silas G Pratt did its work in a way to win the good will of the audience from the start Socially the opening night of the festival was a great success each one of the many boxes containing con-taining representatives of the most fashionable ionable circles here The directors of the enterprise count the initial performance all they could wish |