... I Last night's choral rehearsal at the Masonic Hall, which was devoted to Dr. Bridge's classical cantata Callirhie, was attended and directed by the com- poser in person. Dr. Bridge met with a cordial reception from the choir, and was fortunately able to reciprocate the welcome with equal cordiality and satisfaction on finding how well his music had been prepared. In their knowledge of the ...

... Planquette's highly amusing opera The Old Guard, al cli nade such a successful first appearance in Bir. ;ai: .anr nearly twelve mnorths ago, Was produced last nioit at the Theatre Uoyal before a crowded and ap- e;-eciative andience. During the past year the opera has mjet with a rmost favourabie reception both in London and the provinoes, and its return visit to Birmingham this weelk is ...

... BIRMINGhAM MUSICAL FESTIVAL at TEE BAND REELEARSALS. gi a( [Faont our chi (on rresponleftvi] LONDON, Wednesday. fa Owving partly, no doubt, to the sunny brightness ti of the morning, but mainly to the musical interest cc of the selection for rehearsal, which comprised both ni the festival novelties, the muster of visitors at St. ei George's Hall to-day was quite a gay and imposing of one, ...

... DIWTRICT NEWS. STRATFORD-ON-AVON. of Fcsss ro.The annual exhibition offlowers, fruit, and vegetables, in connection with the snitterfied Horticultural. Society, was eeld yesterday af the gardens of Park House, the residence of Mr. S. LS Sandedrs. The entries were fully up to thoe of parevious I year and acme capital specimens of flowering plants and p fruit were staged. The roots this year ...

... BXIMINGEAMHSIALMSIAL THE BAND REHEARSALS. [Fhrom mr Own Cormsondent] Lomnoxi, Tuesday. After the severe strain to which the band bad been subjectedzon the previous day in music of the 1 highest and most-advanced modern type, it was only 1 reasonable that to-day's labours should be of a some- i what lighter order. Such, indeed, was the evident intention of the conductor in devoting the re- i ...

... WOLYEFLUI-PTON SCI-IOOL 0P ART. aA special meeting of the ',1 olverhampton Town Council was held yesterday; the -ar (Alderman .J. Jones) in the chair.-A repo)rt waoe received trorn the General Prrposes Committee recording the resiglitii'fl of the following roome bers of the Art Gonirriitee:-Toe chairman (Mlr. S. T. Mander), Alderman C'rtc, Coun'cllors Manley and ^Marton, ColCnel Lo -e. , ' ...

... THE GUEEN AT GLASGOW. -VISIT To THE EXEHIITION. Her Majesty the (Queen visited Glasgow yesterday, and discharged the double function of facrually opening the in new Municipal Buildings in George Square and making a hi State visit to the Intereationlal Exhibition. It is thirty- en nine years ago thismonth since the Queen visited the West SI of Scotland, and if her reception was cordial then, it ...

... SMETHWICE FLORiAL AND HIORTICUL- - TUBAL SOCIEYI Yesterday the third annual exhibition in connection with . the Smethwick Floral cond Horticultulral Society was held i in the Smeehwick Hall grounds, by permission of Mr. G. Dawes, the president of the society. There was a large attendance of visitors, and the show in every respect was a great success. There Twere altogether about sixty ...

... BIRMiGHA .muSICCAL FESTIVAL I THE GRAND PREBLEARSALS. We have now reached the crowning of the edifice of the long and laborious work of preparation for the forthcoming Festival, which has absorbed the X anxious care of managers, composers, and executants for so many months past, and to-day the.finishing touches will be given to the elaborate and costly 1 structure-which is designed to enlarge ...

... MOSELEY FLOWER SE-OW. I This annual exhibitio-an took place yesterd.ay, in the pretty groundIs of Mfoselcy Hall. the use of which was gratadt for the occasio-. by Pir. Ni. Cadbury, who also opened his greenbozses for the nn eeton of vlist-rs. Notwithstaniding the fact of the reasorn being much later and more unfavourable than last year, the exhibit were nmore numerous and of a higher standard ...

... REDDITCH HORTICULTURA E SHOW, The seventh annual show in connection with-the Bedditet Horticultural Society was held yesterdayin the picturesque ground of Fairview, the residence-of Colonel Milward. The weather was beautifully fine, and there was a large attend- ance of visitors. The exhibits of garden produce were rather below the usual standard of excellence. The ex- clusion of gentlemen's ...

... The succession of Loan Exhibitions, which have been arranged in the long room in the Birmingham Municipal Art-Gallery, forms remarkable and unique series. The latest, of which the private view takes place to-day, is a selection of choice pictures by old masters, and constitutes a display of more than local importance, itasrrnch as it includes many works which have never before been publicly ...