Arion Männergesangverein Musical Evening

           “The members of this famous organization and their numerous friends were on Saturday night engaged in a soirée musicale, which embraced a rehearsal for the summernight’s festival on Thursday, for which extensive preparations are being made. The affair took place at Funk’s Union Park [sic], at the foot of Sixty-third street, East River. The park was brightly illuminated by hundreds of Chinese lanterns and several Bengal lights. The festivities began shortly before ten o’clock, when several choruses were rendered by the singers of the Arion. Subsequently, they sang a chorus from the Magic Flute, when the singers appeared in costume.

           This piece, as well as some of the succeeding pieces, which were executed in costume, will form part of the programme on Thursday. The members of the Arion and others afterwards formed in procession in costume as Roman soldiers. All the performances were of such an original and carnivalistic character that they were greatly enjoyed by the spectators and all concerned. The crowd of visitors was very large, considering that only a limited number of tickets were given out to the friends of the society, and merriment and hilarity prevailed on the ground until an early hour yesterday morning.”