Zur Erinnerung an...

Stimmet ein, Gesangesbrüder,
In des Tages Festgesang!
Singet eure schönsten Lieder
Mit der Freude hellem Klang!
Denn das Haus, das schön erstanden,
Ist ja unsere Heimath neu;
Sie umschliesst mit festen Banden
Unsere Sänger wahr und treu.

--"Weihe-Sang" by Gustave Adolphe Peple

The above German lyrics are the first verse of "Weihe-Sange" ("Dedication Song"), written to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Gesgangverein Virginia on September 24, 1877.  Gustave Peple's poem was set to music by my 3rd-great-grandfather, Charles L. Siegel, who was then the Gesangverein's director.

On March 29, 1880 - 133 years ago today - the Gesangverein Virginia held a masquerade ball.  The Library of Virginia has in its collection a scrapbook that Charles Siegel compiled for the Gesangverein, and included in the book is a page of cartoons for the masquerade entitled "Zur Erinnerung an..." ("In Memory of...").

(From "This Day in History" on LVA's website)

A brief article from the following day in the Richmond Daily Dispatch described the event:

THE SÆNGER-HALLE MASQUERADE. - Sänger Halle was thronged last night on the occasion of the masquerade ball of the Gesangverein Virginia.  The number of merry maskers was large and the costumes in excellent taste - some grotesque and other exquisite.  A full string-band discoursed sweet music, and the festivities were prolonged until a late hour.

The Gesangverein Virginia still exists today - visit their website here:
http://gesangvereinvirginia.com/gvvahome.shtml.