Richings English Opera: Operatic and English Ballad Concert: 1st

“The Richings opera troupe announce an operatic and ballad concert at Steinway Hall on Friday evening, when Miss Richings, Mrs. Seguin, Mr. Castle, Mr. Campbell, Mr. Bernard, Mr. Seguin, Mr. De Beyer, Mr. Carl Rosa, Mr. Caulfield, and Mr. Colby, will perform in a number of popular selections.”

Brief.

“Mr. L. F. Harrison has arranged with the celebrated Richings opera Troupe to give a grand operatic and ballad concert to-night. The programme is selected from the most popular repertoires of the opera and the salon, and cannot fail, with such artists, to be agreeable and pleasing to the public. In addition to the vocal artists, Mr. Harrison has secured the services of Mr. Leopold de Meyer, who will play a new arrangement of the airs from ‘La Grande Duchesse,’ &c.; Mr. Carl Rosa, the elegy, by Liszt, and the episode from ‘Trovatore.’ Mr. Caulfield assists on the organ. This will be undoubtedly the largest and most popular concert—in its character—ever given in New-York. The artists of the Richings troupe are sufficient in themselves to draw a good house. They are Miss Caroline Richings, Mrs. E. Seguin, Mr. W. Castle, Mr. P. Bernard and Mr. S. C. Campbell. The same entertainment will be repeated on Saturday as a matinée, with the coöperation o. [sic] Mr. A.H. Pease.”

“Steinway Hall.—The Richings opera troupe gave a concert at this hall last night before a slim audience. The artists were Miss Richings, Mrs. Seguin and Messrs. Castle, Carl Rosa, Seguin, Campbell, Leopold De Meyer, Caulfield, Dietrich and Colby. The programme was one of unrivalled excellence in the ballad line, comprising selections from Handel, Ernst,[Leache, De Meyer, Verdi, Meyerbeer, Benedict, Wallace, Hauser, Lachner, Clapison, Gabrisai [sic], Flotow and Mendelssohn. In a musical point of view the concert was an entire success.”

“The concert given by the Riching’s opera company at Steinway Hall, was not so well attended as it should have been. Favorite operatic airs and concerted pieces were sung by Miss Richings, Mrs. Seguin, Mr. Wm. Castle and Mr. S. C. Campbell. Mr. De Meyer and Carl Rosa assisted.”

“The grand operatic and English ballad concert by the RICHINGS troupe took place at Steinway Hall on Friday evening, and was repeated at the matinée on Saturday. The attendance was of the most discouraging character on both occasions. There no longer seems to be a rational taste for concert music, although it has always been claimed that there is a class which, as it does not visit the theatres and opera houses, from conscientious scruples, requires this kind of recreation. The moral class, it would seem, is particularly small just now. When the entire resources of an opera company, added to the attraction of first-class soloists like Leopold de Meyer and Carl Rosa, fail to draw a house, it may safely be concluded that business is bad. This particular branch of the musical business seems to have ‘wilted’ without any visible cause. Mme. Parepa-Rosa is the only singer who continues to attract the attention of the public; but she was unfortunately in ill health, and is not expected to sing for several weeks. The Richings’ concert on Friday was entirely popular in its character, and in some respects was good. Mrs. Seguin sang the Flower Song, from ‘Faust,’ with expression and sweetness. Messrs. Campbell and Castle were both respectable in their separate pieces. Miss Richings overtaxed her powers in the bolero from ‘Les Vespres Siciliennes,’ the lady is utterly indifferent to distinctness, to good intonation and to every other characteristic of an artist. These defects are more or less concealed on the stage, but in the concert-room they are painfully conspicuous and exceedingly disagreeable. They were not mollified by the accompanyist [sic], Mr. Deitrich [sic], who indulged in a perfect orgy on the piano. It became amusing when Mr. Bernard sang, for then it was apparent that each gentleman had determined to try which could ‘spread himself’ most. We are disposed to think that Mr. Bernard succeeded, but Mr. Deitrich [sic] was not far behind. It is a pity to hear a pure tenor voice so lamentably maltreated. Mr. E. Seguin is not a concert singer, and least of all is he likely to excel in the ordinary sort of romanza and Clapisson's was a very ordinary sort. The principal interest of the concert depended on Mr. Leopold de Meyer, who played a couple of his well-known pieces in his usual and effective way, He has made some additions to the ‘Grand Duchess’ fantasie, and it is now a very capital arrangement. The melodies in that opera, which from their lightness do not admit of serious treatment. Mr. Carl Rosa played with his usual delicacy and taste. Mr. Caulfield presided at the organ, and Mr. Colby at the piano.”

“The Richings English Opera Troupe gave a selection of music at Steinway Hall on Jan. 31st. The programme included selections from Meyerbeer, Mendelssohn, Wallace, Flotow and other popular composers. Miss Richings, Mrs. Seguin, S. C. Campbell and W. Castle were enthusiastically welcomed, and their singing heartily applauded.”