Maria Cortes Concert

“Steinway Hall was about half filled last night with an audience chiefly composed of vociferous Spaniards and Cubans to whose national feelings the new prima donna , Maria Cortes, specially appealed. The lady is a tall, thin girl, with black hair and eyes, decidedly handsome features, and a carriage which might easily be more graceful. Her voice is a treasure, for a richer, more powerful and sympathetic organ has rarely been heard here. Its cultivation, however, by no means corresponds to its natural ability, and at once shows that the new singer is but a novice. In the first selections last night—the Tacea la notte from ‘Trovatore’—the best qualities of her voice were shown, especially in the slow movement, where, however, the accompanist failed to produce the crescendo effect which imparts such a marked character to the aria. In the allegro the deficiencies of Señorita Cortes were more apparent, and the cadenza was cumbersome and labored.

“Later in the programme the lady appeared in a fascinating Spanish costume, and, armed with the coquet’s favorite weapon, the fan, sang with Fossati a Spanish duet, showy and characteristic. A hearty encore followed this performance, the Spaniards present getting quite beside themselves with delight. Señorita Cortes’s performance for the evening closed (exclusive of the encores) with Ah mon fils from the ‘Proptete.’ She will give another concert on Saturday evening. The best advice to give to this lady is this: that after a few more concerts, to familiarize herself with the public, she should retire to study for two years for the operatic stage. In this sphere of professional life her magnificent dramatic voice and fine personal presence must insure to her a triumphant career. Even now, in such selections as require no rapid execution, she is a highly enjoyable singer.

“The assisting artists last night were Mlle. Filomeno, who played well Gottschalk’s Murmures Aeoliens on the piano-forte, and several rather tedious selections on the violin; Signor Fossati, an experienced buffo singer without a particle of Ronconi’s humor; and Mr. Salcedo, a cornet player who produces a good tone when he gets fairly started in his performances, and who has very often played far better than he did last night. The entire concert was, with the exception of the young prima donna, who certainly has great natural gifts, a fairly enjoyable exhibition of skilled mediocrity.”

“The first of a series of concerts designed to introduce Señorita Maria Cortes, was given last evening, at Steinway Hall, in presence of a small but enthusiastic audience. Señorita Cortes, who comes from Madrid by way of Paris, where her musical education was commenced, is possessed of a mezzo-soprano voice of fair compass and decided strength, which can be best praised by the assurance that it pleases in spite of an evident need of culture. Its most serious defect is a tremulousness which yesterday, did not grow altogether out of the painful sensation of a first appearance; but granting that can be removed by intelligent tuition, the unevenness and lack of flexibility occasionally noticeable will be obstacles easy to roll from the path of a very promising songstress. Physically, Señorita Cortes is remarkably fascinating and youthful. A nervousness that, seemed likely to interfere sadly with her first aria, selected from ‘Il Trovatore’ soon disappeared before the friendly applause that encouraged her during its execution; and the Spanish ballad with which she responded to the recall was rendered with a perfect self-reliance that enabled the artist to give it its full effect. Señorita Cortes afterward sang in a duet, ‘La Joto de los Toreros,’ and interpreted an aria from ‘Il Profeta.’ She was assisted in the concert by Mlle. Josephine Filomeno—the musical representative of Cuban independence, to the extent of a many colored sash at least—who performed a fantasia by Alard, and another by Vieuxtemps with entire accuracy of intonation, marked clearness of bowing, and absolute repose in the most rapid passages; by Signor Boy, tenor, and Signor Fossati, a most experienced baritone, and a known favorite in the concert room; and by Señor Salcedo, whose good qualities as a cornet player do not justify his expression of even the few unintended notes his instrument sent forth last evening. Signor Carlo Bosoni, who led at the Theatre des Italiens in Paris, five years back, officiated as conductor, and naturally availed himself in the happiest manner of the very limited opportunity accorded him to exhibit his talent. Señorita Cortes sings again at Steinway Hall on Saturday night.”

“The first of a series of concerts by a Spanish vocalist new to this country, Senorita Maria Cortes, was last evening given at Steinway Hall before an audience which if not large in number was sufficiently liberal in applause to satisfy the most exacting. Her debut was, in every popular sense, eminently successful; otherwise it was agreeable, although leaving many things to be desired. The lady is young and extremely pretty, and her winning appearance and demeanor at once secured her the good will of the house, which appeared to be chiefly filled with her countrymen and countrywomen. Her voice is a full, clear and resonant mezzo-soprano, the lower tones of which are excellent in quality and peculiarly rich and powerful. The higher tones are by no means so smooth and sympathetic, but certainly betray no deficiency of strength or volume. In all respects, her natural gifts are abundant, but she has not learned how to exercise them advantageously. Some years of study are yet needed to develop her vocal resources and to enable her to take an unchallenged place among artists. She sang, last evening, in ordinary concert costume, a familiar cavatina from ‘The Troubadour,’ ‘Ah, mon fils,’ from ‘The Prophet,’ and the brindisi from ‘Lucretia.’ With good natural indulgence her frequent imperfections of execution were overlooked, and she was repeatedly called forward to receive the encouragements of the audience. Her entrance in the national dress of Spain, however, was the signal for the overwhelming outburst of the evening. In captivating array of piquant scant scarlet skirt and black-laced bodice, and armed with that most effective of feminine weapons, the Andalusian fan, she gave two characteristic songs, ‘La Jota de los Toreros,’ and ‘La Macarena’ with a freedom and a bold vivacity which provoked her excitable compatriots to the wildest and most turbulent demonstrations of delight. For one performance she was ‘encored’ three times. Senorita Cortes was assisted by Mlle. Josephine Filomeno, who again exhibited her remarkable proficiency as a violinist and a pianist, and by Messrs. Boy, Fossati, and Salcedo.”

“Señorita Maria Cortez, the prima donna, who lately arrived from South America, and who met with so little favor at her debut at Steinway Hall, has returned to South America.”