Carlotta Patti Sacred and Miscellaneous Concert

Patti’s “first and only appearance in oratorio will take place on Sunday next.”

Part of review of the Patti farewell series. “…[W]e cannot but believe that the variety of their [the performers’] resources would be more clearly shown were the repertory drawn from by each of them more extended. The Sunday concert to be attended this evening will, however, by a special programe, be likely to afford some evidence of larger resources in respect of works for interpretation. If promises were not like the of-quoted pie-crust, so far as Miss Patti herself is concerned, there would be ground to hope for novelty at once.” Continues about the possibility of Patti appearing in Die Zauberflöte, which did happen in the following weeks (see separate event entries of 04/19/70 and 04/25/70).

Brief. “Carlotta Patti gave her farewell concert in Steinway Hall last night before a crowded house. She was assisted by Miss Clara Perl and Messrs. Ritter, Sarasate, Squires, Hermanns and Colby.”

“The final Patti concert of the present too brief series occurred at Steinway Hall last evening. The attendance was extremely numerous and decidedly enthusiastic. Miss Patti, M. Theodore Ritter, Señor Sarasate, Mr. Squires and Herr Herrmanns all took part in the entertainment as in the earlier reunion organized under the same auspices; and, besides, Miss Clara Perl who has been already written of here, was heard during its progress. ‘If with all your hearts,’ from ‘Elijah,’ by Mr. Squires; ‘Quis est homo,’ by Misses Patti and Perl, and the quartette ‘Saneta,’ [sic] from Rossini’s ‘Stabat Mater,’ by Misses Patti and Perl, and Messrs. Squires and Ritter constituted the sacred part of the programme. Of the merits of the interpretation there is little occasion to speak, as the habitual reader need not be reminded that if Miss Patti is not heard to especial advantage, even in the lighter oratorio, her execution of the songs listened to on former occasions is so wonderful and delightful as to leave no room for fault-finding with any bill on which her own repertory is fairly represented. The pianist, contributions and most of the secular works yesterday were familiar.”

“The concert last night at Steinway Hall was very largely attended. Ten years ago a miscellaneous concert on a Sunday night in this city would have been deemed sacrilege. In this respect there seems to have been a change in public feeling. The entertainment of last night was ‘sacred’ so far as a few selections from Rossini’s ‘Stabat Mater’ made it; otherwise it was a concert in the ordinary acceptation of the term. In addition to the regular Patti troupe, Clara Perl, the contralto, lent her assistance, singing a scena from Meyerbeer and taking part in a duet with Miss Patti, and in a quartette, both from the ‘Stabat Mater.’ She sang acceptably, though her voice was at times too heavy for the light, delicate tones of the soprano of the evening.

“Before leaving the subject of the Patti concerts, we wish to give a tribute to the modest worth and admirable efficiency of Mr. Colby, the conductor and accompanist of the troupe. There is no more difficult or thankless task than accompanying singers. If the vocalist is ever false in time or tune, it is an easy trick to turn to the accompanist with an impatient frown or gesture, and thus in an instant practically throw all the blame on him. If everything goes smoothly, the singer gets all the applause and the accompanist all the neglect. On the other hand, audiences little know how a singer is buoyed up and supported by a good accompanist—such, for instance, as Mr. Colby always plays. We presume his associates in the Patti troupe appreciate his rare ability; and we shall be glad to assist the public in awarding their appreciation, too.”