Niblo’s Garden: Vincent Benefit

Long and complete cast list. This is Vincent’s “first benefit in eight years” and “his first and only appearance as an actor.”

High praise for Vincent.

Program. Full cast list.

Burns’s “rendering of the ballad, ‘The Jewish Maiden,’ was very affecting.” No further mention of music.

No mention of music.

Long review. “…The whole entertainment was very pleasing and charmingly rendered, but the audience did not seem to be of the class who appreciate music, as was shown in a very marked manner later in the evening, when the infant wonder, James Speight, announced upon the bills as two years and ten months old, which his appearance did not belie, appeared to perform a solo on the violin. For his accommodation a temporary platform was erected in the orchestra immediately left of the conductor’s seat, and the little fellow, scarce three feet high, with a bright, handsome, intellectual face, was led on by his father. He played the ‘Blue Bells of Scotland’ first, as written, and then with variations, sufficiently difficult to test a violinist of much practice. He was encored, when he gave ‘The Last Rose of Summer.’ His execution is wonderful. He has great confidence and plays with all the ease of one who has been long in the habit of appearing in public, this being only his third appearance before a public audience. Harry Josephs then appeared in female attire and sang ‘Central Park’…”