Vienna Demorest Debut

“A very select and critical circle of musicians and literateurs sat in judgment last evening, at Chickering’s Hall, upon a new candidate for lyric honors, Miss Vienna Demorest. Seldom has a débût of a cantatrice been made with such satisfactory results. Expectation had been raised to a high and, we might say, dangerous extent regarding the voice and artistic culture of this very young lady. The universal verdict last night of those who heard her was favorable, and we might say that there was a feeling of astonishment, as well as of admiration, at the remarkable power, sweetness, range, and purity of tone which her voice exhibited. She sang [see above]. It would be out of the question to say that the young lady’s voice has yet attained command of all its resources, but it is undeniably true that she has the materials of an artist of an exceptionably high order and that there is a bright future in store for her. Some three or four notes in the middle register of her voice require the aid of an experienced teacher to bring them in accord with the evenness of their neighbors, and in florid passages she lacks ease and agility of execution. A year or two in Europe and constant perseverance will develop Miss Demorest into an artist of whom America may be proud. She has considerable fire and vivacity of manner, and sings with her whole soul. If we add to this a very prepossessing appearance, there is every reason to expect in her a prima donna for the operatic stage. Her compositions are of an order of merit which evidences considerable musical education and innate talent. She was assisted in her débût by Messrs. Poznanskis, Hall and Colby.”

Announcement: New York Sun, 25 February 1871, 2.

Announcement: New-York Times, 26 February 1871, 5.

“Miss Vienna Demorest, previous to a more decided debut, took part in a concert before an invited audience at the Chickering Rooms, while the Rivarde Club was performing up-town. A very genial and warm-hearted assemblage was in attendance, and the singing of the lady afforded unmistakeable pleasure to many of her friends. It will be some years, however, before Miss Demorest can safely be introduced to a general assemblage. And when experience shall have given her an insight into method, and nature rounded her sympathetic voice into fullness and culture and extended its limits, it will be time to decide as to the owner’s fitness for the execution of ‘sacred’ or for that matter ‘secular’ music. But even then it will be injudicious to resort to preliminary assurances as to extraordinary gifts and talent. A first appearance is the earliest appeal an artist can make to opinion. It is reprehensible enough to seek to deny the fact when a great individuality from abroad is in question, and is sustained in large claims by known authorities and many tongues. How much more disagreeable, not to say impolite, is it in such a case as this.”

Review: New York Sun, 27 February 1871, 2.

“Miss Vienna Demorest’s appearance has been looked forward to with much interest. The young lady is ambitious for herself, and her friends are ambitious for her. Many public notices of her great talent have appeared in the daily papers of this and other cities; and in these praise has been pushed to its utmost limits. On Saturday evening an audience of her friends and of members of the press assembled by invitation at Chickering’s pretty hall in Fourteenth street, to greet the débutante upon her first public appearance. To each lady as she entered was presented a bouquet, and to each gentleman a photograph of the young singer.

Upon the back of the photograph was printed the following flight of fancy from an evening paper:

Another fair nightingale, who has been trilling her sweet tones and pluming her bright wings in secret for many a month and year, preparatory to quitting her native bowers, has appeared before the New York public and poured forth her soul in song. Young and beautiful, with a charming presence and rich exquisite voice, she bids fair to stand side by side with Nilsson and Kellogg. [laudatory poem follows].

The other notices printed, accompanying the programme, were not less laudatory. [Two additional paragraphs of quotes from notices]

Miss Demorest has an honorable ambition, and we are told much courage and perseverance, and with these she may make for herself a career; but as yet most of the difficulties of her profession are before and not behind her.

Her voice is not of exceptional beauty, her musical intelligence did not assert itself in what she sang on Saturday evening as of a high order, and her vocalization is as yet exceedingly faulty. The trill upon which her admirer lays such stress was, for instance, very imperfectly executed. To compare her with Mlle. Nilsson is simply preposterous. On the other hand, her intonation is in general true, her pronunciation remarkably distinct, the registers of her voice nicely blended and even, and her control of tone moderately good. Years must be passed in patient study before Miss Demorest can attain to eminence in her art. There are but two or three great singers to a generation, and these conquer their way by the most devoted, arduous, and unflinching labor. No amount of fulsome praise can sustain the reputation of a vocalist, and true worth is best allied to modesty. Finally, to sing acceptably in the parlor, and to a devoted circle of friends, is one thing; to sing acceptably to a critical public is another, and a vastly different one.”

Review: New York Post, 27 February 1871, 2.

“Before a number of invited friends and members of the press Miss Vienna Demorest last Saturday night made her debut at Chickering’s Rooms. She must have been an artiste without a peer in America to justify the adulatory notices about her which had appeared in certain periodical journals claiming to direct musical taste, and which were distributed throughout the audience on Saturday in the programmes of the evening. The injudicious flattery of friends is often a cruel kindness.

Miss Demorest sang an air from Costa’s ‘Eli,’ an air from Handel’s ‘Messiah,’ a waltz movement by Arditi, a ballad for an encore, and the soprano part of a duet by Campana. She possesses a sweet, yet penetrating voice, and a most pleasing personal appearance. She sings with both grace and intelligence, and easily wins the sympathies of her audience; but further study is required before she can claim a first rank among our native song birds. With almost every natural advantage in her favor, Miss Demorest has only to devote to the study of her art the years which (happily being young) she easily can spare, to secure an honorable place in the public esteem. By her debut she has shown her ambition; by her perseverance she can show that that ambition is justified. All who attended her debut on Saturday will heartily join us in giving words of encouragement and kindly congratulation to the young artiste who is now beginning her career,”