Concert

“This lady, who has acquired quite a local reputation as a church and concert singer, was complimented last night by a very large audience at Steinway Hall on occasion of her first concert. She was strongly supported, as far as numbers constitute strength, there being three ladies and seven gentlemen as her assistants. Madame Salvotti has a voice of considerable power, rich tone, and capable of dramatic expression, only lacking in flexibility. Her first selection, Beethoven’s ‘Ah! Perfido,’ was evidently beyond her reach, as there are very few singers nowadays capable of singing it. In response to an encore she gave Guglielmo’s ‘Lover and Bird’ with satisfactory effect. Again, in a duet with Miss Norton, ‘I Pescatori,’ Madame Salvotti was very successful. Miss Simon, a young lady with a light soprano voice, of bird-like quality of tone, remarkable flexibility and considerable unsteadiness and want of cultivation, sang an aria from Bellini; Mr. J. R. Thomas gave a song by Glover with telling effect, and Mr. James Whitney developed a most charming tenore di grazia in one of Abt’s lieder. The other artists were Mrs. Rinck and Messrs. Mills, Finlayson, Toulmin, Mora and Carozzi. The blot on the programme was the wretched rendition of the famous quartet from ‘Rigoletto’ and the utter incompetency of the accompanists. Ambition is a very laudable thing when properly directed, but in concerts it sometimes leads to lamentable results.”

“One of our very best resident vocalists is Madame Salvotti. Her voice is very rich and full, and her style is good. Singing often in concerts here, she has achieved a decided popularity, and is most favorably known to our musical public.

Last night this lady gave a concert at Steinway Hall which was fairly attended. She sang Beethoven’s ‘Ah perfido,’ a most exacting piece of dramatic vocalization, in which she showed that her ambition was accompanied by ability. In several other selections, less difficult in their character, she also gave great satisfaction to the audience. The other ladies who sang last night were Miss Simon a clear, high soprano, and Miss Norton, a contralto of merit. Among the gentlemen, were J. R. Thomas, the basso; Mr. Toulmin, the harpist; and Mr. Carozzi, the pianist, whose exquisite accompaniments well sustained the singers. We should also mention Mr. James Whitney, a tenor lately from Boston, who sings with much taste and delicacy, and who, in an unaccompanied Scotch song, made one of the hits of the evening.”