Di Murska Concert Company Opening Concert

Extensive concert tour planned for the United States and Canada under De Vivo’s management; artists so far engaged for the concert company. 

Roster.

For Thursday, September 24.

“The musical season opened last night at Steinway Hall with the first concert of Mr. De Vivo’s traveling company, in which Mme. Ilma di Murska is the bright particular star. It was rather a warm evening for such an entertainment, but a fine audience was in attendance, and a very large part of the programme was received with intense delight, encores being almost the rule. The troupe is certainly a brilliant one, and likely to command success in the extensive tour for which this New-York debut is intended as a preliminary. Mme. di Murska chose for her first piece last night the Mad Scene from ‘Lucia,’ one of the greatest and best known of her triumphs. What possible elegance of delivery is there, what variety of rich and dazzling embellishment, what marvel of florid vocal display, that she does not lavish upon this famous music [illegible]. She has made it one of the most stupendous curiosities of art. Nothing in American experience of the stage or the concert room bears any comparison with it—except some of the other performances of Mme. di Murska herself. Equally beautiful as a specimen of skill, though perhaps not so effective before a miscellaneous audience, was her selection in the second part of the programme—Benedict’s immensely [difficult?] arrangement for the voice of the ‘Carnival of Venice.’ For an encore she gave with great beauty of style Schubert’s Serenade, accompanied by Sig.  Braga. In virtue of being a newcomer, [he] must be taken as the second member of the company in importance. His standing as a violoncellist is well known. His most conspicuous merits are the voice-like quality of his tones, extreme refinement of style, and of course the utmost technical facility. His tone lacks something in richness and depth, but for variety of expression surpasses that of every other player we have heard. He was listened to, we need hardly say, with [illegible] delight. The piano-forte playing of Mme. Sauret has lost none of the fire and elegance which we used to admire so much when she last visited New-York, under the name of Miss Therese Carreño, and her newly wedded husband handles his violin with all his former grace and vigor. Mr. Theodore Habelmann and Sig. Ferranti are old acquaintances upon whom it is unnecessary to expend criticism. Sig. Ferranti, it seemd to us, was funnier than usual.” 

“The inaugural concert of the season occurred at Steinway Hall last evening, the performance being the first of a series in which Mme. Ilma di Murska is to fill the prominent part. A numerous audience was assembled to greet Mme. Di Murska’s reappearance, and the entertainment passed off quite successfully. The concert, although decidedly interesting, does not demand a lengthened review. With one exception, the performers were well known, and, everybody being aware as to what to expect of them, there was no room for disappointment. The new face was that of Signor Gaetano Braga, who has considerable reputation in Italy, as a composer, and is also esteemed a skillful violoncellist. Signor Braga’s tone is by no means powerful, but he has thorough command of his instrument, and his execution is unexceptionable in point of expressiveness and finish. Both his contributions—a souvenir-caprice of his own on themes from ‘La Sonnambula’ and another caprice, graceful in motivos and treatment—were redemanded. Precedence having been accorded to Signor Braga, as to a guest, it is only fair to remark that the strongest impression of the evening was produced, as anticipated, by Mme. Di Murska. We have no desire to dispel the opinions of the management of these entertainments in regard to the merits of the principal songstress, but we cannot refrain from observing that the comparison attempted between Mme. Di Murska and the late Mme. Parepa Rosa is injudicious. Without dwelling upon the fact that Mme. Rosa was a mistress of the classical style of music; that her enunciation, whether the language she used was English, French, Italian, or German, was in itself a delight; that her voice was round and rich; without beginning to enumerate her excellences, it need only be said that Mme. Rosa’s delivery of all kinds of music was just as sympathetic as Mme. Di Murska’s is unsympathetic. The Hungarian lady is a clever executant of bravura songs, which have no higher object than to astonish; of all thoughts, that of making her audience marvel over feats of vocalization, must have been the most distant from Mme. Rosa’s mind. But we need not lay particular stress upon this subject. We have often said that Mme. Di Murska interprets with great facility the florid rondo from ‘Lucia’--made more florid, still, than Donizetti wrote it—and that she makes light of the difficulties which Benedict has scattered throughout his variations on ‘Il Carnevale.’ She sang these two numbers, last evening, and had, as heretofore, to do twice the work allotted to her by the programme. Besides Mme. Di Murska, Signor Ferranti , Herr Habelmann, Mr. Sauret, and Mme. Carreño Sauret appeared on the platform. Two of the familiar buffo-songs of the merry Italian baritone brightened up the assemblage amazingly; Herr Habelmann rendered neatly ‘Adelaide,’ ‘Verlegenheit,’ and ‘Mein Engel;’ M. Sauret asserted his good technique as a violinist in David’s ‘andante and scherzo,’ and his pretty little wife played cleanly, among other selections, a nocturne by Chopin, and a waltz written by herself.”

“The opening concert of Mr. De Vivo’s series was attended last night at Steinway’s by a large audience, in which, besides many amateurs, the entire body of professional artists seemed assembled to welcome the brilliant Hungarian prima donna and her worthy associates. The programme was well chosen, and the execution such as to give gratifying [illegible] of the success of the troupe in its artistic wanderings this winter. Whatever be the view to be taken of Mlle. de Murska as an operatic singer, her merits in concert are beyond dispute. With the careful selection of pieces possible in a concert programme, her wonderful powers as an executant are brought into the fullest relief, and, separated from the adventitious excitement of dramatic representation, can be studied with that critical nicety [watch?—not which] they both merit and require. In the familiar words from ‘Lucia’ (the mad scene) Mlle. de Murska last night raised all the old enthusiasm of her auditors. It is safe to assume that no one else now upon the stage can give the difficult [illegible] of the trying score with anything like the brilliancy and accuracy which are her transcendant merits.

Signor Braga, the new violoncellist, impressed his audience by the extreme delicacy and neatness of his execution, and the silvery fineness of his pianissimo passages. Whether his playing possesses the strength, fullness, and certainty which go to make up first-rate ‘cello performance is a question which must be reserved for further and more careful hearing. Mme. Carreño-Sauret returns to us stronger, richer, and fuller in execution, as in person. Her duets with her almost boyish-looking husband promise to be a prominent feature of these concerts. The music-loving public will gain by that happy chance which binds two such clever artists to travel the world’s round, personally and artistically, together.

As for Signor Ferranti, he is, as all concert goers know, one of the most jovial and sympathetic of buffo singers, and we have rarely heard anything better in its way than the mixture of fun, spirit, and breezy vigor of his Neapolitan ‘Invitation to the Dance,’ or the comic humor of his famous ‘Femmine’ scena, with which he answered an encore last night.

Altogether, Mr. De Vivo has, to speak after the manner of men, ‘a strong team,’ and we predict for him, as we wish him, every success on his further journey.”

“The first concert of the Ilma di Murska company was given last night at Steinway Hall. Although it cannot be said that miscellaneous concerts are as a rule popular in New York, yet the high reputation of the artists associated with Mlle. Ilma di Murska was the means of drawing a large and fashionable audience. The orchestra, under the direction of Mr. Neuendorff, played Rossini’s brilliant overture, ‘La Gazza Ladra’ and Meyerbeer’s celebrated coronation march from ‘Le Prophete’ and also accompaniments for the soloists. Herr Theodore Habelmann sang Beethoven’s great song ‘Adelaide’ with considerable feeling and true artistic insight, with reference to the text, the meaning of the text and its musical expression; though the second movement would perhaps have been more effective if taken at a slower tempo. During its performance many were seeking their seats and hardly prepared for the proper enjoyment of a song of this character. It is a work of high art in miniature. The music is varied throughout in accordance with the spirit of the texts and yet a wonderful unity of design is preserved in the music. It is ‘gem of purest ray serene,’ and was interpreted by Herr Habelmann without affectation or unwarrantable alteration of the composer’s work.

Mlle. Ilme di Murska sang ‘Spargi d’amaro pianto’ (‘cast on my grave a flower’), from Donizetti’s ‘Lucia’; and the introduction and variations on the ‘Carnevale di Venezia,’ which were originally written by Schulhoff for the piano-forte and subsequently rewritten for Mlle. Carlotta Patti by Sir Julius Benedict. Both these works were admirably well suited to display the peculiar gifts and acquirements of the renowned vocalist Ilma di Murska.

The rapid runs and ornamental passages were most distinctly articulated, and the free facile execution of the highly embellished ornamentation and bravura work was rewarded with prolonged applause. On three occasions, the high ‘E’ was produced, when the pitch of the orchestra was temporarily flattened. Mlle. Ilma di Murska’s voice is wanting in fullness and breadth, but for this reason it lends itself more willingly to brilliant displays of velocity in arpeggios, trills, &c.

She is well competent to undertake the parts of Dinorah, and the Queen of Night in the ‘Magic Flute,’ but these bravura songs lose greatly by being detached from the works themselves, and seem also unsuited to the concert room. We miss the histrionic side of the representation and desire to see again the action, situation, dress and general aspect of this successful artist as she appears in these operas.

The violoncello solos by Signor Gaetano Braga were light, pleasing compositions, from his own pen, and gave the performer ample opportunities for exhibiting his varied powers as an executant. Though his tone cannot be termed large and powerful, it is distinguished by excessive purity and refinement. He seems most happy when playing pianissimo, and then also the refined quality and delicate nature of the tones appear to still greater advantage. The quality of the first string is not so thin as that usually heard from violoncellists, and his habit of playing whole phrases on the same string keeps the tone uniform in character, and imitates to some extent the natural expression of the human voice. There is a peculiar earnestness in his style of performance of slow melodies, and the faultless execution of shakes, chords, harmonies, and ‘double-stopping’(duet passages) is beyond all praise.

Mme. Carreno Sauret and M. Sauret distinguished themselves by admirable performances. Mme. Carreno Sauret has a most exquisite touch and plays good music well. Though still very young, she has been heard with pleasure in all the greatest cities of Europe and America. Her performance of Chopin’s poetic nocturne in D flat was welcome to all, and the valse displaying her executive powers with success. She gracefully acceded to a unanimous encore, and played Thalberg’s Fantasia on ‘The Last Rose of Summer,’ the rapid chromatic scales in which were produced perfectly legato, and with a limpid quality of tone that was most grateful to the ear…

The humorous singing of Signor Ferranti and the finished accompaniments of Signor Marzo considerably increase the attractiveness of the company, which deserves to receive favorably attention from the public.” 

“Mr. De Vivo opened the regular fall and winter season of music last night at Steinway Hall. There were six solo artists and an accompanist. The principal feature was Mlle. Ilma di Murska, the Hungarian prima donna, who has already been heard here at the Grand Opera House and the Academy of Music, under the direction of Mr. Max Maretzek. Last night she sung (as per programme) the mad scene from ‘Lucia’ and variations on ‘The Carnival of Venice,’ with a Schubert serenade as the first encore. We shall speak of the programme in detail. An orchestra, twenty strong, under the direction of Mr. Neuendorff, did what they could with the overture, ‘La Gazza Ladra,’ and, the numbers being small, the rendering was also of infinitesimal dimensions. Then the German tenor, Habelmann, sung Beethoven’s ‘Adelaide,’ and after him came the new violoncellist, Signor Gaetano Braga. He played a fantasie of his own, founded on themes from ‘La Sonnambula.’ His tone of playing and style at once attracted attention. There is a velvety softness in the tone and a masterly command in the interpretation that reveals at once the presence of a great artist. The violoncello is not exactly a solo instrument calculated to produce a marked impression in a large hall, yet in Signor Braga’s hands, despite the delicacy of his style, which made many of the rapid passages almost inaudible, it was quite enjoyable. Signor Braga has a pure, cultivated tone, which in a smaller hall would be attractive in the highest degree.

When the ‘cellist had bowed himself off for the last time a torrent of acclamation was let loose in the hall when Mlle. di Murska made her appearance, a significant proof of her popularity. Her first selection was not a happy one, being no less than the first scene of the last act of ‘Lucia,’ with twenty in the orchestra and no chorus or appropriate mise en scène. Her peculiar abilities as a bravura singer, however, had a chance for display. As an encore she gave Schubert’s ‘Serenade,’ a morceau not well adapted for her style of singing. In the second part she sung Benedict’s variations on ‘The Carnival of Venice,’ entirely in her line. The extraordinary agility of voice and ease of execution, even in the most trying passages, which may be regarded as the characteristics of Mlle. di Murska’s singing, are still in her possession, but some of her upper notes have lost their limpidity of tone and electricity of effect. The ‘Serenade’ of Schubert, even with Braga’s obligato, was entirely out of her line. After Mlle. di Murska came Mme. Carreno-Sauret, pianist, and M. Sauret, violinist, in the fantasia on ‘Don Juan’ by Vieuxtemps and Wolff (not an effective work by any means). In this, of course, the violinist had the greater opportunity for display. The great master of modern violin literature, Vieuxtemps, takes the lion’s share in this work. M. Sauret did not render it with the expression and effect one would desire. His tone was coarse and mechanical and the work fell without effect, although it gained an encore from some people in the hall. The piece played by the two instrumental artists, ‘Airs Espagnols,’ by Sauret, was better than its predecessor, yet devoid of warmth or finish. The memory of Wieniawski is hard to struggle against, and mere correctness of style will hardly suffice after such a remarkable violinist.

Then came the prince of buffos, Signor Ferranti, a true artist and the worthy successor of Ronconi. He rippled through, in the vocal sense of the word, the Neapolitan dance of Traventi, and gave us an encore the ‘Return of the Dove’ by Fioravanti. He was unexceptionably an artistic success last evening. After a vain wrestle with the ‘Coronation March’ by the twenty instrumentalists, Mme. Carreno-Sauret appeared again and played Chopin’s ‘Nocturne’ in D flat and her own waltz, ‘Spring.’ She was toileted, probably on account of the ‘Don Juan’ duet, as Donna Anna, and played with the grace and elegance of Arabella Goddard. The ‘Nocturne’ was deliciously conveyed, and the waltz, in which there is a great deal of Chopin, was likewise daintily delivered. The characteristics of Mme. Carreno-Sauret’s playing are ease and grace—the deficiencies superficiality and want of power and effective tone. A matinée will be given today. A word of praise is due to the accompaniments of Signor Marzo.”