Anschütz German Opera: Fidelio

Event Information

Venue(s):
Academy of Music

Proprietor / Lessee:
East 14th St at the corner of Irving Place Academy of Music

Conductor(s):
Carl Anschütz

Price: $1 parquet and balcony; $1.50 reserved parquet and balcony reserved; $.50 family circle; $.25 amphitheatre

Event Type:
Opera

Record Information

Status:
Published

Last Updated:
23 July 2014

Performance Date(s) and Time(s)

05 Dec 1863, 8:00 PM

Program Details

Beethoven: Fidelio
Includes: Beethoven: “Leonore” Overture No. 3 in C major [Fidelio (1806), overture] (before act 3)


Performers and/or Works Performed

1)
aka Leonore, oder Der Triumph der ehelichen Liebe; Leonore, or The Triumph of Married Love; Fidelio, oder Die eheliche Liebe;
Composer(s): Beethoven
Text Author: Sonnleithner
Participants:  Arion Männergesangverein;  Joseph Weinlich (role: Rocco);  Bertha Johannsen (role: Fidelio/Leonore);  Anton Graf (role: Fernando);  Heinrich Steinecke (role: Pizarro);  Theodore Habelmann (role: Jaquino);  Pauline Canissa (role: Marceline);  Franz Himmer (role: Florestan)
2)
aka Leonore overture, no. 3; Leonora overture, no. 3
Composer(s): Beethoven

Citations

1)
Advertisement: New York Herald, 05 December 1863.

2)
Announcement: New York Post, 05 December 1863, 3.
“[S]hould draw a full house.”

3)
Advertisement: New-York Times, 05 December 1863, 9.
“The great chef d’oeuvre, Fidelio.  Grand and only opera in three acts, by L. Von Beethoven.  To give full effect to the great choruses the ‘Arion’ Vocal Society has kindly volunteered their valuable services. . . . Before the third act the overture to ‘Leonore’ No. 3, in ‘C’ dur, will be executed.”
4)
Announcement: New-York Daily Tribune, 05 December 1863.

5)
Advertisement: Courrier des États-Unis, 05 December 1863.

6)
Advertisement: New-Yorker Staats-Zeitung und Herold, 05 December 1863.

7)
Review: New York Herald, 07 December 1863, 5.

“On Saturday evening Mr. Anschutz’s artists sang at our Academy of Music Beethoven’s great composition, ‘Fidelio.’ This chef d’œuvre, the only opera ever written by the renowned German master, is replete with glorious music--the instrumental is particularly magnificent--and we expected that an immense audience would be assembled to hear the performance on that evening. This was not the case, however. The appearance of the house was distressing. The artists evidently were chilled by the scarcity of their audience. The performance was certainly the best as yet given by the troupe. Mme. Johannsen, as Fidelio, both acted and sang satisfactorily, which is more than we can say of some of the other artists. Herr Habelmann made much of the secondary role of Jacquino. This artists possesses a pure, sympathetic voice--not of great power, but very pleasing. We regret to see that the public evince so little desire to encourage Mr. Anschutz’s enterprise. We must pay here a well deserved compliment to the admirable playing of his orchestra. Last Saturday evening their efficiency was particularly noticeable.”

8)
Review: New York Post, 07 December 1863, 3.

“Mr. Anschutz in his management of the German opera seems determined to ignore one of Horace’s most hackneyed but least appreciated maxims. The selection of such works as ‘Stradella’ and ‘The Barber of Seville’ for his opening nights, and of Beethoven’s ‘Fidelio’ for the Saturday’s extra performance, can scarcely be otherwise accounted for. The last named opera received an interpretation so elaborate, so rich and so magnificent, that we trust it will soon be repeated on an ordinary subscription night, when it should draw an appreciative and full audience.”

9)
Review: New-York Times, 07 December 1863, 5.
“Mr. Carl Anschutz’s German experiment commenced at the Academy of Music on Wednesday last. Three performances in all have been given--on the night we have named, on Friday and on Saturday. If it were the province of journalism to refer to management, we might find in these three entertainments a theme for comment. We might ask, is it good policy to have the house half empty on the opening night? Is it judicious to try to revolutionize the entire system of management, simply because inexperienced persons, with theoretical ideas, happen to find themselves in authority? Mr. Anschutz requires a large and hearty background of supporters. He is attempting a severe task--the education of the public in a particular kind of music. To increase the numbers of that public should be an object with him; not to oppress or weary those who are already on his side. There is no bore so intolerable as an empty house; yet this affliction has been suffered by every one visiting the German opera on the nights we have named. There were a certain number of subscribers and a few outsiders--sufficient, we hope, to pay expenses--on every night, but the general effect of bare benches was calculated to make the average mind regret its kid gloves. But these matters are for the managerial judgment. Beyond briefly glancing at these we desire nothing better than to leave them alone.
 
The three performances we have referred to have introduced all the male singers of Mr. Anschutz’s company, and we may say of the latter that whatever may be their shortcomings in point of volume of voice, they are by no means deficient in intelligence or in the ability to use their resources to the best advantage. The Academy is a trying place for the voice. Nothing but strength tells there. We must look, therefore, to those departments where this quality is exhibited to find the material for unqualified praise. We find it easily enough in the orchestra and chorus, and as German opera depends so largely on those important, but generally neglected features, we think we can discover the germ of future prosperity in their completeness. Mr. Anschutz’s orchestra is collectively stronger and individually better than any orchestra we have had in the City for many years. Guided by the nervous bâton of the conductor, it sketches out the plan of a work with rare vigor and fidelity. The chorus is unusually good; better, indeed, than any chorus that we remember to have heard at the Academy. In these two masses the musician finds a true source or artistic enjoyment. They impart closeness and unity to every performance. The ensembles are invariably spirited; the orchestral figures nicely and even delicately preserved, and--we may add--the soloists are at least better than any German soloists we have had before. If the public desires to hear German opera, it can do so well and assuredly comfortably at the Academy. There are only two or three houses in Germany where in all these particulars Mr. Anschutz’s company is excelled. New-York, in point of Teuton population, is said to be the third Germany city of the world. The day is not distant when it will boast of a theatre more accurately adapted to the calibre of German voices. The Academy is too large; it requires singers such as Italy only can supply. Until that day comes, it is the duty of every German to support the parent enterprise; to make strong the hands of the management, and to be content with a very palpable progress towards perfection. Mr. Anschutz has several important works in progress, which he will produce with all the expedition possible.”
10)
Review: New-Yorker Staats-Zeitung und Herold, 07 December 1863, 8.
“How lovely it is to come out of the theater or opera house and be able to say, in Schiller’s words, ‘We feel as though our senses were awakened; the healing ardor stirs our blood and jolts our very nature.’  However, since our performances exhaust all of life’s situations (not as often as the Poet might like) and illuminate every corner of the heart, on Saturday in the Academy of Music Good Fortune brought us such a heightened mood as would otherwise be difficult to encounter: this was the only opera by the great composer, Beethoven.  The opera was scarcely attended.  The opera deserved a full house, and we expected it.  But we were mistaken: there were empty seats for the performance and this pleasure was missed by thousands, even though ‘Fidelio’ is so seldom performed in this hall.  It was an excellent performance, but it was affected in its vibrancy by the depression of the performers about the very small audience.  
 
There were some cast changes since last season.  Mr. Reinecke as ‘Pizarro’ and Mr. Habelmann in the small but very important part of ‘Jaquino’ lifted the quality of the performance, compared to the singers filling these parts last season.  The other new cast member, Mr. Himmel, was less convincing as ‘Florestan’ than Mr. Lotti, who had previously sung that part.  We will hold off reviewing Mr. Himmel’s skills until we have seen him as ‘Lionel,’ which role he was praised for in the Philadelphia newspapers.  Only after tomorrow will we be able to say more about him, hopefully in his favor.  
 
Mme. Johannen’s skills in Fidelio are well known.  She was less disposed on Saturday night than on the night before as ‘Rosina.’  Mad. Carnissa sang her part as ‘Marcelina’ with taste; she struggled, however, to fill the wide halls of the Academy with her pretty voice.  Mr. Weinlich as ‘Rocco’ showed us that he knows how to handle Beethoven’s music well.  We liked him best in the song, ‘Es ist ein schönes Ding, das Gold.’
 
The choruses were sung with precision and sensitivity by the Arion; the orchestra was led with confidence, understanding and fire by the master hand of Mr. Anschütz, despite the embarrassment certainly felt, playing in front of an almost empty house.”
11)
Review: New-York Daily Tribune, 08 December 1863.
“The German Opera Company of Herr Anschutz gave, on Saturday, the serious opera of Beethoven--Fidelio--the only musical drama of the eminent composer. The orchestra was led with splendid vigor by Herr Anschutz, and never before did the numerous elaborations and transcendentalisms came [sic] out in such bold relief in the Academy. The chorus was by far the most effective we have heard for a long time. For years, strange to say, the numbers of the orchestra have declined, until they became (the relative size of the great Academy considered in comparison with the former Astor Place Opera House) less than a third of the once practiced body of sonorousness, and only two-thirds actually of the size fourteen years ago. It is therefore something gained to find additional vigor and temper in Herr Anschutz’s orchestra. Madame Johannsen entered with true German fervor into the action and singing of the devoted wife, and met with much applause. Herr Habelmann made a most favorable impression--and the four principal singers did so well in the quartet that there was an encore.
 
But what is the use of giving Beethoven’s music to Germans? They talk of him, and when his opera is played hardly a corporal’s guard comes to see it--and that in a city of which it is and there are as many Germans as in any city in Europe with the exception of two!"
12)
Review: Musical Review and World, 19 December 1863, 302.

“Beethoven’s ‘Fidelio’ was performed twice before very poor audiences, who, however, seemed to appreciate the praiseworthy efforts of the artists.”

13)
Review: New-Yorker Staats-Zeitung und Herold, 17 January 1864, 4.
Fidelio, which was first performed in front of an almost empty house, drew more and more people for the following performances.