Anschütz German Opera: Don Giovanni

“Mr. Anschütz is ready to present several big German operas in this and the following week, which should attract not just the Germans but also an American audience. The only English-speaking newspaper that speaks in favor of the German opera, the ‘Express,’ says, correctly, that it is very much in fashion to go to an Italian opera, but not to a German opera. So it is Mr. Anschütz’s task to make the German opera more popular, to make it fashionable. He will only be able to do that if he presents the big German operas that the Italians are not capable of giving. We have heard that this is his intention. After Don Juan, Faust will follow, then Tannhäuser and several more.  The last two operas mentioned are supposed to surpass in splendor anything ever seen at the Academy. Several members of the Anschütz Company, like Miss Lang and Mrs. Rotter, whose re-hiring certainly delights every friend of the German opera, will perform in the course of the next week. All the roles of Don Juan are well cast for the performance tonight. We expect the house to be filled.”

“Last evening’s performance of ‘Don Giovanni’ was with an almost-full house.  Unfortunately the performance last night was clearly challenged: Mr. Steinecke, as ‘Don Juan,’ was ill, or at least not in good voice, and Mad. Johannsen, as ‘Donna Anna,’ was indisposed.  Of course, this affected the performance gravely.  Those received with favor were Ms. Friderici [sic], Ms. Carlissa, and Mr. Habelmann, who excited the audience with his B-flat major aria.” 

“Mozart’s opera of ‘Don Giovanni’ was given here on Friday night . . . and the house, we are glad to say, was densely filled.  The performance was a spirited one in many respects, and, as far as the orchestra was concerned, we do not remember to have ever heard the work better rendered.  There are not many opportunities for the chorus, but the few demonstrations that occur were given with great spirit.  Mr. Anschutz played the opera without curtailment, and restored the tenor aria in the first act, which was effectively rendered by Mr. Habelman.”

COMMENT: The review mistakenly says Don Giovanni was given on Friday night, 12/11 instead of Wednesday night, 12/09.  Der Freischutz was the opera heard on Friday.
 

Part of review that mentions all operas performed this season.

“Don Giovanni’ [sic] was less enjoyable. Most of the singers suffered from cold, with the exception of Mrs. Friderici [sic] (Elvira), who was, however, under a still worse disadvantage, being so frightened that she lost her ground in her first air, and made several unsuccessful attempts to recover it. This lady is young, and has a good strong voice. But in a city, where among amateurs there is more talent and ability for singing than perhaps in any other city in the world, a pretty voice alone is of very little account. She, as well as M’lle. Canissa (Zerlina), ought before all things, to learn how to breathe, how to phrase—in short, how to sing. Their tone will then lose that coarseness, which, to a cultivated ear, is worse than the want of voice.

We learn that Madame Rotter will be re-engaged, and ‘Jessonda,’ ‘Euryanthe,’ and ‘Tannhäuser’ will be given shortly. This is a right step. We only hope that it is not too late for all this. It almost looks like it. There is no use denying the fact that the present season so far has been a failure. As the performers are, with one exception, the same we had last year; as, moreover, some valuable acquisitions to the company have been made in the two tenors; and further considering that the attendance last year was quite liberal, while this season it is very scanty, we must come to the conclusion that there are some outside causes for this change. One of the most prominent is undoubtedly the dislike the bulk of the German population have against the house. Why it is we do not know; but the truth is, that the middle class of the Germans—those who must be the foremost supporters of the German opera in this city—will not go to the Academy of Music. They further object to pay one dollar and a half for admission and a reserved seat. If they can see a performance for fifty cents and twenty-five cents, or even fifty cents additional for a seat, they will support the opera handsomely. But after all, not too much must be expected of the Germans alone. They have furnished, by subscription, several thousand dollars for this last enterprise, before the new members of the troupe had arrived; they have lately again subscribed to the amount of about $300 per night. This is certainly as much as can be reasonably expected from a class of our citizens who prefer living within their means, to the very empty reputation of ruining themselves for a manager, or rather his company.

It took time before Italian opera paid in this city, (some people say that it does not pay even now.) The friends of German opera ought, therefore, not to despair. As well as the Philharmonic Concerts could be made fashionable, (the only means of covering the expenses for any enterprise of this kind,) as well may we expect that German opera will at last succeed. But then, of course, the manager ought to do his whole duty; that is to say, he ought to give us a complete and good company, and a repertoire of such operas which can really serve to cultivate the taste for German opera.”