Robert Heller

Event Information

Venue(s):
Salle Diabolique

Event Type:
Chamber (includes Solo), Variety / Vaudeville

Performance Forces:
Instrumental

Record Information

Status:
Published

Last Updated:
4 June 2016

Performance Date(s) and Time(s)

13 Jun 1864, 8:00 PM
14 Jun 1864, 8:00 PM
15 Jun 1864, 8:00 PM
16 Jun 1864, 8:00 PM
17 Jun 1864, 8:00 PM
18 Jun 1864, 1:45 PM
18 Jun 1864, 8:00 PM

Program Details

“Programme of Magic, no. 2:”
No. 1 (By request) the Intelligent Time Piece
No. 2 All about some Wine and Cake
No. 3 The Story of a Broken plate
No. 4 A Bottle Without End
No. 6 Two New Lessons in Magic


Performers and/or Works Performed

1)
LIST OF PERFORMER(S)/ORGANIZATION(S)
Participants:  Robert Heller
2)
Concert paraphrase on an operatic theme (Verdi's Ernani), op. A 138
aka Ernani
Composer(s): Liszt
Participants:  Robert Heller
3)
Nocturne, piano, unidentified
Composer(s): Döhler
Participants:  Robert Heller
4)
Charmed closet of the Spiritualists, The

Citations

1)
Advertisement: New York Herald, 12 June 1864.
First night of new magic program and new pianoforte solos: Programme No. 2.  Magic program listed in ad.
2)
Announcement: New-York Times, 13 June 1864, 5.
In “Amusements” section.
3)
Announcement: New-York Times, 13 June 1864, 8.
In “General City News” section.  “Heller will commence this evening a new programme of illusion, music and mystery.  Among other things which he promises to do, will be the Davenport business in a new form.  He says he means to besiege the Spiritualists in their own citadel and with their own weapons.  For this purpose he has constructed an enchanted closet, within which the deeds of diablerie are to be effected on an extensive scale.”
4)
Advertisement: New-York Times, 14 June 1864, 7.
Lists two piano works.
5)
Article: New York Herald, 15 June 1864, 4.

Long article describing Heller’s show and comparing his “magic” to the political sleight-of-hand of the Lincoln administration.  “Mr. Heller is one of the neatest, cleverest and wittiest philosophers we have had in this city for many a long day. . . .

. . . Lincoln will pass into history as a brilliant example of what a good President ought not to be.”
6)
Announcement: New-York Times, 15 June 1864, 4.
In “Amusements this Evening” section.
7)
Announcement: New York Clipper, 18 June 1864, 78.
“His pianoforte selections are from Liszt’s ‘Ernani’ and Dohler’s ‘Nocturne.’”
8)
Advertisement: New York Clipper, 18 June 1864, 79.
Times included.
9)
Advertisement: New York Herald, 18 June 1864.

10)
Review: New-York Daily Tribune, 20 June 1864, 6.
“Mr. Robert Heller wooed the public last week with a new programme, and won successes surpassing his previous experience.  Neater necromancy than that which he displays in the earlier part of his entertainment has not been seen; his piano-forte performances in the second part really rank among the best that have been offered in New-York; and the imitations of modern supernatural effects at the close are so far superior to the original endeavors of the inventors as to turn their ‘spiritual’ pretensions into utter ridicule.”