Venue(s):
Academy of Music
Conductor(s):
Theodore Thomas [see also Thomas Orchestra]
Carl Bergmann
Agricol Paur
Price: $2.00; $3 reserved seats; .50 family circle
Event Type:
Choral
Performance Forces:
Vocal
Status:
Published
Last Updated:
22 May 2014
The performers put quite some effort and diligence into preparing for this concert which deserves acknowledgement. We had hoped to see the Academy filled up completely. The orchestral performance, including the conducting, was executed with the usual precision. Unfortunately, Anschütz had fallen and cracked a rib last week and could therefore not participate in this event. Because Paur had only chosen the best of the chorus singers, the Lachner work was performed excellently even in the crescendo. The “Schlachtlied” however, seemed a little slow. Mr. Mills played with such skill, the audience asked for an encore performance. Mme. d’Angri proved again that she is still one of the greatest artists of the opera world, although she is beyond the peak of her career at this point and her vocal skills are waning. Wilhelm Formes’ performance could have been more nuanced and fierier in the end. However, because of his beautiful voice, he was still able to capture the audience.
“The charity concert in aid of the German Hospital Fund took place at the Academy on Saturday evening. An admirable orchestra, seventy strong, assisted in the programme, which was further illustrated by Mme. D’ Angri, Herr Wilhelm Formes, Mr. S. B. Mills, and a grand chorus.”
This concert was a big success. It made a revenue of $ 4,000. The 23 choruses performed significantly more effectively than a larger number of choruses did at the last chorus festival. Mills played brilliantly on a fine Steinway grand piano. The Rakoczy march was performed with added orchestra.