Anschütz German Opera: Fidelio

“To-night will be the thirty-seventh of the most successful season of German opera ever given in this city – the first which seems to ensure us a permanency of the Teutonic luxury. . . . [Anschütz] has [other new operas] in rehearsal or underlined for future production, including Mozart’s ‘Marriage of Figaro,’ ‘Don Giovanni,’ Nicolai’s ‘Merry Wives of Windsor,’ Boildieu’s ‘Dame Blanche,’ Glaser’s ‘Eagle’s Nest,’ Marschner’s ‘Vampyr,’ ‘Hans Heilling,’ Auber’s ‘Mason and Locksmith,’ Lortzing’s ‘Poacher;’ also ‘The Templar,’ ‘The Swiss Family,’ and ‘Nachtlager in Granada.’ With these he hopes to carry on the winter season, its success solving the problem of more German opera, with better singers.”

“’Fidelio’ will be repeated for the third and last time.”

"OPERA ALLEMAND -- The day before yesterday, Fidelio, of Beethoven, attracted a great number of opera-lovers to M. Anschutz's theater. The house was full, and Mme. Johannsen showed herself worthy of being an interpreter of the German master's masterpiece. A genuine ovation was the reward for her efforts and her talent. One feels that Mme. Johannsen understands the music she sings, and that she becomes incarnate in the spirit of the composer. She has a soul, a style and a musical knowledge that place her in the first rank among New York's artists. Fidelio is assuredly one of the most difficult operas to execute ever written. It’s almost a symphony, and has to have even more talent to dramatize it. . The orchestra and chorus formed by M. Anschutz are above all praise. They play in time, they play and sing accurately,  and they perform with nuances,all extremely rare attainments nowadays."

General review of Fidelio – doesn’t mention a specific date.  “’Fidelio’ has . . . been the great success of the season.  Madame Johannsen singing and acting the part superbly.  This lady has been in oblivion and Philadelphia for some years back, but now resumes lyric life and is vastly increasing her reputation.  The tenor, Lotti, acts and sings as if he were frightened to death.  Weinlich, the basso, is admirable as Rocco.”