Anschütz German Opera: Der Wildschütz

"The Grand Orchestra has been Largely Increased, and in addition to the regular and undoubtedly best chorus in New York, A Juvenile Chorus of Fifty has been engaged."

“Forty-Third Opera Night. . . . Third time of . . . Der Wildschütz.”

From a letter dated Dec. 2.  The specific date of the performance is not given.  Includes a long synopsis of the plot.  “Carl Anschütz is my theme in the present epistle.  He is a small-sized theme, with long black curling hair, just tinged with grey, a quick nervous eye, and a pair of arms which have discovered the secret of perpetual motion.

            Carl Anschütz is a musician of the first water and his art is to him bread, meat, lager bier, sweet potatoes and caramels – lodging and washing.  He lives for Art and by Art.  He sleeps with Art, or rather sits up all night with it, for I am credibly informed that as soon as the opera is over, he goes to the manager’s room, and copies music all night; preparing from a piano score, the orchestral parts of the next new opera.  He has already in less than 40 opera nights produced a dozen operas, and intends to produce a dozen more this season, thus introducing to our musical public works which but for him they would never have heard of before.  ‘The Poacher,’ or Wildschütz of Lortzing is one of these.  It is a charming little work, full of fun and pretty music.  Herr Graff makes a great hit as a good-natured schoolmaster, while the opera needs and enjoys the services of some thirty boy singers, who act as scholars, and sing very well. …”  Signed “Trovator.”