Maccaferri Farewell Concert: Maccaferri Benefit

“We were surprised last evening at Irving Hall to see a number of prominent Italian vocalists appear in scenes, romances, and cavatinas from operas, which were never intended to be sung with a piano accompaniment in a concert hall.  There are hundreds of concert pieces which an audience can enjoy and which will do more justice to the artists themselves. Signor Maccaferri, the bénéficiaire, was assisted by Signora Boschetti, Mlle. De Gebla and Signors Orlandini, Yppolito, Antonucci, Mazzoleni and Weinlich. A chorus of ten voices, aided by a small orchestra, sang the everlasting Soldiers’ Chorus, and, aided by two pianos which were constantly on bad terms with each other during the piece, they sang the Introduction and Chorus, Ernani [sic]. Of the vocalists Signors Antonucci and Orlandini were the only tolerable ones last night. The former is always acceptable in concert. We have seldom heard such a complete wreck of a voice as that of Signor Mazzoleni. The tones are harsh and broken, and although an occasional note of his old voice would be heard, yet the fact was evident that his vocal powers have failed. De Gebele ought never attempt to sing The Last Rose of Summer, nor Mr. Weinlich the endless selection from the Huguenots. Signora Boschetti is much better in opera than in concert. For the sake of art in the metropolis trained vocalists should not present such a bill to an audience. Those operatic pieces are well enough in the opera, with an orchestra, but in a concert they are supremely ridiculous.”