• Estates Theatre orchestra: participating orchestra
• TAUWITZ, Eduard: director of ensemble

The Tagesprogramm daily almanac of Prague social events published by Bohemia 26/4/1863 announced: ‘12 o’clock in the Žofín Island Hall: Concert for the benefit of poor students of the 3 Higher Gymnasia.’

More detailed news of this event was published on the day of the concert by Prager Morgenpost 26/4/1863. The German-language newspaper reported: ‘Concert. Today (Sunday 26th April) will be in the Žofín Island Hall at 12 noon the concert for poor pupils of the Higher Gymnasia in Prague, in which Miss Brenner [Brennerová] will perform several vocal works and Miss Čermák [Čermáková] two piano pieces. Professor Wagner will play a Fantasie by Piatti. Of Mendelssohn’s works, scheduled for performance are his Symphony in A major and his Overture to „Ein Sommernachtstraum“.’

Národní listy 26/4/1863 also published details of this concert, relating: ‘Concert for Gymnasium pupils. Today (Sunday, 26th April) will take place at 12 noon in the Hall on Žofín Island to benefit the fund for needy pupils of the higher gymnasia classes in Prague, in which Missed Brennerová and Zawiszanka and Čermáková, and Professor Wagner will be participating. Besides this the orchestra performs the Symphony in A major and the Overture to „Summernightdream“ [Ein Sommernachtstraum]“ by Mendelssohn. The gentleman arrangers [of the concert] have this time disallowed any Czech items to be given in the programme, which has not happened since before the year 1859.’ The rendition of the name of the Overture in English rather than German provided a pointed demonstration of the patriotic Czech [and anti-Germanic] stance of this newspaper.

A detailed review, signed ‘-ý.’, of this concert was published by Prager Morgenpost 28/4/1863. The correspondent reported: ‘Concert. Sunday took place in the Žofín Island Hall the concert for the provision of free meals for poor students of the Prague Higher Gymnasia. Two of the most beautiful instrumental works of Mendelssohn: the A major Symphony, which served as the opening, and the Overture to the „Sommernachtstraum“, which served as the conclusion, were the glory of the concert. Miss Wilhelmine Czermák played a Capriccio by Mendelssohn for piano with orchestral accompaniment, and a solo piece by an unstated author who was also unknown to me. The young lady again revealed the full depth of her brilliant playing and was rewarded with vigorous applause and recalls [back before the audience]. The same honours were accorded to the ladies Zawiszanka and Brenner [Brennerová] for the performance of songs. Miss Zawiszanka should, according to the text of the programme, have sung an aria from Mozart’s „Titus“ [La Clemenza di Tito]; however, without any prior warning, she brought forward a boring, wishy-washy [wässrig], inane, Italian aria (unless I am mistaken by Donizetti), which (Hear Ye!) had to be encored. Truly a worthy substitute! For all intents and purposes, to whom this repetition was to honour – whether for Miss Zawiszanka or for the unimaginative Italian – remains to be seen. I for my part have no appetite to suppose that a good deal of the opinion was Mozart has had his time... [the critic then reflected upon this being a symptom of the shallowness of current popular taste]. Finally, Professor Wagner to universal approbation performed a Fantasie for violoncello with great accuracy and elegance. The public accorded to him a similarly high grade of favour. The Academy was extraordinarily numerously attended.’

A brief review, which identified some of the lesser items performed in the programme, was published by Politik 29/4/1863. The correspondent reported: ‘In this concert [i.e. the Žofín Island concert] Miss Zawiszanka performed Lieder and an aria from Maria di Rohan; Miss Čermák [Čermáková] gave piano performances of a Capriccio by Mendelssohn and the étude Le Tournoi by Schulhoff; the cello virtuoso Mr Wagner played a solo by Piatti and, finally, the Theatre Orchestra, conducted by Kapellmeister Mr Tauwitz, played the Italian Symphony in A and the Overture to Ein Sommernachtstraum by Mendelssohn with particular care. All these superb performances were received with warm applause by the large audience; the songs were repeated by demand.’ The Politik correspondent, in commenting upon the concert by Franz Bendel that took place at the same time as this benefit event, also noted that Miss Brenner [Brennerová] performed Proch’s Bravura Variations in both these concerts – obviously travelling from one venue to the other.