• Society of Musical Artists: organizing institution
• Estates Theatre orchestra: participating orchestra
• Prague Conservatory: participating institution, orch, chorus
• Cecilia Society: participating institution, orch, chorus
• Žofín Academy: participating institution, chorus
• Prague Men's Singing Society [Prager Männergesangsverein]: participating institution, chorus
• unspecified amateurs: participating ensemble, orch, chorus
• JAHN, Vilém: director of ensemble, conductor

Advance news of this concert was published by Bohemia 21/12/1860, which reported that ‘Sunday the Society of Musical Artists will, under the patronage of Count Ernst von Waldstein-Wartenberg, perform for the benefit of its Widows and Orphans Händel’s great oratorio “Israel in Egypten.” A day later this newspaper reported that ‘Miss Lucca, announced in the programme as participating in the Akademie [i.e. concert] of the local Society of Musical Artists, has suddenly cancelled and will on Christmas Eve not be here but in - Olomouc singing in an oratorio.’ Her place was to be taken by Miss Grabinger [Grabingrová], ‘orphan of the well-known Bohemian actor who died in 1852.’ On 23/12/1860 a notice was published by the newspaper announcing:

The review published by Dalibor 1/1/1861 remarked that this was the second time Israel in Egypt had been heard in Prague; according to the correspondent the work was performed previously on 3/4/1855, also in the Žofín hall. ‘The theatre [ET] orchestra, Conservatory, Cecilia Society, Žofín Academy, the local German Singing Society [Prager Männergesangverein], besides other lovers of music, participated in this colossal composition under the directorship of kapelník [Kapellmeister] Jahn.’ After a brief description of the work, the review commented that if its recitatives had possessed the same ‘gravity [váha]’ as its choruses, then the oratorio would rank alongsidethe composer’s Messiah. The solo vocal parts were sung by Miss Grabingrová, Miss Emilie Miková, Mrs Josefa Schmidt-Procházková, J.L. Lukes, Hertsch, and Albert Eilers. The first three ‘performed their rôles accurately and conscientiously’. Mr Lukes inspired the most vociferous approbation with his excellent declamation, most exquisite nuance in song and artistic performance. Messrs Hertsch and Eilers aquitted themselves honourably in their parts. Miss Grabingrová replaced Miss P. Luccová in the performance, in circumstances of which the Dalibor critic expressed disapproval, noting that ‘At this opportunity we must mention about the great want of deference of the young but pompously-living singer Luccová, who three days before the main rehearsal declined to sing.’ Luccová had been specified as a soloist in this concert in a report published by Dalibor 20/12/1860. The subsequent Dalibor review also attacked the German Singing Society [the Prager Männergesangverein], which ‘deserved rebuke’ for ‘participating very little in this performance’, hence suggesting that few of this society’s members took part in the concert. Finally, the source related that Mr Jahn was applauded by the public for the ‘successful performance.’

A review of this concert, signed ‘!!’, was published by the German-language newspaper Prager Zeitung 27/12/1860. This reported: ‘Handel’s huge oratorio Israel in Egypt, which the Society of Musicians performed on Sunday in aid of its Institute for Widows and Orphans [of Musical Artists], reminds us unavoidably, however much effort was put into giving the performance and despite the powerful impression that the work makes on its listeners, of the superficial and egoistic inclinations from which today’s opera singers suffer almost without exception. In the past, as we discerned in those veterans of musical art [Messrs] Emminger and Strakatý, now the most diligent of supporters of the above institution, opera singers regarded it as an honour to take a rôle in an oratorio of such importance, because they correctly believed that it was precisely this that upon the basis of [their] accomplished vocal training would yield the most infallible touchstone of musical insight and familiarity with the great style of classical music. Nowadays the artists find it more pleasant to perform a Lied in the concert hall; they consider singing a part in an old classical work as beneath their dignity. For one thing, [performing a Lied] requires little or no effort, and one is likely to receive three or four stormy curtain calls, even wreaths [i.e. bouquets], while the critics make fine faces and offer praise. A part in a classical work, on the other hand, requires study. If opera singers are later invited to participate in a classical work outside opera, they agree unwillingly, and sometimes, without regard to the embarrassment it causes, then extricate themselves from their promise in order to find another kind of engagement, where perhaps material advantages will also smile upon them. Miss Lucca [Luccová] thus paid no favours to the more intelligent Prague public when she pulled out of her promised participation in Sunday’s oratorio only a few days beforehand in order to court admiration in a musical performance at Olmütz [Olomouc]; her resignation would have made it impossible to perform the oratorio, had not Miss Grabinger, her presumptive replacement, taken her rôle. The latter’s willingness and self-sacrifice in taking on a part renowned for its difficulty and one that she did not know, a single day before the performance, could not but win the hearts of the listeners. Even wholly disregarding her musical ability; truly the young singer could have celebrated no greater triumph than in her flawless rendering of the soprano part. When one considers that the young lady was appearing in public with this part for the very first time and had to battle with all the nervousness of a début, she deserves all praise for her artistic endeavour and we hope that she will maintain her beautiful, sumptuous voice during her trial period up to Easter (in Aachen, if we are not mistaken) with the same care as before. The other soloists, all of whom performed with merit, were Miss Mik, Mrs Schmidt-Prochaska [Procházka], Mr Eilers, Mr Hertsch and particularly Mr Lukes. Various things could be said about the overall performance by the massed musicians, but here it remains only to express our gratitude to Kapellmeister Mr Jahn for his keen rehearsing and discreet conducting of the work. There was an unusually large audience.’

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