• Žofín Academy: participating institution, vv

Prager Zeitung 1/12/1861 published news dated 30/11/1861 which reported that ‘The Žofín Academy arranges for its members on 6th December at 4.30pm in the Žofín Hall a concert in which Miss Grabinger and Mrs Schmidt-Procházka, as well as Messrs Lukes and Eilers will participate.’ A review, signed ‘!!’, was then published by the newspaper on 10th December. This reported that ‘With each of its concerts under the leadership of [its] director Mr Zwonář [Zvonař] the Žofín Academy makes notably greater progress. Of the participants the many soprani were particularly noteworthy though the sonority of their voices. The individual numbers in Saturday’s concert were with few exceptions performed precisely and tastefully by the choir as well as by the solo voices. Among the seven numbers [of the programme] was Bradlec, a Ballade by Zvonař, in which the contrasting epic and lyric elements of this charming poem by W. [Václav] Crha are set by the composer with rare success, then Christnacht, a new cantata by Ferd. Hiller, which contains much of great musical merit. Being performed for the first time was the imposing hymn “In seiner Ordnung schafft der Herr” by C.M. von Weber and the song of the pilgrim “Di quanta pena” from the oratorio Elena by Leon. Leo, the musical matador of the eighteenth century. The three-part songs op.61 by Tomaschek [Tomášek], Wonne der Wehmuth, Errinerung, Meerestille und glückliche Fahrt, the hymn “O Bože, jeho duch jsem já” [O Lord, I am of your spirit] for mixed voice chorus by K. Pitsch, and Adelaide performed expressively by Mrs Schmidt-Procházka [Schmidt-Procházková] made up the remaining numbers of the concert. The solo parts were taken by Miss Grabinger [Grabingerová], Mrs Schmidt-Procházka, Mr Bernard in place of Mr Lukes, and Mr Eilers, then the piano part Mr Procházka. The audience was numerous and enthusiastic.’

Prager Morgenpost 5/12/1861 published news that the concert arranged by the Žofín Academy for its members on Friday 6th December had had to be cancelled and would take place instead the following day, Saturday 7th December. A report appearing in Národní listy 7/12/1861 noted that the theatre member Bernhardt [K. Bernard] would be participating in the concert instead of Jan Ludevít Lukes. No further news of this event appeared in this newspaper or in the Czech-language music periodical Dalibor.