Národní listy 11/12/1861 noted that Jan Becker was Kapellmeister at the Imperial court in Baden, and Monari-Rocca was a singer [baritone] at the opera house of La Scala, Milan. On 6/12/1861 this newspaper reported that ‘Tomorrow, Saturday evening, there will take place a musical entertainment in the Civic Society, at which will be participating amongst other native artists the violinist Mr Jean Becker and the baritone Mr Monari-Rocca who are now resident in Prague.’ A brief unsigned account of the occasion was then published by Národní listy 8/12/1861. This noted the soloists and related that this soirée was more interesting than others given by the society.