• GOMEZ-WOŁOSKA, L.: soloist, v
• WOŁOSKI, Alexander: soloist, pf

A substantial advertisement for this event was published by Tagesbote aus Böhmen 9/6/1857. The source related: ‘Commencing at 5 o’clock. Wednesday 10th June 1857 at 5 o’clock in the afternoon in the Konvikt Hall [a] great Vocal and Instrumental Concert of Madame L. Gomez v. Wolowska, Prima-Donna Assaluta of the Royal Theatre Madrid, the Scala in Milan, the Theatre Fenice in Venice, of the Carlo Felice in Genoa, the Royal Opera in Brussells, and of the Theatre Castle Garden of New York, etc., and of Mr Alex. v. Wolowski, pianist, Count of several Orders, Member of the First Philharmonic Societies of Germany and of England, etc., etc. Tickets in the Circle at 2fl, in the Hall at 1fl, and on the Gallery at 40kr, to be obtained in the Art- and Music-Shop of Mr Joh, Hoffmann and on the day of the concert at the Box Office.’ In the supplement to Tagesbote aus Böhmen 10/6/1857 there appeared the news that: ‘Mr and Mrs von Wolowski, whose arrival in Prague we announced earlier, give this afternoon at 5 o’clock in the Konvikt Hall a great Vocal- and Instrumental-Concert.’

An advance report of the visit of the Wolowskis to Prague appeared in Tagesbote aus Böhmen 5/6/1857: ‘The now already closed concert season is receiving an addendum. The couple Wolowsky will arrive in Prague during the next few days and they intend to organize concerts. Mrs v. Wolowska, a singer of renown, was in Pest introduced to Their Majesties [undoubtedly referring to the Emperor Franz Josef and the Empress Elizabeth], and then gave concerts in Vienna, and we have reports recognizing her for her voice and for the fiery performances of a singer whose homeland is that of Pepita [i.e. Spain]. Mr v. Wolowsky accompanies his wife as pianist.’ News of their arrival in Prague was published the next day in Tagesbote aus Böhmen 6/6/1857, the newspaper noting: ‘The artist-couple Mr and Mrs von Wolowskí have arrived in Prague, and will next week be arranging a great Vocal- and Instrumental-Concert. The day and the programme of the concert we will be able to impart tomorrow.’

A review, signed ‘h.’, of this event was published by Tagesbote aus Böhmen 12/6/1857. The correspondent noted: ‘Music. Under the title of a „Great Vocal- and Instrumental-Concert [Große Vocal- und Instrumenal-Concert]“ the couple von Wolowksy gave on Wednesday a Soirée for voice and piano in the Konvikt Hall, which through the luxurious title of the two concert givers as well as through the pompous choice of the individual pieces gave a distinctly American gloss. Mrs von Gomez-Wolowska is one of those very trained singers who are not so skilfull as artificial in her manner of decorative singing, whose voice though of a veiled tone-colour, as a singer of southern origin frequently exhibits, has great range and marked flexibility when it is not driven to the extremes of its register. The performance had great refinement and good taste; the piquant effect was supported even further by the lively characteristic facial expressions of the singer. The concertgiver performed best the pianissimo echo in the famous Swiss couplets. In the minor variation of Beriot’s Variations di Bravura she also imparted to the elegaic mood a very interesting, southern spirited expressive colour. After these she sang the entrance aria of Rosine and a Bolero, whose Baroque scales in the most flippant speaking tone we have to accept in good faith as a national peculiarity, although its authenticity seems as misplaced as that of the “Ole”. – Mr von Wolowska stands beneath the shadow of his wife, he is a pianist of very mediocre ability, who with his al-fresco use of the pedal and with his Tempo rubato attempts to cover their blemishes and imperfections. Many details of the four pieces performed by Mr v. Wolowsky were too elevated for his weak technique; so, for example, in David’s „Vogelsang“ (described by the programme to the „Grand-Concert“ as a Salonbluette), the figure of a rapidly changing finger on a single note. Of Mr von Wolowsky’s own composition „Sola Arragonesa“, „especially arranged for Her Majesty the Queen of Spain“, it can be said only that it sheds very interesting light on the political situation in Spain, that if the Queen of Spain plays this piece, then the discontent of the nation can be easily understood. The not numerous audience accorded the singer applause, and Mr v. Wolowsky with silent respect.’