• Provisional Theatre orchestra: participating orchestra
• NACHBAUER, Franz Ignaz: soloist, v
• WEISSOVÁ, Alfonsina, Baroness: soloist, pf

Prager Zeitung 30/11/1862 published news of Baroness Weiss in Prague, reporting that ‘The pianist Alfonsine Baroness Weiß yesterday had the honour of being invited to the royal castle and was heard by His Majesty the Emperor Ferdinand, their Royal Highnesses the Archduke Albrecht and the Archduchess Hildegard and the Princess daughters, then her Royal Highness the Archduchess Beatrix. On Monday the artiste gives a concert in the Czech Provisional Theatre, in which will participate also Misses Brenner and Gebhardt, then Messrs Nachbauer, Šimanowsky [Šimanovsky] and the Royal Russian chamber virtuoso Mr von Swetschin [Svěčin].’ Similar news was published by Bohemia 30/11/1862 in a report noting: ‘The Pianist Alphonsine Baroness Weiß) had the honour to give a concert before His Majesty the Emperor Ferdinand, His Royal Highness the Archduke Albrecht and Archduchess Hildegarde and the [royal] children staying here. Tomorrow at 7pm Baroness Weiß gives a concert in the Czech Provisional Theatre in which she will perform Ernani, Paraphrase de Concert by Liszt, Rondo capriccioso in E major by Mendelssohn, Marcia Funebre by Chopin, and Slavonic songs arranged for the piano. Mr Nachbauer will give two Lieder, Miss Brenner an aria from Herold’s „Zweikampf“ (with violin accompaniment by Swětschin [Svěčin] and an Hungarian Magyar song. Miss Gebhardt and Mr Šimanowsky [Šimanovský] will perform declamations. 

This event, the first concert to be given in the recently opened Czech Provisional Theatre, was marked by a demonstration by the predominantly Czech audience about the content of the programme. The protest was described by a startlingly blunt, patriotically Czech report published in Národní listy 2/12/1862 which somehow must have managed to avoid cutting by the local censor for its vivid depiction of Germanic oppression. The correspondent related that: ‘Yesterday’s concert of the pianist Baroness Weissová in the Royal Estates [Czech] Provisional Theatre had a very splendid success as to the musical performance. Leaving a detailed critique to our correspondent in matters musical, we want only to mention briefly about the demonstration by the Czech public which stemmed completely from the change of the published and announced programme. On the programme were to be noted besides one Hungarian, three German songs and no Czech [songs], one Czech and one German declamation, then four solo pieces for piano by the concert-giver which of course were neither Czech nor German. In encountering this programme we were greatly offended how a concert in the Czech Provisional Theatre was almost exclusively German. We regretted that the Intendent [of the Theatre] at this time tarried outside of Prague, for we were convinced, that he knows well how to judge and appreciate the feeling of the Czech public, and would never have allowed such a programme. However, we did not expect the affronted pride of the Czech public to have been declared with the noisy demonstration as it actually became. For when in the second item of the programme Mr Nachbauer presented a German song, there arose in the gallery and in the parterre such an uproar, hissing and stamping, that the singer with his song inaudible was not even able to finish. The indignation of the public was so evident, that further precise performance of the programme was abandoned, all other German pieces were omitted, and there were sung and declaimed only Czech [songs] and one Hungarian [song]. With this, of course, the cause for further demonstration and indignation passed away, and the soloists Miss Brennerová, Mr Šimanovský and Mrs Pešková were rewarded, as they really merited, with vociferous and repeated applause. We are not friends of noisy demonstrations. However, the psychological reasons for this uproarious opposition seem to us in some measure to be justified. After so long justifying, after so much struggle and humiliation, the Czechs finally won. Our muse finds a modest - if not worthy of our nation - refuge in a provisional Theatre. We thought that at least in this little corner we will be among ourselves, that at least here will lord our own mother tongue, that at least here we will be protected against the powerful and domineering adversary of the German language to which Czechs do not have great reason to be sympathetic. The programme of yesterday’s concert disappointed us in these idyllic hopes and already a week after its opening the Provisional Theatre dragged in the billowing flag of the German tongue which for so long has ruled with an iron fist over the Czech language. Thus the indignation of the Czech audience. We implore of the esteemed Intendent to forbid similar experiments and ramifications of unpleasant demonstrations; we ask him to allow no exception, to not frustrate this one tiny corner, so that we can say that we have a small but genuinely Czech Theatre, of which there is no part or portion German, which rules in so many other and more beautiful places. At least leave us untarnished this small and so genuine joy.’

A review of this concert, covering the event from the German perspective, was published by Prager Zeitung 3/12/1862. The correspondent, signed ‘!!’, reported ‘In Alphonsine Baroness von Weiß, who yesterday arranged a piano concert in the friendly surroundings [den freundlichen Räumlichkeiten] of the Bohemian Provisional Theatre, we encountered as much a very distinguished artiste as a beautiful personality. Pursuant to the adage: „Ex ungue leonem“ we may here say: from the execution we discern the master. In the deed of her taking even the first elastic touch with the daintily formed hand we sensed the touch of an exceptionally deft pianist. The first number, Liszt’s Paraphrase on the great finale themes from the third act of Ernani, immediately made clear to us the general technical accomplishment of the genial lady as much as her individual character. A touch, that from the most tender arpeggio through to the most powerful martellato remains elastic and therefore the tone in its multifarious nuances is of a round melodiousness, an unusual eveness in bravura passages, a pristine security and accuracy in the most adventurous of Liszt’s bold leaps [across the keyboard], we can perceive this in the artiste.’ Where the pianist’s playing revealed itself to be that of a woman, varying from that which may be expected of a Liszt interpreter, was in the less marked contrast between divergent passages, a tendency to linger and pause and to deliver the most intimate feeling.’ In the Capriccio by Mendelssohn, the intentions of the composer were interpreted with great clarity, the Rhapsodie hongrois was performed ‘with spirited fire and an almost masculine strength’, the Mache funèbre by the lugubrious Chopin performed with deep expression. The correspondent consider Weiß to be a Chopin-player „par excellence“ from her ability to fuse the melodic line with the most extraordinarily delicate harmonic writing. Her performance of the Transcription of Slavonic Songs was characterised by an aching wistfulness. After commenting enthusiastically upon the pianist’s performance, the review proceeded to level criticism about the event. Firstly, the correspondent remarked about inadequate practical arrangements at the venue. It was noted that despite the failure of a light and of having to use a cushion rather that an adequately high chair, the pianist continued with her performance regardless. ‘However, most disturbing for all was an Intermezzo caused by Mr Nachbauer beginning to sing a German Lied, from Czech audience positioned in the stalls and from the gallery was a punctilious drumming and hooting while the Parquet and the boxes applauded. This caused the participants such bafflement that the official programme was disrupted. As a result the remaining German pieces were left out. Miss Brenner had the presence of mind to give instead of an aria from Herold’s „Zweikampf“, the „Czo villag“ of Egreszi Beni, and latter in place of a piece by Mr Nachbauer, who naturally did not appear, soang a Czech song, which upon vociferous applause had to be repeated. Also performances of Czech declamations by Mr Šimanowsky and Mrs Peška received vigorous applause.’ Weiß was also noted as having received vociferous applause.

The German review is interesting for its assertion that the patrons of the theatre occupying the more select places of the Parquet and the Boxes applauded and supported the performance of the German songs by Nachbauer.