• ensemble of the Infantry Regiment of Count Nugent: participating ensemble, orch
• HOPF, ?: director of ensemble, conductor

Advance news of the staging of the annual Czech beseda appeared in the German newspaper Prager Morgenpost 10/1/1860 in a report announcing ‘We bring to the dance-loving world of Prague the surely joyous news that the “Beseda” [Beseda being rendered in a Latin and not a Fraktur typeface, signifying that the event was of Czech and not wholly German character], which from time immemorial has been a beautiful and popular part of the Carnival festivities, will this year take place on 31st of this month at the Žofín Island. The musical rehearsal to this takes place on Sunday 22st of this month and promises to be a really pleasant evening with all the pieces specially composed for the beseda. The orchestra will be the proficient musical ensemble of the Infantry Regiment of Count Nugent, personally directed by Kapellmeister Mr Hopf.’ Information on ticket sales was also published in this issue of  Prager Morgenpost. Except for notices for Měšťanská beseda [Civic Society / Bürger-ressource] that were published with parallel Czech and German texts, these beseda ticket advertisements were among the few such texts that were always published in the Czech language by this German newspaper. The text noted that ‘Gentleman’s tickets to the Beseda in the Hall on Žofín are sold every day at the inn “u černého koně” [at the Black Horse], 2nd floor no.16 from 10-12 o’clock. Committee.’ As was usual for the period, the tickets were specified as ‘for Gentlemen’; ladies would be assumed to be attending with partners. On 28/1/1860 the same advertisement was published by the newspaper noting that the ticket sales would be open 10-4 o’clock, on 30/1/1860 open from 10-5 o’clock, and on 31/1/1860 until 7pm. A detailed, extensive review of the beseda appeared in Prager Morgenpost 2/2/1860. Much of the text was devoted to discussing the society present and to describing the arrangement and decoration of the Hall. Of the musical content of the occasion specific mention was made only of the ‘Slawen-Quadrille’ by Procházka.

In Prager Zeitung news of this event appeared in a brief review published in 2/2/1860. The text, signed ‘!!’, was almost wholly devoted to describing, albeit in positive terms, the decorations of the Hall and noted in only the final sentence about the dance taking place. Advance information of the date and venue of the event was published by the newspaper in an earlier report on 22/1/1860 noting the musical trial given on that day.

Der Tagesbote 10/1/1860 noted that on 31/1/1860 would take place ‘a beseda’ in the specially prepared Žofín Hall [Beseda was given in  the newspaper in ordinary Latin typeface and not in Fraktur]. In the same issue there appeared an advertisement for ticket sales identical with that appearing in Prager Morgenpost 10/1/1860. This advertisement was repeated in Der Tagesbote 12/1/1860. A review of this event was published by the newspaper on 1/2/1860. This in the main concentrated on describing the non-musical features of the event such as the the decor and arrangements in the hall and the dress and conversation of those participating. Concerning the latter the article noted that the event was in not at all exclusive, and that both German and Czech was spoken by the company.

The Tageskalender of Bohemia 31/1/1860 listed the beseda within the section of that day’s dance entertainments, noting the venue and time of the event, and that the participating ensemble was that of the Infantry Regiment of Count Nugent. The date and venue of the event had previously been reported in Bohemia 22/1/1860 in conjunction with news of the musical rehearsal held for the event on that day.

The music performed in this beseda would have included those works rehearsed in the trial given on 22/1/1860. Although the Czech music periodical Dalibor 20/1/1860 contained news of this trial, the source subsequently published no further details of the actual event on 31/1/1860.