Language Selection
Event title:
Concert given by the baritone singer Guglielmi
Venue: Konvikt
Event type: Art music culture
Date: 26/10/1854 5pm
Keywords: Literature (German and other), Audience attendance, Foreign musicians in Prague, Ticket prices, Genres - Church music, Genres - Secular solo vocal music, Genres - Solo and concertante instrumental music, Genres - music theatre and entr'acte music, Impresario and individual arranged events, Public performance events
Programme comprising:
- GUGLIELMI, A.M.: soloist, v
Commentary:
Mercy’s Anzeiger 24/10/1854 published news that ‘Mr A.M. Guglielmi from Naples’ was then present in Prague and had performed in a society Matinée in which he had demonstrated his attributes as a baritone. This source also noted that the singer would be giving a public concert in Prague. The next day the newspaper published details of the programme ‘for the concert of Mr M. Guglielmi, Royal Court Opera singer in Vienna, which takes place tomorrow at 5pm in the Kovinkt Hall, containing the following interesting numbers: Aria delle „Nozze di Figaro“ di Mozart, in Italian, sung by the concert-giver; Caprice for the pianoforte by Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, performed by Mr Rie (Mr Dreyschock’s pupil); Aria di Chiesa, composed in the year 1675 by Alessandro Stradella, in Italian, sung by the concert-giver; Declamation, performed by Miss Lechner; Violin-piece, performed by Miss Bertha Brousil; Des Mädchens Klage, von Schubert, performed by the concert-giver.’
The Czech-language arts periodical Lumír 24/10/1854 reported that ‘On Thursday 26th October at 5pm the well-renowned, excellent artist Mr Guglielmi, Court Opera singer at the Vienna Italian opera, will give in the Konvikt Hall a concert in which Miss Lechnerová and Miss Berta Brousilová will also participate. Mr Guglielmi, amongst other items will be singing and aria that was composed in 1675 by Alessandro Stradella.’ Unusually for this Czech source, a public notice appeared in this same issue of the periodical announcing:
Royal Court Opera Singer
at the Vienna Italian opera,
will on 26th Octoper at 5pm
in the Konvikt Hall
give [a]
GREAT CONCERT,
of which the programme comprises:
1. Aria della Nozze de Figaro. Sung by the concert-giver.
2. Pieces at the piano.
3. Aria di Chiera [chiesa], composed 1675 by Alessandro Stradella
Sung by the concert-giver.
4. Declamation by Miss Adele Lechnerová.
5. Pieces on the violin, performed by Miss Berta Brousilová.
6. Des Mädchens Klage, of Schubert. Performed by the concert-giver.
Der Tagesbote 25/10/1854 published news that ‘Mr Guglielmi [not spelt as in the Mercy’s Anzeiger text], a well-renowned baritone who has been engaged for the next staging of Italian opera in Vienna, is here and is giving a Soirée on 26th October in the Kovikt Hall.’ Brief details of the programme were related, which included a declamation to be given by Miss Lechner [Lechnerová]. The works by Mozart and Niedermeyer [stated by the source to be by Stradella], were specifically noted to be being sung in Italian.
A day later on 26th October an advertisement for this event was published by Der Tagesbote announcing the date, time, venue, programme and participants. The ‘Arie di Chiesa’was then described as ‘composed in the year 1675 by Alessandro Stradella’. The declamation [unspecified] by Miss Lechner was performed between the work by Niedermeyer and the unspecified violin piece. Admission to the event was 2fl to the circle, to the salon 1fl and to the gallery 30kr. Admission cards could be purchased in advance from the music shop of Joh. Hoffmann and on the day of the concert from the box office at the venue. This same advertisement was published by Mercy’s Anzeiger 25/10/1854 and 26/10/1854.
A brief review of this event was published by Der Tagesbote 3/11/1854 in the course of reporting a second concert to be given by Guglielmi on 3rd November. This source related that the first concert drew from ‘a numerous and very distinguished public the most animated applause.’ A more substantial review of the concert appeared in Mercy’s Anzeiger 27/10/1854. The critic wrote: ‘(Concert of the Mr M. Guglielmi.) This took place yesterday in the Konvikt Hall. The concert-giver performed firstly the aria „Dort vergiß“ from „Figaro’s Hochzeit“ by Mozart, then the Aria di chiesa by Stradella, then „des Mädchens Klage“, Lied by Schuber; and he had to add another song as a result of the prolonged, tempestuous applause (choosing „tröckene [trockne] Blumen“ by Schubert). Mr Guglielmi is an artist in the true sense [of the word], to the performance of each work he imparts a measured style, spirit and expression, his tender baritone is well-schooled and has a very sympathetic timbre. The artist was supported by Miss Lechner through the very appealing declamation of a poem by Saphir, by the youthful virtuoso Bertha Brousil who played a very brilliant composition by Vieuxtemps, and finally by Mr Rie, a pupil of Dreyschock, who very elegantly performed a Capriccio by Mendelssohn at the piano. The audience was very distinguished.’ The note being give in German of the title of the aria by Mozart was not unusal for this newspaper and did not necessarily indicate that the actual performance was in German. In this case the earlier reports and advertisements stipulating that the aria was to be given in Italian has been assumed to be accurate.
Summary of sources:
Mercy's Anzeiger für Böhmen (24/10/1854)Lumír (24/10/1854)
Lumír (24/10/1854)
Mercy's Anzeiger für Böhmen (25/10/1854)
Mercy's Anzeiger für Böhmen (25/10/1854)
Tagesbote aus Böhmen (25/10/1854)
Mercy's Anzeiger für Böhmen (26/10/1854)
Tagesbote aus Böhmen (26/10/1854)
Mercy's Anzeiger für Böhmen (27/10/1854)
Tagesbote aus Böhmen (03/11/1854)