• Estates Theatre orchestra: participating orchestra
• TAUWITZ, Eduard: director of ensemble
• MILDNER, Mořic: leader of orchestra, vl

Mercy’s Anzeiger 6/3/1857 reported that ‘As in several [previous] years, a concert for the benefiit of poor law students will be given this year. It will take place, as we are informed, on Thursday 16th March at 4.30pm.’ No further details were given by the source. The date of ‘Thursday 16th March’ was a mistake; the concert actually took place on Thursday 19th March. This date was confirmed by the newspaper on 17/3/1857 in a report that noted also the time, venue and beneficiary, as well as the participants and the programme in performance order. The soloists were noted to have been performing for free in aid of the good cause. Professor Mildner was said to be undertaking the ‘direction [Direction des Orchesters] of the orchestra’ and Kapellmeister Tauwitz ‘the direction of the entire concert’ [Leitung des ganzen Concertes]. Presumably this meant that Mildner (Professor of Violin at the Conservatory and principal violin of the Estates Theatre orchestra) led the orchestra and Tauwitz conducted the concert. Mercy’s Anzeiger 27/3/1857 reported that the concert given for the benefit of poor law students on 19th March had gross takings of 1530fl 10kr. The net profit amounted to 1194fl 21kr. Part of this (107fl 32kr) was to be given for subscriptions for poor students. The Professor of the Law School Eberhard Jonák had granted half of the funds raised to provide 23 poor law students with 95 free meals during the current summer semester.

The German-language Prague newspaper Tagesbote aus Böhmen 17/3/1857 reported that on ‘Thursday 19th March takes place a concert in the Hall of Žofín Island, the profit from which is allocated to the Fund for Free Meals for poor Law Students. The programme for the concert is as select as it is interesting, and we shall give further details in due course.’ The following day, on 18/3/1857, Tagesbote aus Böhmen provided those details in a report noting: ‘Thursday 19th March takes place at 4.30pm a concert to benefit the Fund for Free Meals for poor Law Students, in the Hall of Žofín Island. Programme: 1st Part. 1. „Le Carneval romain“ Overture by Hektor Berlioz. 2.a) Czech songs; b) „Der Himmel har eine Thräne geweint“ by Fr. Kücken, sung by Mr Reichel, accompaniment on the clarinet by Prof. Pisařowitz. 3. Concert for the violin with accompaniment of orchestra by Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, performed by Miss Gabriele Hoffmann von Wendheim. 4. Great aria from the opera „Der Freischütz“ by C.M. von Weber sung by Miss Brenner. 2nd Part: Symphony in D major by F. Kittl. Out of respect to the benefitting cause, the Misses Brenner and Hoffmann von Wendheim, as well as Mr Reichel are performing the solo pieces, Prof. Pisařowitz is accompanying, Prof. Mildner is leading the orchestra and Kapellmeister Tauwitz is conducting the whole concert.’

Advance news of this concert was published by Lumír 19/3/1857. The source specified the date, time and venue of the event, the beneficiary and details of the programme and of the participating soloists. These included Miss Brennerová, who was to have performed an aria from Weber’s ‘Kouzelný střelec’ [Der Freischütz]. However, no mention of her appearance was made by the subsequent review of the event published in Lumír 26/3/1857; the singer seems not have participated in the concert. The orchestra was not specified by either of these Czech-language sources, but was undoubtedly that of the Estates Theatre, which customarily participated in the annual benefit concert given for the support of the law students.

The review, signed ‘-l-’, appearing in Lumír 26/3/1857 reported that this concert ‘met with such universal favour, and rightly so, for excellent compositions were performed. Berlioz’s „Karneval římský“ as well as Kittl’s beautiful symphony were for the public an interesting example of the serene deep spirit of our own outstanding composer competing with the fantastic and outlandish spirit of the avowed Frenchman. Mr Reichl performed some Czech songs and testified to [possessing] an artistic temperament. His expressive performance and his sonorous charming voice deeply touched the audience, who rewarded him with copious applause. Finally we heard the young violinist Miss Hoffmannová z Wendheimu [von Wendheim], who performed Mendelssohn’s Concerto. This auspicious pupil of Mr Mildner has acquired great technical ability and bold handling of the strings, nevertheless is would have been better if she had chosed rather than this great composition something from the works of Beriot, Lafont or Vieuxtemps, for the interpretation of these works is easier than the classical work of Mendelssohn. The audience rewarded the talented Miss with much applause. The success of the whole piece was very fair.’

Mercy’s Anzeiger 21/3/1857 published a review, signed ‘Z.’, of this concert noting that: ‘The concert for the benefit of free meals for needy law students that took place the day before yesterday in the hall of Žofín Island was very numerously attended. This time the greater part of the programme was given over to the orchestra of the [Estates] Theatre, which performed the overture „Der Carneval zu Rom“ [Le Carnaval romain] by Berlioz then Kittl’s Symphony no.3 in D major (dedicated to the Duke of Lucca), in a dignified fashion under the direction of Kapellmeister Tauwitz. Moreover we heard three solo performances. Miss Brenner sang the great aria of Agathe from „Freischütz“ [Der Freischütz] and had the best opportunity to let the range, balance and richness of her noble voice shine, especially in the exposed parts. In technique the performance left nothing to be desired and the choice [of this piece] undoubtedly demonstrated the range of operatic material available to her, which has not been explored though the present [Estates Theatre’s] repertoire, although to do so would not have harmed the Theatre in any way. Repeatedly curtain-called in rousing fashion she also sang the „Appenzeller Kuhreigen“ by Meyerbeer. Mr Reichel gained a similarly complimentary success. He expressively performed first Czech songs and then a song by Kücken. The last piece was accompanied with his usual mastery by Professor Pisařowitz [Pisařovic] on the clarinet. Thereupon Miss Von Wendheim played Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto... with elegance, delicate fluency and creditable stamina. She too received general applause and evocation.’