Advance news of this event was published by Tagesbote aus Böhmen 9/1/1857, which reported: ‘On Friday 16th January by royal command in the Imperial Chapel of Hradčany Castle will be the funeral for Her Imperial Highness Archduchess Elizabeth [Maria Francesca Elisabetta Carlotta Guiseppina] (deceased 25th December in Botzen). Cathedral Kapellmeister Mr J.N. Škroup will perform his Requiem composed for this occasion.’ The late Archduchess, a sister of Her Majesty the Emperess Maria Anna [wife of Ferdinand], was married on 28th May 1820 in Prague to Archduke Rainer [Rainer Joseph], who died on 16th January 1853. A similarly worded report appeared in the issue of Tagesbote aus Böhmen 16/1/1857, noting: ‘Today (16th) at 10am in the Imperial Court Chapel on Hradschin [Hradčany] will be a funeral service for Her Imperial Highness the Archduchess Elizabeth who died on 25th last month in Botzen. Performed under the direction of the composer will be a new Requiem by the Court Kapellmeister Mr J.N. Škroup.’

Mercy’s Anzeiger 17/1/1857 reported that in the presence of the Emperor Ferdinand and the Empress Maria Anna a solemn Requiem mass had been given in the Royal Court Chapel on Hradčany to mark the death of the Archduchess Elizabeth. The ‘Domprobst Dr Ritter von Wáclawiček [Provost Dr Count von Václaviček] took the service with the help of numerous assistants. A new Requiem by the Cathedral Kapellmeister Mr Joh. Nep. Skraup [Škroup] was performed, ‘in which there participated in the vocal and instrumental parts members of the Royal Estates Theatre (Miss Chaloupka [Chaloupková], Messrs Lukes, Strakatý, Prof. Mildner and others).’ In addition to Ferdinand and Maria Anna there were attending many other mourners.

Although not specified by the source, the rôle of Mildner was most likely as leader of the orchestra; Mildner led the orchestra in the theatre at this time. Directing the concert would have been J.N. Škroup who was then the Domkapellmeister of the principal church in Prague and on Hradčany, Sv Vít. The extent of the member participation of the orchestra and choir from the Estates Theatre was not apparent from this source text.

The German-language newspaper Tagesbote aus Böhmen 17/1/1857 reported briefly that ‘Yesterday at 10am a solemn Requiem Mass was given in the Royal Court Chapel on Hradschin [Hradschin], celebrated by the Court Provost Waclawiček’.