• Estates Theatre orchestra: participating orchestra
• JAHN, Vilém: director of ensemble, conductor

The Dalibor 10/3/1861 report announced that ‘besides the leader of the [German Estates Theatre] orchestra, Mildner’ also participating in this concert were to be Miss P. Luccová, Miss Augusta Kolárová, and Franz Nachbauer, [Jan] Bláha and Grün, the last three being musicians of the Weimar court. The concert was to take place ‘under the leadership of Kapellmeister Jahn.’ The earlier report published by Národní listy 6/3/1861 stated that the participants would also include the actress] Mrs Burggrafová, and that the ‘programme will be very interesting.’ However, the subsequent review, signed ‘Z.’, published by Národní listy 20/3/1861 noted that Miss Luccová and Mrs Burggrafová had been unable to participate in the concert. This had resulted in the concert programme having to be changed, and the Národní listy critic asserted that the works then performed had not been chosen with sufficient care, although ‘it is impossible to deny [the programme’s] diversity.’ Of the two orchestral items, Marschner’s Overture to Der Vampyr was ‘interesting in ideas and orchestration’ yet strayed too far ‘into the realms of the romantic’. Lion’s Overture in C minor began with an introduction which ‘built up expectation of something greater than what it gave way to in the Allegro. This was not distinguished by anything above the commonplace.’ However, Lion was praised for his exploitation of orchestral colour, achieved through a manipulation of the varied tone characteristics of the orchestral instruments.

The soloists performing in this concert received a similarly mixed review from the Národní listy correspondent. Nachbauer’s singing was ‘on the whole lively and accurate’ yet he was thought to have been lacking in strength towards the end of the aria. Bláha, who according to the report appeared in public for the first time, was praised for his good enunciation and avoidance of ‘tasteless yet fashionable’ coloratura, although his performance of two patriotic songs was found wanting in depth of expression. The violinist Grün ‘in so much as it is possible to judge from a first hearing [. . .] is well-practised.’ Grün’s playing was ‘fine, delicate and lively, his bowing is fine, and especially pretty is his staccato; but he seems to indulge more in bravura than lyricism, for in serious melody he did not perform with either great tone or deep feeling. Now and then he errs in [melodic] leaps.’ The critic noted that Miss Kolárová made the best impression. ‘She valiantly played a Bach fugue [. . .] and did not miss in this over-rich in notes composition even one note, just as [her] fingers did not fail to strike the keys with pertinent strength, even if the close of the fugue was a little suspect. She also demonstrated all the qualities of a well-practised pianist in Chopin’s Nocturne and in Liszt’s Ranzes des vaches. Chopin’s Nocturne came over as a little too fragmented, and the tempo in the second idea was hasty.’ Finally, the review remarked that ‘The audience was not half-hearted, receiving each number with applause.’

The German-language newspaper Prager Zeitung first published news of this event on 6/3/1861. A brief report noted that ‘For the benefit of the Marienbad Jewish Hospital is taking place a concert on 17th March in the Hall of the Žofín Island, under the direction of Kapellmeister Mr Jahn as well as the orchestra-leader Professor Mildner and with the participation of the ladies Burggraf [Burggrafová], Lucca, Kolár [Kolárová], as well as Messrs Nachbauer, Blaha and Grün, members of the Weimar court ensemble.’