Prague Concert Life, 1850-1881

Event title:

Farewell concert given by singer Emilie Miková-Bennewitzová

Venue: Žofín Island (Žofín Hall)

Event type: Art music culture

Date: 03/05/1862 4.30pm

Programme comprising:

MENDELSSOHN-BARTHOLDY, Felix : 3 folksongs [3 Volkslieder], 4 mixed vv
     • Schmidt-Procházková, Josefa : v Miková-Bennewitzová, Emilie : v Bernard, Joseph Karl : v Krén, J. : v
BÜCHNER, Adolf Emil : song [Lied] Sehnsucht, v, pf
     • Bernard, Joseph Karl : v
BÜCHNER, Adolf Emil : song [Lied] Die stille Wasserrose, v, pf
SCHUMANN, Robert Alexander : 2 songs unspecified, from song cycle Frauenliebe und -leben, v, pf, op.42
     • Miková-Bennewitzová, Emilie : v
DONIZETTI, Gaetano : duet of Belisar and Irene from opera Belisario, 2vv, orch
     • Miková-Bennewitzová, Emilie : v Krén, J. : v
UNIDENTIFIED, ? : 2 unspecified Czech folksongs, v, [pf?]
     • Ehrenbergů, Eleonora z : v
ROSSINI, Gioachino Antonio : Terzetto from opera Guillaume Tell, 3vv, orch
     • Ehrenbergů, Eleonora z : v Schmidt-Procházková, Josefa : v Miková-Bennewitzová, Emilie : v
KITTL, Jan Bedřich : song Die Rose lag im Schlummer from song collection Wilde Rosen an Hertha, v, pf, op.3
     • Miková-Bennewitzová, Emilie : v
MENDELSSOHN-BARTHOLDY, Felix : Volkslied Es ist bestimmt in Gottes Rath no.4 from 6 songs [6 Lieder], v, pf, op.47
     • Miková-Bennewitzová, Emilie : v

Commentary:

No details of this event were reported by the Czech-language newspaper Národní listy or by the music periodical Dalibor.

Bohemia 30/4/1862 published news: ‘(Miss Mick [Miková]). The Farewell concert of this favourite singer of our public takes place on Saturday in the Hall of the Žofín Island. Supporting Miss Mick [Miková] will be her colleagues Mrs Prochaska-Schmidt [Schmidt-Procházková], Miss von Ehrenberg [z Ehrenbergů], Miss Schulzendorf [Schulzendorfová], then Messrs Bernard, Krén and Hallenstein.’ No details of the programme were published by this newspaper, nor did the periodical subsequently include a review of the event. However, Bohemia 3/5/1862 did announce in its daily almanac ‘4.30 pm. Žofín Island. Farewell concert of Miss Mik [Miková]’.

Prager Morgenpost 3/5/1862 published the date, venue, programme and participants for this concert in projected performance order. A review, signed
‘-ý., appeared in this newspaper on 5/5/1862. The critic reported that ‘Today in the Žofín Island Hall Miss Mik [Miková] gave her own concert, in which she bid farewell to the Prague audience. It is disconcerting that replacing this splendid, highly qualified artiste, should present some difficulties. This is particularly the case at present, when all institutions are hard pressed and audiences are not numerous. The reason for this may arguably be the surfeit of concerts, for during the current season there are more than too many. Miss Mik, who to a great extent always the absolute favourite of the audience, was honoured with heartfelt sentiment on this occasion, in which her beautiful voice was heard by us for the final time. That her reception was assured was self-evident after all that has been repeated so many times in these pages about the lady’s accomplishments in opera. Yet the storm of applause was reluctent to diminish even at the end of the concert, when as the final item Miss Mik sang Mendelssohn’s wonderfully charming song Es ist bestimmt in Gottes Rath with all the poetry she has to offer. Following this piece Miss Mik was [curtain-]called twice more. Besides the Schumann cycle Frauenliebe- und Leben she sang two further numbers as well as the interesting Aus den wilden Rosen by [Conservatory] Director Kittl. Then together with Miss von Ehrenberg [z Ehrenbergů] and Mrs Schmidt [Schmidt-Procházková] performed the terzet for female voices from Wilhelm Tell [Guillaume Tell], and with Mr Krén a duet from the second act of the opera Belisar [Belisario]. To end she sang in three folksongs by Mendelssohn in which, as with the composition performed at the beginning of the concert, Mrs Prohaska Schmidt [Schmidt-Procházková] and Messrs Bernard and Krén, contributed meritoriously. Miss Schulzendorf declaimed the well-known poem Das Lob der Kleinen with expression nuanced to the finest detail. Finally, Miss von Ehrenberg and Mr Bernard must once again be mentioned, in their effective support of the concert giver through their very dignified performances of additional German and Czech songs.



Summary of sources:

Bohemia (30/04/1862)
Prager Morgenpost (03/05/1862)
Bohemia (03/05/1862)
Prager Morgenpost (05/05/1862)
Prager Zeitung (07/05/1862)