Annals of Music in America Part 9

1854. Feb. 4. Beethoven's Fourth Pianoforte Concerto (B flat) given by the Germania Orchestra in Boston with Robert h.e.l.ler as soloist.

1854. Mar. 4. Beethoven's Fifth Pianoforte Concerto (E flat) given by the Germania Orchestra in Boston, with Robert h.e.l.ler as soloist.

1854. April 22. F. Schneider's Twentieth Symphony given by the Philharmonic Society, New York City.

1854. Oct. 2. Opening of the Academy of Music, New York City. A performance of "Norma," with Grisi and Mario in the leading roles. They had previously made their American debuts in "Lucrezia Borgia" at Castle Garden under Hackett's management.

(The Academy of Music was the home of opera until 1866, and was frequently used for this purpose until 1896.)

1854. Oct. 9. Louisa Pyne, noted English singer, made her American debut as _Amina_ in "La Sonnambula," at the Broadway Theatre, New York City.

1854-1910. William H. Sherwood, noted American pianist and teacher.

1855. Feb. 13. American debut of Madame F. Vestvali, as Arsace at the Metropolitan Theatre, New York City, with Grisi and Mario.

1855. Feb. 17. Haydn's Fifth Symphony given by the Musical Fund Society, Boston, and together with the Handel and Haydn Society, C. C. Perkins's "The Pilgrims' Cantata."

1855. Mar. 12. American debut of Luigi Brignoli, Italian operatic tenor, as _Edgardo_ in "Lucia di Lammermoor" supported by Vestvali, Amodio and Rocco,--in New York City.

1855. April 30. Verdi's opera "Il Trovatore" presented in New York City, with Vestvali, Steffanone, Brignoli and Amodio, at the Academy of Music.

1855. May 8. American debut of Madame Anna de la Grange in "Il Barbiere" at the Academy of Music, New York City.

1855. Sept. 27. Production of George Bristow's opera "Rip van Winkle" at Niblo's Garden, New York City, by the Pyne and Harrison Opera Company.

1855. Oct. 1. American debut of Madame Nantier-Didier as _Arsace_ in "Semiramide" at the Academy of Music, New York City.

1855. Oct. 6. The first attempt at German opera made in New York City, at Niblo's Garden, under Julius Ungher. "Der Freyschutz,"

"Martha," "Masaniello," and "Czar und Zimmerman" were presented by a company including Carolina Lehman, Madame d'Ormy, Madame Seidenberg, Schraubstadter, Quint and Vineke.

1855. Oct. 30. Rossini's opera "Semiramide" presented by Maretzek at the Academy of Music, New York City.

1855. Nov. 18. Handel's oratorio "Solomon" given by the Handel and Haydn Society, Boston.

1855. Dec. 8. An American oratorio, "The Cities of the Plain," by F. T. S. Darley, produced by the Harmonia Sacred Music Society in Philadelphia.

1855-1863. Philharmonic Society, Boston, Carl Zerrahn, conductor.

1855-6. Sigismund Thalberg, noted pianist, and Henri Vieuxtemps, great violinist, made a concert-tour in America.

1856. Mar. 17. Adelaide Phillips, noted contralto, made her operatic (American) debut as _Azucena_ in "Il Trovatore," in New York City.

1856. Oct. Flotow's opera "Stradella" presented at Niblo's Garden, New York City.

1856. Dec. 3. Verdi's opera "La Traviata" presented at the Academy of Music, New York City, with Madame de la Grange, Brignoli and Amodio.

1856. Dec. 29. Beethoven's opera "Fidelio" presented in German at the Broadway Theatre, New York City, when Mademoiselle Johansen made her American debut in the t.i.tle role. (Ritter states that this opera was given in English by the Seguin Company on Sept.

9, 1856--the first representation in America.)

1856. The Academy of Music in Philadelphia opened.

1856. The Cecilia Society and Harmonic Society organized in Cincinnati, O.

1856-7. During this season an orchestra, under Carl Bergmann, giving concerts at the City a.s.sembly rooms, New York City, is said to have performed for the first time in America:

Beethoven's Seventh Symphony--in A.

Mozart's Symphony in D major.

Haydn's Symphony in G major (see 1843, Jan. 7).

Beethoven's Pianoforte Concertos in E flat and G.

1857. Jan. 3. Wagner's "Faust Overture" given by the Philharmonic Society, Boston, Carl Zerrahn, conductor.

1857. Jan. 18. Mozart's "Requiem" given by the Handel and Haydn Society in Boston.

1857. Jan. 21. Strakosch appointed manager of the Academy of Music, New York City.

1857. Jan. 24. Berlioz's "Roman Carnival" overture given by the Philharmonic Society, New York City.

1857. Feb. 7. Schumann's Symphony in D given by the Philharmonic Society, New York City.

1857. Feb. 23. American debut of Marietta Gazzaniga as _Leonora_ in "Il Trovatore" at the Academy of Music, Philadelphia. She appeared in New York City as _Violetta_ in "La Traviata" on April 13.

1857. Nov. 2. Debut of Madame d'Angri as _Arsace_ in "Semiramide"

at Castle Garden, New York City.

1859. Nov. 19. Wagner's prelude to "Lohengrin" given by the Philharmonic Society, New York City.

1856. April 27. Schumann's "Manfred Overture" given at a concert given by Carl Bergmann, New York.

1857. Nov. 30. American debut of Carl Formes, noted German ba.s.so, as _Bertram_ in "Roberto," at the Academy of Music, New York City.

1857. Dec. 30. American debut of Madame Anna Caradori, as _Fidelio_, at the Academy of Music, New York City.

1857-65. Chicago Musical Union. C. M. Cady, conductor.

1857. An orchestra was established in Brooklyn, N. Y., with Theodore Eisfeld as conductor. It is claimed that this orchestra introduced to America Beethoven's Third and Seventh Symphonies, and Mendelssohn's Fourth.

1858. Jan. 9. Nicolai's overture to "The Merry Wives of Windsor"

given by the Philharmonic Society, New York City.

1858. Mar. 6. Hiller's Symphony in F, given by the Philharmonic Society, New York City.

1858. April 24. Schumann's Overture, Scherzo and Finale given by the Philharmonic Society, New York City.

1858. Oct. 20. American debut of Maria Piccolomini, noted soprano, as _Violetta_, in "La Traviata" at the Academy of Music, New York City.

1858. Nov. 1. During a season of opera begun on this date and ended Jan. 30, 1859, the following operas were presented in New Orleans, La., probably for the first time in America:

Ambroise Thomas' "Le Caid."