BERLIN.
GRAUN’s Passions—Cantata the Death of Jesus was given on Good Friday in the Singing Academy, for the benefit of the treasury of the institution. The room was overflowing, although the prevailing influenza prevented two of our principal female singers from co-operating on this occasion. Besides the above, we had two concerts which demand notice. The first was given by a young musician, Herr Otto Nicolai, from Königsberg, in Prussia, with a view of introducing himself to the public as a composer, singer, and pianist; in each of these capacities he displayed considerable talent and diligent study. There are several good ideas in a symphony of his composition. The allegro is well arranged, and the ideas properly connected. The instrumentation is effective, and on the whole there is a praiseworthy endeavour to follow Beethoven’s style, especially in the scherzo. The symphony deserved and gained an encouraging reception. As a vocal composer, Herr Nicolai proved, in a bass scena—Tell auf der Strasse nach Küssnacht, that he was well versed in this department.
The second concert, given under the direction of the music director, Mr. Möser, was one of the most attractive of the whole season. A new concertino (the composer of which was not mentioned) was executed by Mr. Möser with much youthful fire, and with a vigour and expression that evinced a true and deep feeling for the art. The concert terminated with a poem by Mosengeil, delivered in a most expressive manner by Mad. Crelinger and M. Devrient, and interspersed by some of Beethoven’s genial music to Goethe’s tragedy of Egmont, thus forming a lyric scena, which recalled to the recollection of the public the above neglected drama, while, on the other hand, the poem led to the revival of the sublime and unrivalled work of Beethoven’s. This melo-dramatic performance, exhibited for the first time in this form, created a deep and universal sensation.
In consequence of the epidemic, which also affected many of the individuals of the Royal Opera, the representations were frequently weakened, or suspended; nevertheless Miss Grünbaum, as Pamina, and Amazili in the opera of Jessonda, sang very fairly; and an equal share of praise is due to Mr. Hoffman in the characters of Nadori and Otello.
In the Königstadt Theater, Mad. Schodel, from Vienna, appeared with considerable success in several operas, more particularly as Julie in Bellini’s Capuletti e Montecchi, as Isoletta in the Unbekannte (Straniera), and as Henriette in Auber’s Braut (La Fiancée). Mad. Schodel’s voice is a somewhat thin soprano, and rather piercing in the higher notes, but with a little moderation and increased cultivation its force may render her a valuable acquisition to the stage. A pleasing exterior, and the energy of youth, are favourable points in this lady’s dramatic performances.
M. Kalkbrenner is arrived here. He left Paris towards the end of March, and has successively visited Francfort, Carlsruhe, Stuttgard, Leipsig, and Dresden, and everywhere has given concerts which have been as successful as enthusiastically applauded. In Germany, especially, his grand and pure style, his energy and brilliancy, have been universally admired. He proposes to give in this, his native city, a series of concerts, which, doubtless, will charm all our true connoisseurs.