"The 'Black Swan's' Concert.—Miss Greenfield made her début in this city on Saturday evening, before a large and brilliant audience, in the lecture-room of the Young Men's Association. The concert was a complete triumph for her; won, too, from a discriminating auditory not likely to be caught with chaff, and none too willing to suffer admiration to get the better of prejudice. Her singing more than met the expectations of her hearers, and elicited the heartiest applause and frequent encores. She possesses a truly wonderful voice; and, considering the poverty of her advantages, she uses it with surprising taste and effect. In sweetness, power, compass, and flexibility, it nearly equals any of the foreign vocalists who have visited our country; and it needs only the training and education theirs have received to outstrip them all.
"The compass of her marvellous voice embraces twenty-seven notes, reaching from the sonorous bass of a baritone to a few notes above even Jenny Lind's highest. The defects which the critic cannot fail to detect in her singing are not from want of voice, or power of lung, but want of training alone. If her present tour proves successful, as it now bids fair to, she will put herself under the charge of the best masters of singing in Europe; and with her enthusiasm and perseverance, which belong to genius, she cannot fail to ultimately triumph over all obstacles, and even conquer the prejudice of color,—perhaps the most formidable one in her path.
"She plays with ability upon the piano, harp, and guitar. In her deportment she bears herself well, and, we are told, converses with much intelligence. We noticed among the audience Gov. Hunt and his family, both Houses of the Legislature, State officers, and a large number of our leading citizens. All came away astonished and delighted."
A New-York paper says,—
"Miss Greenfield's Singing.—We yesterday had the pleasure of hearing the singer who is advertised in our columns as the 'Black Swan.' She is a person of ladylike manners, elegant form, and not unpleasing, though decidedly African features. Of her marvellous powers, she owes none to any tincture of European blood. Her voice is truly wonderful, both in its compass and truth. A more correct intonation, so far as our ear can decide, there could not be. She strikes every note on the exact centre, with unhesitating decision.... She is a nondescript, an original. We cannot think any common destiny awaits her."
"The Evening Transcript," Boston, Feb. 4, 1852, said,—
"Miss Greenfield, the 'Black Swan,' made her début before a Boston audience last evening at the Melodeon. In consequence of the price of the tickets being put at a dollar, the house was not over two-thirds full. She was well received, and most vociferously applauded and encored in every piece. She sings with great ease, and apparently without any effort. Her pronunciation is very correct, and her intonation excellent. Her voice has a wonderful compass, and in many notes is remarkably sweet in tone."
From "The Daily Capital City Fact," Columbus, O., March 3, 1852:—
"Last evening proved that the 'Black Swan' was all that the journals say of her; and Miss Greenfield stands confessedly before the Columbus world a swan of excellence. She is indeed a remarkable swan. Although colored as dark as Ethiopia, she utters notes as pure as if uttered in the words of the Adriatic."