Trinity Church in New York had an organ in 1741, although there were concerts at least ten years earlier. An English schoolmaster, William Tuckey, was the first to train choir boys for the services about 1756.
Early Opera
We should hardly expect to find French and Italian operas in America before the 1800s, but way down south in New Orleans in 1791, a troupe was giving performances of parts of operas and vaudeville, and perhaps an occasional opera of Grétry or Boieldieu. From 1810, the company performed opera regularly, and until recently, there was French opera in New Orleans.
Every time an opera company came to New York, The Beggar’s Opera was played, along with other Ballad-Operas. In 1796, there were two operas by Americans, Benjamin Carr and Pellisier, but all details have been lost.
Mr. Elson says, “At the beginning of the 19th century Charleston and Baltimore entered the operatic field, and travelling troupes came into existence, making short circuits from New York through the three large cities, but avoiding Boston, which was wholly given over to Handel, Haydn, and psalms.”
The first time that New York heard Home, Sweet Home was on November 12, 1823, in a melodrama by John Howard Payne, Clari, the Maid of Milan. Payne, an American, wrote the words, and Henry Carey, the English composer, the music.
The first grand opera that New York heard was Weber’s Der Freischütz. It was probably a very crude performance as they made many changes to suit public taste, but it was a great success, especially the melodramatic scenes.
In 1825, Manuel Garcia, a Spanish tenor, came to New York with his family of singers, including his daughter, who afterwards became the famous Mme. Malibran. He gave The Barber of Seville and ten other Italian operas which were a revelation to the new world. They called Garcia the “Musical Columbus.”
After this, New York was never without some opera venture. One company followed another, and although the people seemed to enjoy the novelty for a while, they never gave it whole-souled patronage.
The first opera written (1845) by an American was Leonora by William H. Fry (1813–1864). It was performed in Philadelphia, and thirteen years later in New York. It was in the Balfe and Donizetti style. He composed symphonies and wrote for the New York Tribune on musical subjects, and did much to make people realize the benefit of music.