_Grand Duett for Two Piano-fortes_,--Mrs. Henry Thompson, (late Miss
Kate Loder) and her pupil Miss Rosina Bentley, (Huguenots,) Osborne.
_German Song_,--"My heart's on the Rhine," Herr Pischek, Speyer.
_Cavatina_,--"Bell raggio,"--(Semiramide) Mdlle. Rita Favanti, Rossini.
_Duetto_,--"Tutto di te sollecitto,"--Miss Louisa Pyne and Signor
Gardoni. (Adelia) Donizetti.
_Ballad_,--"Sweet Home,"--Miss Stabbach, Wrighton.
_Song_,--"Good bye, sweetheart,"--Mr. Sims Reeves, J. L. Hatton.
_Fantaisie_,--Violoncello--Signor Piatti, Piatti.
_Aria_,--"Ernani,"--Mrs. Wokie, Verdi.
_A Fireside Song_,--(by desire)--Miss Greenfield, Wallace.
_Solo_,--"Contra Basso," Signor Bottessini, Bottessini.
_German Song_,--(by particular desire) "The Standard Bearer," Herr
Pischek, Lindpainter.
_Scotch Song_,--"Heigho, Janet,"--Miss Dolby, Dolby.
_Song_,--(by desire) "When stars are in the quiet sky,"--Miss
Greenfield, accompanied by herself on the piano-forte.
_Finale_,--"Wedding March," Mendelssohn.
The London Morning Post says,--A large assemblage of fashionable and
distinguished personages, assembled by invitation at Stafford House, to
hear and decide upon the merits of a phenomenon, in the musical world.
Miss Elizabeth Greenfield, better known in America as the "Black Swan,"
under which sobriquet she is also about to be presented to the British
public. This lady is said to possess a voice embracing the extraordinary
compass of nearly three octaves; and her performances on this occasion
elicited the unmistakable evidence of gratification. She is, without
doubt, deficient in science and cultivation, but she displays remarkable
intelligence, and is gifted with feeling and the capacity of conveying
it to her auditors.
In the hackneyed song of "Home, sweet home," she produced, by the pathos
and expression she contrived to throw into the music, a very decided
impression; nor was she less successful in other music of a different
character.
Again, the London Observer remarks--"A concert of vocal music was given
in the past week, at Stafford House, the residence of the Duke and
Duchess of Sutherland, to test and make known the powers and merits of
the American vocalist, Elizabeth Greenfield. She is now about
twenty-five years of age, and has come to England to perfect herself in
singing, in the hope of elevating the popular estimate of her
unfortunate race, by the development and display of any artistic talent
she may possess. Her _début_ was in the highest degree favourable; Her
voice was at once declared to be one of extraordinary compass. Both her
high and low notes were heard with wonder by the assembled amateurs, and
her ear was pronounced to be excellent."
London Advertiser, of June 16th, contained the following comments. "A
concert was given at Exeter Hall last evening by Miss Greenfield, the
American vocalist, better known in this country under the sobriquet of
the 'Black Swan.' Apart from the natural gifts with which this lady is
endowed, the great musical skill which she has acquired both as a singer
and an instrumentalist, are convincing arguments against the assertion
so often made, that the negro race are incapable of intellectual culture
of a high standard. Miss Greenfield, by birth as well as appearance, is
decidedly a negress, her father having been a full African, and her
mother of mixed extraction. She herself was born and brought up a slave
in the United States, although freed at an early age. On the death of
her mistress her vocal abilities, which were already known in a limited
circle, were, by the judicious assistance of some kind-hearted friends,
brought into public notice; and she was enabled to receive the necessary
training and instruction. She speedily became a proficient in the art of
vocalization; and, after giving a series of concerts in the United
States, she felt sufficient confidence in her abilities to resolve on
standing the test of an English audience. Her voice is a contralto, of
great clearness and mellow tone in the upper register, and full,
resonant, and powerful in the lower, though slightly masculine in its
_timbre_. It is peculiarly effective in ballad songs of the pathetic
cast, several of which Miss Greenfield sang last night in a very
expressive manner. She was encored in two, "The Cradle Song," a simple
melody by Wallace, and "Home, Sweet Home," which she gave in an
exceedingly pleasing manner. The programme of the concert was
bountifully drawn up; for, in addition to the attractions of the Black
Swan, there was a host of first-rate artists. Herr Brandt, a German
artist, with a remarkably sweet voice, sang Professor Longfellow's
'Slave's Dream,' set to very beautiful music by Hatton, in a way that
elicited warm applause. Miss Rosina Bentley played a fantasia by Lutz,
very brilliantly, and afterwards assisted by Miss Kate Loder, who,
however, must now be known as Mrs. Henry Thompson, in a grand duet for
two piano-fortes, by Osborne. M. Valadares executed a curious Indian
air, "Hilli Milli Puniah," on the violin, and Mr. Henry Distin a solo on
the sax tuba. The band was admirable, and performed a couple of
overtures in the best manner. Altogether, the concert, which we
understand was made under the distinguished patronage of the Duchess of
Sutherland, was highly successful, and went off to the perfect
gratification of a numerous and fashionable audience."
_Words of Miss Greenfield's Grand Concert._