Illustrated London News, vol. 16, no. 414, Saturday, February 23, 1850, p. 130.
FOREIGN MUSICAL NEWS
(From our own Correspondent.)
PARIS. Wednesday
On Tuesday last, two grand concerts were given in Paris, at the Salle Sainte Cecile, being the first meeting of the new Philharmonic Society, and in the Conservatoire salle for the débût of Mdme. Sontag. The Philharmonic band consisted of 100 players and 105 chorus singers, the whole conducted by Berlioz: there were eight pieces in the programme, beginning with Beethoven’s first “Leonora” overture; then followed the two first parts of “Faust,” by Berlioz, Roger and Levasseur singing the solos. Joachim next played the “Otello” fantasia of Ernst. Viardot sang the grand scene with chorus from Gluck’s “Iphigenia en Tauride,” and Mdlle. Dobré the solo of the first scene of Gluck’s “Echo et Narcisse.” Demonic was next in rotation for a violoncello solo, and Roger followed in an air from Mehul’s “Joseph;” and the scheme ended with the scene of the “Benediction des Poignards,” from Meyerbeer’s “Huguenots.” —
