Scan 11
Musical Courier 1906-09-26: Vol 53 Iss 1383, 1906
26 lines. Read by computer on 23 September 2026. Printed page 12. See the scan on archive.org.
1Berlin is just longing and yearning for more concerts. As we only had 800 of them last season, besides three nightly operatic performances, we were practically music starved. Of course, more concerts mean more concert halls, and to meet the urgent demands of the times, three more temples of music have sprung up, mushroom like, over night, as it were, and two more are coming next year. The three operatic performances have increased to five, so if this town keeps on in the good work, it may in due course of time lay claim to being a musical city. To be sure, even with its new halls, it will be able to manage only about fifteen concerts a night this season, but next year, with the two additional halls, it can accommodate seventeen concerts per evening, and that will be a very fair showing.
3The new Mozart Hall, on the Nollendorf Platz, is nearing completion, and this promises to be a fine place for orchestral concerts. In size it is between Beethoven Hall and the Philharmonic, having a seating capacity of 1,600. It will have its own orchestra, called the Mozart Orchestra, under the able leadership of Paul Prill. The first 'cellist will be Eugene Malingren, the distinguished Russian virtuoso. This organization will give a series of big symphony concerts with eminent soloists, besides semi-weekly popular concerts, after the manner of the Philharmonic Orchestra. It will also accompany soloists, and be available for all kinds of engagements calling for a symphony orchestra. There is room in Berlin for another first class orchestra. The Philharmonic has long since been unduly overworked, and it can no longer accept all the engagements offered it.
5The largest concert hall in Berlin, the new hall at the Zoological Gardens, will seat 6,000 people, and is adapted to monster concerts, big oratorio performances, etc. It is said that Siegfried Ochs contemplates giving his series of oratorio performances there. The new Aeolian Hall, in the Bellevue Strasse, will be a beautiful recital auditorium of 600 seats. Blüthner Hall, in the new building of the Klindworth-Scharwenka Conservatory, which will be completed October 1, 1907, will seat 1,600 persons, and will be used both for recitals and orchestral concerts. The Klindworth-Scharwenka Hall, in the same building, will have a seating capacity of 700, and will be used principally for recitals, although the stage is to be fitted up for orchestra also.
7When these new halls shall have been completed we will have concert auditoriums of all kinds and sizes. Let us take a brief survey of them. The smallest hall now in general use in Berlin for concert purposes is in the "Künstler Haus," in Bellevue Strasse. It accommodates about 200 persons. Next comes the hall of the Hotel de Rome, with a seating capacity of 320; then the Architekten-Haus with 400 seats, Bechstein Hall with 500, and the small hall of the Royal High School, which is of the same size. Next comes the new Aeolian Hall, which seats 600 persons; the Klindworth-Scharwenka Hall, 700; the "Oberlicht," or the small hall of the Philharmonie, 800; Beethoven Hall, 1,000; hall of the "Deutscher-Hof," 1,200; Singakademie, 1,280; large hall of the Royal High School, 1,500; Mozart Hall, 1,600; Blüthner Hall, 1,600; Philharmonie, 2,500, and the new hall at the Zoological Gardens, 6,000. This gives us seventeen halls, with a total seating capacity of 20,700. Berlin will surely not be happy until they are all filled every night. The critics especially will rejoice at the prospect of attending seventeen concerts nightly!
9Naturally the increase of halls brings an increase of concert agents. Alexander Gross, the Hungarian impresario, formerly manager of the violinists, Franz von Vecsey and Mischa Elman, has started an agency in Berlin. As he has rented the Blüthner Hall, yet to be built, for a period of twenty-years, it looks as if he intended to stay.
11But Berlin's musical growth does not end with concert halls alone. New operatic undertakings are also being started. Last fall witnessed the opening of the Comic Opera, which has been a signal success. "Hoffmann's Erzählungen" has had an extraordinary run there, having been given more than 200 times. Another new venture was the opening of a second summer opera at the Schiller Theater last June.
13Now we have still another new opera, the Lortzing Opera, under the direction of Max Garrison, at what used to be the Belle Alliance Theater. This is a novel undertaking, inasmuch as it will be a Volks-Oper (opera for the people). The premiere last Saturday evening was quite auspicious, and it looks as if the thing would be a "go." Lortzing's "Zar und Zimmermann" was given with the following cast:
15Peter I, Czar of Russia, passing as a joiner, under the assumed name of Peter Michaelow…………………Theo. Georger
16Peter Iwanow, a young Russian joiner………………Adalbert Liehan
17Van Bett, Burgomaster of Zaardam…………………Emil Greder
18Marie, his Niece ………………………………….Johanna Martin
19Admiral Lefort, Russian Ambassador ………………Bruno Wolter
20Lord Syndham, English Ambassador ………………Theodor Hieder
21Marquis of Chateauneuf, French Ambassador………Alexander Savine
22Mrs. Brown, widow of master joiner………….Anna Helmer-Herder
23Inhabitants of Zaardam, Dutch Officers, Soldiers, Joiners, Clerks, Sailors, etc.
25A splendid performance was that of Emil Greder as Van Bett. He gave a vivid and very comic portrayal of the figure of the stupid old burgomaster. We made the acquaintance of an excellent soubrette in Johanna Martin, who sang the role of Marie. Adalbert Liehan, as Peter Iwanow, was also very good, especially in his acting. Theo. Georger, as the Czar, displayed an agreeable baritone voice, but it should be placed more in front, and his acting might be a bit freer. The other roles were in good hands, excepting that of the French Ambassador. Alexander Savine,
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