The Black Swan at Home and Abroad: or, A Biographical Sketch of Miss Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield, the American Vocalist — John Shaqi
The Black Swan at Home and Abroad: or, A Biographical Sketch of Miss Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield, the American VocalistAnonymous
General
The Black Swan at Home and Abroad: or, A Biographical Sketch of Miss Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield, the American Vocalist
Anonymous
Greenfield, Elizabeth Taylor, approximately 1819-1876
Becht and Master Kook, was very able, but the effect was lost in the
prevailing enthusiasm for the Swan.
The Monitor, Saturday Morning, Feb. 14, 1852.
This celebrated vocalist, assisted by Prof. H. C. Becht, of Mentz, and
Mast. Se. Emile Kook, will give one of her charming concerts at the Town
Hall this (Sat.) evening, commencing at 8 o'clock. As this is the only
opportunity for hearing the Black Swan, of whom so much has been
written, the lovers of song will not fail to be present. The papers in
almost every part of New York and New England, are filled with encomiums
of the performances of this coloured Jenny Lind, (as she sings some of
the best pieces, as sung by Jenny Lind and Catharine Hayes.) Don't fail
of being present this evening.
The Carpet Bag, Boston, Feb. 14, 1852.
Some peoples' appetite for gammon is insatiable. Fancying they eat
brawn, they often find themselves devouring cats and dogs. This was our
thought on Tuesday night as we entered the Melodeon, with a fear that we
might retire in disgust, as we had done on the previous evening from the
exhibition of a clumsy mountebank who had undertaken to ape Macallister.
But it was not the case on this occasion of the _début_ of Miss
Greenfield, the 'Black Swan,' so absurdly cognominated. We say
_absurdly_--for swans are never black, neither do they sing. Their
modulations are any thing but melodious, and their inflections are
absolute inflictions. But _n'importe_,--after a flourish or two upon
that poorest of all _solo_ instruments, the piano-forte, by Mr.
Perabeau, a most pleasing performer upon such imperfect machinery, the
dark-faced girl presented herself, and was hailed with plaudits that
might have gratified the ambition of the whitest among the queens of
song. The auditors, who were brought thither mainly from a desire to
ascertain whether such things as had been told could actually be, were
at once satisfied on hearing but a few bars from Bishop's charming
cavatina, "Sweetly o'er my Senses Stealing,"--that the 'Black Swan' was
indeed a _rara avis in terris_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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