The History of Cuba, vol. 2Johnson, Willis Fletcher
History
The History of Cuba, vol. 2
Johnson, Willis Fletcher
Cuba -- Economic conditions; Cuba -- History
The regular company which played in Havana at the time of Governor Las
Casas was under the direction of Sr. Luis Saez. The performances were
given twice a week, on Sundays and Thursdays, and mostly offered a
program in which drama and music alternated. If a play of several acts
was given, these musical numbers came between the acts. The program
would usually begin with a dramatic composition; in the first
intermission a short play was acted, in the second a tonadilla (musical
composition) was played or a few Seguidillas (merry Spanish song or
dance tunes). At times the pieces between the acts were suppressed and
the performance ended with a tonadilla or a farce. In the bill of
January twenty-ninth, 1792, it is announced that "this performance will
conclude with a new duly censored piece entitled 'Elijir con discrecion
i amante privilegiado' (The privileged lover chosen with discretion), by
an inhabitant of this city, D. Miguel Gonzales."
[Illustration: A VOLANTE: AN OLD TIME PLEASURE CARRIAGE]
They did not know then, in Havana, the lyric theatre, although the
Havanese were fond of music and the members of Havana society in their
gatherings usually provided some musical entertainment by having an
instrumentalist perform on the piano, guitar or harp. However, there
seems to have existed an Academy of Music, where concerts were given.
There is an article in an issue of the Havana paper of that time, the
_Papel Periodico_, which refers to a concert given by Senora Maria
Josefa Castellanos, whose performance on the harpsichord called forth
not only a tribute in verse, but a glowing description of her "rare
skill and mastery of which she has given proof in the Academy, with the
sweetest harmonies of the best composers." This eulogy is contained in
the Sunday issue of January twenty-second, 1792. Besides Senora
Castellanos and other skilled amateurs, there was a Senora Doña Maria
O'Farrell, who distinguished herself by her musical accomplishments, for
another issue of the _Papel Periodico_ contains a sapphic ode dedicated
to her by an admirer, who signed the pseudonym Filesimolpos.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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