The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1855-05-09
INDIANAPOLIS CONFESSION DENcE
INDIANAPOLIS, May 5, 1855.

INDIANAPOLIS, May s, 1855.
Ed. JOURNAL:
We have had decided novelty here in
the way of musical entertainments. The
"Black Swan" has visited US and given a
concert. Our largest Halfwas filled with
an intelligent and discriminating audience,
who awardedto the "Swan" their unmixed
qualification of her extraordinary musical
powers. She is accompanied by a"gentle-
man of COLOR" styled on the bills "the Afri-
can Maris," who both figures as solo sing
err, and accompanies the "Swan" OCCASION
ally in Duet. His style of singing is deci-
dedly operate and bears the mark Of thor-
rough training and discipline, though his
natural powers were pronounced by
our critics as Of no very high order. A
young man styled Signor Albert, who was
probably never nearer Italy than New Eng
land, is also attached to the company s pi-
anist. His attainments seem not to be ex-
traordnary. 1t is worth paying trifie for,
barely as novelty, to see white man
presiding at the piano, and son and daugh-
ter of Ethiopia on either hand, discoursing
strains of music in a style of execution new
er heard in one of thousand of the most
luxurious parlors of the land.
The "Swan" must have received her sobri-
quet, solely on account Of her musical pow.
4 Min hot <yos 81, ,rN sd pot
all from any resemblance in grace or dgni-
ty to her feathered namesake She is
dark mulatto, OF large size, and without q
particle OF ease or grace in her movement.
But her genuine modesty, and simplicity of
manner, amounting to the most entire Free
dom from airs, cover that defect, and invari-
ably secure her the sympathy and good will
of her audience. In regard to her singing,
however, she needs no sympathy and can
afford to court severe criticism. Your cor
respondent does not pride himself on his mu-
steal acumen, and has therefore sought to
learn the opinions OF those among the recent
hearers Of this sable artist, who are compe-
tent to Judge of the quality of her execution.
The general sentiment seems to have been
that of surprise, and high qualification; and
more than one has remarked that he never
heard her surpassed save by the matchless
and almost superhuman Jenny Lind. Her
voice is said to embrace thirty-one full and
distinct notes. In some passages, far above
the range Of ordinary female voices, her
tones bore striking resemblance in clear
and silvery fullness, to the higher notes Of
a flute, in the hands of a master. At the
other extreme Of the scale she is equal
ly extraordinary. In one instance she re-.
sponded to an encore by taking her seat a,
the piano and singing popular melody in a
deep and full male voice, phenomenon in
female singing rarely heard, and which was
recognized by the audience with reiterated
applause. In the air 81 know that my Re.
deemer live,h," which has become almost
consecrated as afavorite of Jenny Lnd's-
the execution of the Swan was many de-
grees below that of the Nightingale, in high
artistic briliancy of execution. as we'll as
feeling. Yet think it quite probable, had
there been no choice memory of that match
less performance lingering in the minds Of
any of the auditors. that the Swan would
have been considered as triumphant in that
piece as in others.
For the sake of my we'll remembered and
highly priced lady friends among your read
ers, I ought to say that the colored individual
in question. seems, in regard to dress, &c
have applied the principle laid down by the
milk maid in Webster's old spelling book
and to have carefully studied "what becomes
her complexion best" She has also ascer
tanned the point to nicely. She wore q
rich dark silk, dimly figured, with GROUND
precisely of her own hue, shor, sleeves ant
white gloves, avoiding altogether that dis
play of jewelry, and bright colors in con
trast, which, as it is correctly set forth il
> Uncle TOMS Cabin, is characteristic of the
African taste.
Col. Wood. who owns the speculation
and who, by somewhat equivocal compi
ment is called the Barnum of the West
expressed his intention here OF visiting Ev
ansville in his present tour. doubt moi
, your musical public will avail themselves oil
the opportunity of attending so unique an en-
;. ter tainment. Yours,
i, A. B. c.
k CAPTURE OF HAVANA writer in th'