A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Strakosch, Maurice & Max
STRAKOSCH, Maurice and Max, brothers well known in the United States for a quarter of a century as entrepreneurs of operatic and concert ventures. Operatic enterprises in America have generally been undertaken by managers who have carried their troupes through the country, making sojourns in the leading cities of from one to four weeks, occasionally longer, accordingly as the patronage warranted.
Maurice Strakosch, the elder of the twain, organised, in 1855, a concert-troupe, including Mme. Teresa Parodi, Signors Tiberini and Marini, vocalists, and M. Paul Jullien, violinist, with himself as musical director. The vocalists of the troupe afterwards appeared in opera at the Academy of Music, New York. Subsequent enterprises in which Maurice was interested were as follows:—
1856, concert-troupe Sigismund Thalberg, Mmes. Parodi, Amalia Strakosch (wife of Maurice, née Patti), Edward Mollenhauer, violinist. Bernhard Ullmann, Thalberg's business manager, was a partner in this enterprise, as well as in that of
1857, Italian opera—Mmes. de la Grange, d'Orme, Strakosch, d'Angri, Vestvali, Frezzolini, Sigs. Labocetta, Macaferri, Gassier, Carl Formes. Maurice then took Frezzolini to Havana and New Orleans, on an operatic tournée.
1858, Italian opera—Mmes. Paradi, di Wilhorst, Strakosch; Sigs. Brignoli, Squires, Amodio, Barili being the other members of the company, and Jacob Grau a business partner.
1859, Italian opera—Mmes. Colson, Gazzanigga, Albertini, Strakosch, Adelina Patti (her first appearance), Natali, Sigs. Brignoli, Bouvarde, Stigelli, Amodio, Ferri, Barili, Junca, Susini. Ullmann was again a partner. Patti's extraordinary success saved the season, and she was taken to Havana in the following year, and subsequently to Europe, by Maurice.
On Maurice's departure for Europe, Max, who had, during the previous seasons, acted as business agent for his brother, became manager. His enterprises and principal artists have been as hereafter set forth, Italian opera being understood in each instance, except as otherwise indicated—namely,
1861—Mmes. Hinkley, d'Angri, Sigs. Brignoli, Susini, Mancusi. Jacob Grau was a partner in this venture.
1862–1863, concerts—Gottschalk, pianist; Carlotta Patti, Mlle. Cordier, Sig. Brignoli, vocalists; Carlo Patti, violinist. Carlotta and Carlo were sister and brother, respectively, of Adelina.
In 1864 Max went to Europe with Sig. Brignoli (for whom, with Maurice's assistance, an engagement was procured at Les Italiens, Paris), and returned with Wehli, pianist, and Mlle. de Kattow, violoncellist.
1865—Mmes. Ghioni, Cannissa, Strakosch; Sigs. Errani, Macaferri, Mancusi, Morra, Susini, Graff. Sig. Franceso Rosa, director.
1866—Mme. Parepa, Sig. Brignoli.
1867—Mme. de la Grange, Sig. Brignoli.
1868,—Italian opera and concerts, in conjunction with Max Maretzek; Miss Clara Louise Kellogg, whom Strakosch had brought back from Europe, being in the troupe.
1869, concerts—Carlotta Patti being the leading attraction, and during the season making a brilliant triumph as the Queen of Night in 'The Magic Flute.'
1870, concerts—Mlle. Christine Nilsson (first appearance in the United States), Miss Annie Louise Cary, Sigs. Brignoli, Verger, M. Vieuxtemps, the distinguished violinist.
1871—Mlles. Nilsson, Duval, Miss Gary, Sigs. Brignoli, Barre, Capoul, Jamet; Max Maretzek, director. Thomas's 'Mignon' was produced with Nilsson in the title-role.
1872, concerts—Carlotta Patti, Sig. Mario.
1873—Mlle. Nilsson, Torriani, Maresi; Miss Cary; Sigs. Campanini, Capoul, Maurel, del Puente, Nannetti, Scolara. Sig. Muzio, conductor. The troupe was subsequently strengthened by the addition of Mlles. Pauline Lucca and di Murska. Verdi's 'Aïda' was a leading feature in the season's business.
1874—Mlles. Albani, Heilbron, Donadio, Maresi, Potentini; Miss Cary; Sigs. Carpi, Benfratelli, de Bassini, del Puente, Tagliapietra, Fiorini. Sig. Muzio, conductor. Wagner's 'Lohengrin,' Marchetti's 'Ruy Blas,' and Verdi's 'Requiem Mass' were brought out. The company was strong and the repertory was carefully selected, but the venture entailed heavy losses on the management.
1875, opera and concert—Mme. Tietjens, Mme. Arabella Goddard, Miles, Beaumont, Carreno (whose reputation as a pianist was already great, and who now made her début as a vocalist); Sigs. Brignoli, Reina, Orlandini, Tagliapietra, Gottschalk (brother of the pianist), Mr. Tom Karl. Max Maretzek, Gotthold Carlberg, conductors.
1876 Mme. Palmieri, Mlles. Belocca, Martinez; Sigs. Brignoli, Palmieri; Mr. Karl.
1877, Italian and English opera—Mme. Marie Rôze; Misses Kellogg, Cary; Messrs. Graff, Verdi, Gottschalk, Karl, Conly. S. Behrens, conductor.
1878—Misses Kellogg, Cary; Mlles. Litta, Marco; Messrs. Charles R. Adams, Conly; Sigs. Rosnati, Lazzarini, Pantaleoni, Gottschalk. Behrens and Sig. de Novellis, conductors.
1879—Mlles. Singer, Lablanche (real name Davenport, daughter of Mr. E. L. Davenport, a celebrated American actor), Litta, Belocca; Sigs. Petrovitch, Baldanza, Lazzarini, Storti, Gottschalk, Castlemary, Papini. Behrens and de Novfllis, conductors.
1880, English opera—Mme. Marie Rôze; Mlle. Torriani; Misses Anandale, Schirmer; Messrs. Byron, Perugini, Carleton, Conly. Behrens and de Novellis, conductors.
[App. p.797 "Add date of death of Maurice, Oct. 9, 1887."]