Part 13 (2/2)
Nor would he ever yield to that mean and vulgar prejudice, once so prevalent, but now happily disappearing, which either sought to prevent colored persons from entering at all the public-amus.e.m.e.nt hall, or else to force them to occupy seats near the entrance, or away up in the gallery. All must be treated alike, or he would not sing. As ill.u.s.trating this characteristic, I give the following incident connected with the concert tour in Canada:--
In Hamilton, a Dr. Brown purchased for himself and some friends six reserved-seat tickets, at a cost of one dollar each. After he had done so, Mr. Bowers's agent was informed by the proprietor of the hall in which the concert was to be held that ”colored people were not admitted to first-cla.s.s seats in Canada.” This created much excitement. Our artist espoused Dr. Brown's cause; informed Col. Wood that he would not sing, if he refused to admit the doctor's party on the terms implied by his tickets; that if, after entering, there should be any attempt to oust them, he would a.s.sist them; and that he did not leave his home to encourage such mean prejudice. This n.o.ble stand against unjust discrimination resulted in granting to Dr. Brown the seats for which he had purchased tickets; and, after this time, no attempt was made to exclude colored persons from the concerts of the troupe.
Mr. Bowers, during his career, has sung in most of the Eastern and Middle States; and at one time he even invaded the slavery-cursed regions of Maryland. He sang in Baltimore, the papers of which city were forced to accord to him high merit as a vocalist.
When we consider the high ideal cherished from the very commencement of his career by our subject, it is not surprising that his musical performances have never been marred by the singing of other than cla.s.sical or the best music. He does sing, at times, songs in the ballad form; but these are always of the higher cla.s.s, and such as would be adopted by any first-cla.s.s singer. His _repertoire_ is composed of most all the songs for the tenor voice in the standard operas and oratorios. He sings with fine effect such gems as ”Spirito Gentil,” from ”La Favorita;” ”Ah! I have sighed,” from ”Il Trovatore;”
and ”How so Fair,” from ”Martha.”
Mr. Bowers resides at present in Philadelphia, and is a little past forty years of age. He sings as well now as ever; some think better than ever. He appears occasionally in public, but only in company with the first artists, as he firmly believes in maintaining always for himself and others a high musical standard. His voice ranges within a semitone of two octaves.
He is a man of decidedly handsome form, and of graceful, pleasing stage appearance; is, indeed, an ideal tenor, and a real artist.
I append, from among the many press-notices that have appeared during his career, the few that follow.
”The Daily Pennsylvanian” of Feb. 9, 1854, after describing the Sansom-street Hall concerts, and alluding to some defects in the manner of his gestures, thus speaks of the performances of our subject:--
”He has naturally a superior voice, far better than many of the princ.i.p.al tenors who have been engaged for star opera troupes. He has, besides, much musical taste.”
”The Boston Journal” said,--
”The tenor of this troupe (Mr. Bowers) possesses a voice of wonderful power and beauty.”
Another paper said,--
”As most of our citizens have heard the 'colored Mario,' it is unnecessary for us to speak of his singing, as it is generally admitted that his tenor is second to none of our celebrated opera-singers.”
Another said,--
”The concert given by the Sedgwick Company was a great success.... 'Mario's' fine tenor voice was never more feelingly exercised, nor more rapturously encored.”
Again he is thus highly praised:--
”The 'colored Mario's' voice is unequalled by any of the great operatic performers.”
A Montreal paper said,--
”'Mario' is a very handsome specimen of his race, and has a fine tenor voice.... He, too, was repeatedly encored, both in his solo-pieces and in his duets with Miss Greenfield.”
The true value of the foregoing comments from the press will be better understood when the reader calls to mind the fact, that, when they were made, Mr. Bowers had as contemporaries the wonderful Signor Mario, the eminent ”Swedish Nightingale,” Jenny Lind, the not much less charming songstress, Parodi, as well as several fine tenor-singers connected with the Italian opera companies then performing throughout this country. With such models as these to elevate their tastes and guide their judgments, the critics knew well the worth of all they said in praise of Mr. Bowers. Forming our judgments, then, from what they did say of him (only a very few of their highly favorable comments have here been given), we may safely say that Mr. Bowers is to be ranked with the very first tenor-vocalists of his time.
X.
JAMES GLOUCESTER DEMAREST,
GUITAR AND VIOLIN.
”Soft is the music that would charm forever.”
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