Alberto Zelman (1832 - 1907)

Born 1832 in Triest, Küstenland, Austria

Died 28 Dec 1907 at about age 75 in 8 Albert-Street, Auburn Victoria, Australia.

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Biography

Signor Alberto Zelman was born about 1832
He married musician Harriott Eliza Hodgkinson in 1873^[1]

He died at 8 Albert St. Auburn, on the 28th December, 1907.^[2]

Alberto's father was Samuel Victor (or Vittorio?) Zelman his original surname is unknown, he supposedly changed it to Zelman. His mother was Bunina, née Cologna. The Australian Dictionary of Biography has a fair biography of his life. ^[3]

Alberto was a teaching the Viceroy of India 's children in 1871.^[4]

Lyster and Smith engaged Cagli and Pompei's company of 53 to come to Australia, it is not clear whether Zelman first performed with the company in India or Australia, but common sense points to the former^[5]

The company opened in Sydney May 10, 1871, and Zelman was not with them at that time, he arrived Sydney, Australia, aboard the Rangoon from Calcutta, 3 months later, in August 1871, as one of the conductors of Cagli and Pompei's Royal Italian Opera Company, just arrived from a season in Java.^[6] The 24 night season began Sept 2, 1871, and he debued Sept. 4.^[7] the last Sydney performance being 1871-10-23. ^[8]

Other known movements

NEW ZEALAND.

1871-11-01 Prince of Wales Opera House, Auckland, 24 nights^[9]
A flattering review of the first Saturday night's performance ^[10]

1871-12-15,16,17 Wellington^[11]

1971-12-19 12 nights, Christchurch^[12]

1871-12-22 Single concert, Wellington^[13]

1871-12-23 3 nights Oddfellows Hall^[14]

1871-12-30 to 1872-01-17 season at Canterbury Music Hall, Christchurch^[15][16][17]

1872-01-19 (Friday season at Princess Theatre, Dunedin^[18]

1872-02-2&3 Princess Theatre Dunedin

1872-02-08 Last of 13 operas in 18 concerts in Dunedin. ^[19]

Cagli and Fred Smith (a 20 year old English employee) assaulted a newpaper proprtetor prior to leaving NZ, for an article written in bad taste about one of his company members^[20]

The company left N.Z. 11th Feb 1872^[21] arrived in Melbourne from N.Z. on the Rangitoto^[22] on 16 February 1872^[23]

1872-02-26 Commenced THEATRE ROYAL. Adelaide, 24 nights.^[24]

1872-05-15 42 night season to begin in Melbourne (three new members)^[25]

1872-10-18, 9am. The now Lyster and Cagli's Opera Troupe arrrived Auckland N.Z. on the Hero, from Melbourne^[26]

Wikipedia

Table Talk (Melbourne, Vic.) Thu 16 Sep 1926 Page 8
Prominent Personalities ALBERTO ZELMAN
ALBERTO ZELMAN:
A DISTINGUISHED MUSICIAN
Illustrated by L. F. REYNOLDS
THE musical history of Victoria is full of the name of Zelman. The family's association with this country began with the arrival here of the late Alberto Zelman, as conductor of Lyster's Opera Company. He was a musician of marked reputation who had been finely educated for his profession, and in every thing he undertook he revealed all the instincts of the artist. Most of those who recall him now remember him as a picturesque old figure frequently to be seen on the Block. He wore a soft black hat belonging to the fashion before last; a cigarette drooped eternally from the corner of his mouth: but though his whiskers were white and his back was bent, his eyes remained amazingly young.
This distinguished character had had a romantic origin. He was the son of a poet who had lived in Florence, and who, becoming involved in one of the radical political movements that swept across Europe in the early years of last century, fled to Trieste and changed his name. Zelman was the name he adopted to conceal his identity from prying Florentine agents. It made an Austrian of him, and, having a look of authenticity about it, it was never questioned, nor was its owner apparently ever disturbed. What his real name was, his grandson, the present Alberto Zelman has never discovered. All that can be said, however, is that his Christian name was Vittorio, and that he was a man of blood and circumstance.
(the rest of this article is about his sons, including Alberto junior)

Alberto Zelman senior had four, sons: Alberto, Ernesto, Alfredo, and Vittorio. The last mentioned better known as Victor Zelman, is the landscape painter whose pictures have won a good deal of recognition among discerning critics, Alfredo has gone into business, and Ernesto originally intended for a musical career, is now living at Hepburn. Only Alberto has followed in the footsteps of his parent and is working assiduously to keep the family reputation green. It is not generally known, by the way, that he was first ordered to exercise his small fingers on a piano. This was his father's wish. How he deserted the piano for the violin provides another interesting story. During, his travels his father had become acquainted with an old musician in Dunedin. He was a man of considerable culture and his attraction for the elder Alberto lay in his erudition and his wide musical sympathies. He was greatly interested in the juvenile Alberto, who was then ploughing through the five finger exercises like a young Paderewski possessed. The savant told the parent bluntly that the boy ought to be dedicated, to the violin; the father just as bluntly replied that the piano was his natural means of expression, and the upshot was a disagreement with the elder Zelman ultimately capitulating to the persuasive eloquence of the other. So Alberto junior became a violinist, and was presented by the Dunedin musician with a small and highly finished violin which is now one of his most valued possessions. It was Roberto Bimi, viola player in Lyster's orchestra, who took the junior Alberto in hand. He was a good teacher whose efforts were doubled by the responsiveness of the boy. Then the prominent Melbourne teacher, Henry Curtis started to erect the structure of sound scholarship on Bimi's excellent foundation. Curtis was patient as well as profound. His forbearance when young Zelman sometimes neglected practice for play revealed him as a man of unusual judgment. He saw the boy's talent, and he concentrated all his energies on bringing that talent to the bloom. Alberto Zelman owes much to Henry Curtis, and his gratitude is made apparent by the glow that comes into his voice whenever he alludes to the older man. Concurrently Alberto speaks modestly of himself, his opinion of his own technical equipment being almost preposterously below that of his admirers outside. He was ever a humble musician, untouched by pique or meaner passions, thankful enough for the health and mentality to realise his own musical ideals. He is by birth and temperament an idealist, much more concerned about the quality of a symphony than any of the current processes of making money. If by some marvel of fortune he were to receive £100,000 tomorrow, he would not be greatly perturbed. Quite possibly he would plan to spend the most of it on a Conservatorium and scholarships, retaining just enough to provide him with bread and butter. Alberto Zelman would do anything for music. He has always been greatly interested in orchestral music. An inherited love for the orchestra became deepened to a passion when he joined the school orchestra at King's College, Fitzroy in his boyhood, and later on he found a place in the band of the Melbourne Philharmonic. Touching the latter, he must now be one of its oldest living members. He has been associated with it for 37 years. He became its conductor in 1912, and such is the popularity of its efforts under his baton that it has been compelled to abandon its old routine programme of four performances a year. Now it is not uncommon to give extra performances to meet the demand for Philharmonic evenings in Melbourne. His ability as a conductor is widely recognised. Over twenty years ago he was in charge of the Hawthorn OrchestraI Society, and also directed the activities of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. In quartette work he has been equally industrious. Now in the middle years and with fine records as a teacher of the violin at both Conservatoriums as well as privately he might feel that he has done his bit for music. But he is by no means satisfied. These restless aestheticians never are. They go on and upward, driven by emotions that the ordinary man never feels and often, openly derides, and yet leave behind them a repute that is a pattern for their kind. Such a one is Alberto Zelman.
^[27]

Five months before his death he performed at his artist son's wedding in Hepburn.
The “Wedding March” was played by the master hand of Signor Zelman, sen. ^[28]

The Australasian (Melbourne, Vic.) Sat 4 Jan 1908 Page 34
SIGNOR ALBERTO ZELMAN.
By the death of Signor Alberto Zelman, sen., which took place on December 28, at his residence, Albert-street, Auburn, the musical world of Melbourne loses one of its best-known figures. His genial, kindly personality will be missed by a wide circle of friends, and particularly by the members of the profession, in which he was held in such high esteem. Born at Trieste, Austria, in 1832, Signor Zelman studied composition under Lugi Ricci. He came to Melbourne as conductor of Lyster and Cagli's Opera Company, and soon won a reputation as a teacher of music and singing. Chosen as pianist for the Melbourne Liedertafel, on the death of Mr. Siede, Signor Zelman succeeded to the position of conductor. In collaboration with Mr. Siede, he organised the chorus and orchestra for the Melbourne Exhibition, and, in Mr. Cowen's absence, acted as its conductor. There were few more familiar figures at the V.R.C. meetings than the late Signor Zelman, for as conductor of the Australian Military Band he attended the Flemington gatherings for nearly a quarter of a century. For many years he conducted the Turn Verein Liedertafel, and was also organist and choirmaster at St. Ignatius' Church.^[29]

SIGNOR ALBERTO ZELMAN.
Died December 28, aged 75.
(T. Humphrey and Co., photo.)

Information supplied by Alixe Hibbert, 1980: "Zelman became lift operator in Allan's Music Shop in Collins St. in his old age, as Olive Thornton discovered in the 1940's or 50's when she was on a visit to Melbourne. Allan's buildings consisted of studios upstairs, and music for sale downstairs.^[30]

Sources

1. ↑ VIC BDM Marriages
   Family name: HODGKINSON
   Given name(s): Harriott Eliza
   Event: marriages
   Mother's name / Spouse's name: ZELMAN, Albert
   Reg. year: 1873
   Reg. number: 4948/1873
2. ↑ https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/EEE28ED7-F1CF-11E9-AE98-FF35965702A8?image=2
3. ↑ Australian Dictionary of Biography https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/zelman-alberto-4910
4. ↑ The Age (Melbourne, Vic.) Sat 2 Mar 1940 Page 14 Alberto Zelman https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/204428155
5. ↑ https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/5841840
6. ↑ The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954) Mon 23 Jan 1871 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/203014322/18286765
7. ↑ The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW ) Thu 31 Aug 1871 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/13244144
8. ↑ The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954) Tue 17 Oct 1871 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/13246637
9. ↑ New Zealand Herald, Volume VIII, Issue 2421, 28 October 1871, Page 1 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH18711028.2.2.6
10. ↑ Auckland Star, Volume II, Issue 569, 6 November 1871, Page 2 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS18711106.2.14
11. ↑ https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH18711209.2.
12. ↑ https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/LT18711212.2.23.
13. ↑ https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP18711201.2.19.2
14. ↑ https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP18711223.2.19.1
15. ↑ https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP18711229.2.2.3
16. ↑ https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/LT18720101.2.12
17. ↑ https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP18720116.2.2.2
18. ↑ https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT18720118.2.2.7
19. ↑ https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ESD18720201.2.19.1
20. ↑ https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT18720217.2.4
21. ↑ https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/4A092CCA-F96C-11E9-AE98-EF1132DDCA24?image=35
22. ↑ PROV (Victoria Public Records Office) https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/4A092CCA-F96C-11E9-AE98-EF1132DDCA24?image=37
23. ↑ https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/zelman-alberto-4910 The Australian Dictionary of Biography
24. ↑ The Express and Telegraph (Adelaide, SA ) Mon 26 Feb 1872 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/208374448
25. ↑ https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ESD18720513.2.6
26. ↑ https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS18721118.2.3.9
27. ↑ Table Talk (Melbourne, Vic.) Thu 16 Sep 1926 Page 8
    Prominent Personalities ALBERTO ZELMAN https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/146575014
28. ↑ The Ballarat Star (Vic.) Sat 13 Jul 1907 Page 2 WEDDINGS.https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/211065154
29. ↑ The Australasian (Melbourne, Vic.) Sat 4 Jan 1908 Page 34 SIGNOR ALBERTO ZELMAN. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/139207115
30. ↑ Ailsa Arnold, note written on H. B. Watmuff's letter concerning Watmuff family history