Article on French Opera Comique in New York

“Italian Opera has taken to wandering about the country, like the gypsies and the organ grinders. In New York it no longer has a local habitation. The Academy catacombs are still in ruins, and there seems to be no probability of their being rebuilt within a year, since the stockholders cannot agree upon any definite plan. We may have Italian concerts during the winter, with such excellent artists as Mazzoleni, whose voice is fully restored, and Brignoli, who has not yet lost his voice; but Italian Opera will be a matter of faith with our citizens until a new opera house, a new company and a new management make it a reality at some distant future date.

But the great natural law of compensation has provided us with an entertainment that will take the place of Italian Opera and be even more acceptable. Manager Juignet has engaged a company of admirable French artists and will inaugurate a season of French Opera Comique at the French theatre, on Fourteenth street, next Tuesday evening. The recent reforms in the drama at Paris, and especially the liberty of the theatres granted by the Emperor Napoleon, have enabled Monsieur Juignet to secure a better troupe of actors and vocalists than he has ever before imported. He has a beautiful theatre at his disposal, with new scenery and appointments. The light, charming operas of the French school are popular in all the rest of the world and cannot fail to be so here. Everything is in Monsieur Juignet’s favor, and it will be his own fault if his enterprise is not entirely successful.

There are many reasons why the French Opera Comique will prove more attractive than the Italian Opera ever was. Our citizens do not understand Italian, except when interpreted by such a transcendent genius as Ristori; but almost every lady and gentleman speaks or comprehends French. Few of the airs of the Italian Opera catch the popular ear. Young ladies may strain over them and barrel organs squeak them out; but nobody sings or whistles them for enjoyment. The lively melodies of the French operettas, on the other hand, will be literally in the mouths of all the people. The Italian Opera in its best days was never patronized by the masses; it was attended only by a certain select class, who went because they thought it the fashion. The French Opera will be both fashionable and popular. Everybody who likes to be amused, who admires fine acting, who appreciates good singing and who is fond of a hearty laugh will go to the French theatre, without waiting to know whether Madame Hautton approves of the performance or not. But so far as fashion is concerned, the subscribers for Manager Juignet’s season comprise the elite of the city, who will crowd the cosey [sic] private boxes while the music loving masses more than fill the parquet and dress circle. As a relief from the excitement of Ristori’s wonderful acting, the Opera Comique will be most welcome, and we have no doubt that after the inaugural season it will become a permanent institution of this metropolis.”