Bateman French Opera: La Grande Duchesse de Gérolstein French Benevolent Society Benefit

“Tonight’s benefit for the French Benevolent Society. . . . Mlle Tostée, the real Grand Duchess, MM. Guffroy, Duchesne, Lagriffoul, Monier, Leduc, Mlle de Felcourt, M. Bateman’s company . . . . The orchestra will be directed by M. Lefèvre. The Academy, shriveled up by this autumn’s productions, will be expanded. . . . Ballet will include Mlles Morlacchi, Blasina, Diani, Baretta . . . . ”

“The ‘Grand Duchess will to-night receive a grand ovation at the Academy of Music, where it will be performed with a novel attraction of a fine ballet corps, including the best dancer of the company lately performing at Banvard’s Opera House and several other well-known performers in this line.  The ‘Grand Duchess’ with Morlacchi as an additional inducement for attendance, ought to draw a crowded house, even in the Academy, and probably will.  The profits of entertainment will be contributed to the funds of a worthy charitable association, the French Benevolent Association.”

The DUCHESS at the French Opera House has been the longest running and financially most successful opera in United States history. The ensemble will tour the country starting in January. The opera Schöne Helena, which was discontinued due to lack of decency at the Stadttheater, will continue at the French Theater in March. Certainly this work is much more appropriate for the French culture.

“…overflowing and exceedingly fashionable house.”

THEATRES. – “As occurs every year, the performance for the French Benevolent Society was very brilliant. The Academy of Music overflowed with spectators, and there’s every reason to believe that the poor people will be gratified with the receipts.

“The Grande-Duchesse was played with a lot of spirit. Mlle Tostée has sometimes been in better voice, but she has never put more liveliness into the dialogue and her acting. M. Duchesne recited his verses of General Boum with unequalled fire,and M. Guffroy, the one among M. Bateman’s artists whom the climate has damaged the least, proved that his voice could fill the vessel of the Academy as well as that of the Théâtre Francais.

“In spite of our wish to bestow only praise, we couldn’t keep ourselves from giving advice to our company’s artists about the greatest dimension of their charge. We know very well that the audience, through its laughs, frequently absolves a bad stunt, but because it is a party to bad taste, is that a reason to keep doing it? We’ll specify some of these actions that it would be opportune to make disappear: in the first act, M. Guffroy feigns believing that he has lost a finger and looks for it on all sides. We agree that the audience bursts into laughter and encourages him. It’s no less than a caricature on stage. Baron Grog, who has some excellent moments, had some very unfortunate ones on Friday. The stunt of the man with a cold in his head who is incapable of speaking except in coughs and sneezes isn’t even worthy of a street-fair. It’s enough that Offenbach’s work, besides [having] so much ingenuity and witty words, reaches the greatest extremities of facetiousness and clowning, without making it deviate into buffoonery. It isn’t easy, doubtless, to maintain the appropriate boundaries, but it’s knowing the precise limits that can’t be exceeded that makes the true artists.

“M. Bateman, for this occasion, has generously augmented his chorus and orchestra, and brought infinite care to the good execution of La Grande-Duchesse. They should have called him back [for a bow] along with his artists, for he also benefited the Society and the audience; it was at once an occasion for the French spectators to demonstrate their warmth toward the director who has restored our French theater, which for a long time was believed to be ruined here.

“It’s notable, in addition, that the audience for these annual performances of the Society is comparatively of a glacial coldness. We have always witnessed the fact, without being able to explain it. Is it jaded indifference? Or rather that nobody dares to take the initiative to applaud vigorously? That’s what we would not know how to say, and what’s incomprehensible, since the same public, at other performances, often shows copiously clamoring enthusiasm.

“In 1865, the Society had negotiated with M. Maretzek for a performance of Crispino e la Comare. It went to great pains to decide upon Mlle Kellogg, that excellent singer that one appreciates so much since we’ve lost her, to perform for the French Society. Here’s the sole reason she gave: “I’ve already sung Fra Diavolo last year before an audience composed almost entirely of French people. I didn’t even receive ten bravos. That silence chilled me and took away all my powers.” Rovere, the great comic actor, who met with death after having played Crispino for the benefit of the Society, shared Miss Kellogg’s opinion. We don’t draw any inference from the preceding recollections: it comes solely in support of the fact that we’ve advanced. Let him explain it who wishes, or who can.

“Friday evening’s performance ended with the ballet and the passages that were announced. Mlles Morlacchi, Diani, Blasina, and Baretta have by turns charmed the public, and haven’t shocked anyone. When we say “shocked”, it’s because it appears that there happen to be some timorous people who opine that the Benevolent Society compromised itself in having the ballerinas dance at its benefit. Somebody whose name wasn’t given to us said to one of the trustees, regarding the ballet, “I don’t compliment you on having had this idea.” Not to offend this sullen censor, the idea was very fortunate, and satisfied everybody, except those modest people too sensitive to temptation to tolerate the sight of a few pairs of legs without sinning. Friday’s dances were as decent as they were graceful, and besides, the Society, character anonymous, isn’t obligated to borrow, at every moment, Tartuffe’s handkerchief, to cover the shoulders that it wouldn’t know how to look at. Indecency only exists in the thoughts of the one who sees a crime there, where nobody would dream of something bad without his outcry. These Puritans of chicken-hearted conscience, as much as it appears less sure of itself, deserve to be counted among the pious who lend money for a short time at high interest, the virtuous who have three lovers and twenty-two carat Magdalens.”