Bateman French Opera: La Belle Hélène

“French Theatre.—‘La Belle Hélène’ is evidently destined for a long run and a happy reign. Of all the heroic burlesques ever presented to an American audience this one, which reproduces the heroine and the heroes of the Trojan war in a French extravaganza set to German music, ‘takes the rag off the bush.’ The argument, however, being the sprightliest of French fun and folly, the characters being thoroughly of the modern French, though presented as ancient Greeks, and the music being a continuous, never failing and never flagging rattle and clatter, and sprightly and sparkling concerts and choruses, the oftener this really wonderful production is seen and heard the more heartily it is enjoyed. You just get far enough into its merits at the first sitting to discover that it is a very funny and a very lively bagatelle; and at the second you only begin to realize the gems of Offenbach; but at the third you begin to thoroughly understand and appreciate them. So said a knowing French amateur last evening. The Druids of ‘Norma’ marching upon the stage in a happy condition, singing ‘We won’t go home till morning,’ with Hamlet chanting ‘John Brown,’ and the witches of Macbeth all engaged in a sailor’s hornpipe, if done up neatly, would be doubtless very amusing; but this composition would be flat compared with the sparkling wit, fun and frolic and rattling and excellent music of ‘La Belle Hélène.’”

Reminder that La Belle Hélène is closing soon and of benefit for Bateman at the Academy of Music on Saturday.

“‘La Belle Hélène’ is played nightly to crowded audiences. It may be neither so good nor so popular as ‘La Grande Duchesse,’ but it certainly pleases.”