Grau French Opera Bouffe: Geneviève de Brabant

Two advertisements on this page for this event.

The house is overflowing night after night.

The production of Genevieve is flawless and rich. The success of the opera can be ascribed to Grau much more than to the composer. There is no question that the audience is very pleased with the production, despite the fact that many don’t understand French.

“‘Genevieve de Brabant’ has so many of the elements of success that the prolonged favor with which it has been met since its introduction has been a matter of course. It is a brilliant spectacle; it has a humor of its own, and its melodies begin to be heard everywhere in the streets. Madame Rose Bell grows on the public by the repetition of her performances. It is not often that so good and well-cultured a voice is united with such refined histrionic power, while the oddities of Gabel are a constant source of amusement. The audiences have been of the most fashionable and respectable character from the outset.”

“Mr. Grau has made several improvements in Genevieve de Brabant, and notably in carting off much of the filth of the dialogue. The work may be considered now a success, and as being on a steady run of some possible duration. The music, as we have before had occasion to remark, is in Offenbach’s best vein, and its interpretation by Mr. Grau’s artists is excellent—albeit somewhat sober-sided for opera bouffe. The dresses are magnificent, and the scenery good. Mlle. Rose Belle sings and acts admirably; but Mlle. Desclauzes [sic] has not yet been seen or heard to advantage.”