Tony Pastor’s Opera House

“To be all things to all men is an accomplishment that few possess; but Tony Pastor comes very near that in his medley of performances and various dishes in the way of entertainment which he serves up nightly to the public. He knows how to suit the taste of the people, and particularly that portion of it that dwell in and around the Bowery. Last night there was a new and most varied programme of Ethiopian minstrels, dancers and comic characters, sentimental comic and burlesque songs and duets by the irrepressible and demonstrative Tony himself and Miss Le Brun, besides some very fair ballet dancing and a number of burlesque and comic pieces, which made the Bowery boys squeal, whistle and thunder with applause. The performances terminated with a new local drama called ‘High Life and Low Life,’ which was very well done, and in which there were many good local hits to suit the class of New Yorkers that composed the audience. The house was crammed from top to bottom, which shows, as was said, that Tony knows how to cater for the public and that his new programme is a success.”

“It is whispered on the east side of town that ‘Tony,’ the popular Pastor of the opera house in the Bowery, has succeeded in capturing a bevy of six genuine blondes, each one of whom boasts of an abundant head of beautiful auburn hair. It is expected when they appear—which will be shortly—that the whole town will be fairly captivated and dazzled. We shall see.

Blondes hold possession of the boards at Niblo’s, Wood’s, Theatre Comique and the Waverley. Bryants and the San Francisco Minstrels have also introduced the light-haired beauties to their patrons, but with black faces. How cruel of Bryant, Birch, Bernard and Backus thus to burlesque the beautiful, blushing, British burlesquers.”