French Opera Bouffe: Le Petit Faust

Roster; opening opera.

Arrival in New York yesterday of Max Maretzek and the opera bouffe troupe he recruited in Europe; leading artists.

Includes names of members of the company. 

Includes names of members of the troupe.

Ad occupies an entire column; includes complete cast and scene listings.

Lists Carlo Patti as orchestra conductor.

“The revival of opera bouffe at this establishment last evening attracted about as large an audience as the building could well contain. Prepared for a brilliant display by a good deal of trumpeting, the public of course, ever ready for novelty, in whatever shape, crowded the Opera House to an extent more than was comfortable. “Le Petit Faust,’ Hervé’s great effort, was produced. In an artistic point of view the music is infinitely superior to even Offenbach’s best, and its performance last night created quite a delightful impression. In some portions there is a most ingenious imitation of Gounod’s instrumentation. The garden scene was particularly good. The waltz of the nations is there introduced, and almost excelled anything of the kind yet offered of its character. The ‘Carnival of Venice’ is beautifully interwoven, and the effect upon the audience was shown in the spontaneous and well-merited round of approbation which it received. Throughout the production abounds in charming morceaux, exquisite duets and a few splendid choruses, more especially in the first act, which is superb. There is a most appropriate vein of humor running through the selections, which is perfectly enchanting, and the success which has attended ‘Le Petit Faust’ is alone due to Hervé himself. This burlesque is fair, but as for the moral conveyed it would be much better were the sentiments expressed in some language unknown to the present generation. Of the artists there is much to be said—more, perhaps, than many of them would like to hear. A word to the wise is occasionally sufficient. In the opening scene a schoolroom is represented, the pupils being supposed to being gamboling about. Faust (M. M. Gausins), with ‘Et pour me braver quel moment,’ and after a dialogue with Siebel, Valentine (M. M. Hittemans) enters, followed by his regiment, singing the fine chorus ‘Vallant Guerriers,’ which was deservedly encored. Marguerite (Mlle. Montaland) is introduced with the air ‘Fleur de Candem.’ The judicious scene which ensues between Faust and Marguerite was not particularly noteworthy. Mephistophles (Mme. Silly) comes in with the fine rondeau ‘Je suis Mephisto,’ and the act terminates with an excellent chorus, ‘Vive l’Amour.’ The feature of the second was ‘La Valse des Nations,’ in which Mlle. Silly distinguished herself, as did also Mlle. Montaland in the song ‘Place a la Voyageuse.’ But it is unnecessary to go through details. None of the artists were very brilliant. Indeed, not a few were disappointed in the quality of the leading voices. Hittemans made a capital Valentin, while Faust had a fair representation in M. Gausins, who is an excellent comedian, with a fair tenor voice. King Clothair was personated by M. Anthony, and he made the best of it. In the several selections allotted to Faust Mlle. Silly sang with much taste, but she failed more or less to develop those admirable points in acting for which the piece affords full scope. Mlle. Montaland is decidedly good looking, but would add considerably to her charms if she were a little more careful and judicious when exhibiting those wonderful twirls which some people wrongfully consider are inseparable from opera bouffe. Vulgarity must never be confounded with art. Again, the introduction of the ballet in the second act was perhaps appropriate, but the prolongation of meaningless terpsichorean attempts quite wearied the audience. It rendered the production uselessly long, and the curtailment of the ballet scene should be attended to. Altogether ‘Le Petit Faust,’ with the exceptions mentioned, passed off to the evident gratification of the assemblage.”

“The music of Hervé’s opera ‘Le Petit Faust’ has been made tolerably familiar to our public by imperfect travesties at the minstrel halls, by the selections played by orchestras and brass bands, and by the English version now running at the Olympic Theatre. The few salient and pretty melodies are therefore well known, and, when sung by the new opera bouffe singers last night at the Grand Opera House, were quickly recognized and appreciated. There were several encores, the burlesque German duet and trio, and the concerted piece in the second act winning the greatest applause. There were flowers in the most extravagant profusion, most of them brought from under the stage to the orchestra, and passed over the footlights by the leader with the most complacent calmness. But, or course, nobody any longer believes that the floral offerings on such an occasion are the genuine tributes of admiring auditors.

“The piece is put upon the stage on the most elaborate scale of spectacular display. The ballet is unusually brilliant and showy. The large corps of dancers does not include any notable artiste in the terpsichorean line, but the effect of the ensembles is generally pleasing and brilliant. The display concludes with a very striking torch dance, which has for its only drawback the suggestion of possible danger.

“The singers in the new opera bouffe company are scarcely up to the mark of those who have preceded them. Madame Montaland is plump and pretty, and dresses with reckless gorgeousness. Her voice is thin and trivial, but with the art of French women she hides its defects by an incessant play of piquant motion and by those little trickeries which always please an audience. As Marguerite she has in this burlesque a part startling for its pruriency and its immodest suggestions; and for a thorough representation of these qualities she seems to possess every qualification. Bashful diffidence is not a characteristic of this new prima donna. Her companion, Mlle. Silly, has a voice of more power and a decidedly imposing stage presence. Her Mephisto was a rather pleasing performance, and not open to the objections which may be urged against that of Marguerite.

“In the tenor, M. Gausins, we have a singer whose voice reminds us of that of M. Carrier, but who does not possess the humorous powers of the latter. His Faust was therefore an effort rather than an achievement. M. Hittemans, the low comedian, is certainly very droll, and afforded the chief amusement of the evening, especially when he appeared in a yellow fiacre drawn by a horse of the marvelously attenuated form and [illegible]. M. Anthony as King Clothair appeared in only one scene, but in it showed that he possessed the best voice in the troupe.

“When ‘Traviata’ was first sung in this country the plot of the opera was loudly condemned. As regards the different Offenbach operas produced in this city the vulgarity of the incidents at first shocked the moral sense of the community, but were finally accepted. By this previous schooling our audiences have been led to ‘Le Petit Faust,’ which in language and action is the most absolutely indecent thing ever seen upon our stage. There were last night a few hisses at its most glaring improprieties, but they will probably be accepted to-night, as the vagaries of the Offenbach operas have been.

“Offenbach, however, besides a marked skill in producing caricature in music, had the gift of melody. Hervé is but sparingly gifted in these points. His ‘Petit Faust’ has but scarce half a dozen numbers which are so fresh and melodious as to be recalled with pleasure. The instrumentation throughout is thin; and the music is on a par with the libretto, which is always trying to be funny, and but seldom succeeding in the effort. Splendor of stage display, however, atones for many deficiencies, and this, with the natural curiosity to hear the new singers, of whom so much has been said, will suffice to crowd the house for many a night. The audience last evening was perhaps the largest ever assembled in the Grand Opera House; and though owing to unnecessary and tedious waits between the acts, the performance did not close till midnight, the majority of the vast audience remained till the close.”

“We take it for granted that the public generally has pretty well made up its mind as to the relation that opera bouffe bears to morality. By it and similar devices Louis Napoleon, the French Mephistophiles, was wont to amuse his people, and to make Paris that head-centre of dissoluteness, and this and kindred entertainments will help our own city to the same position. No reasonable man can doubt its pernicious effects. But the public are not perhaps so much concerned about the moralities as about the facts. The question that is asked of the journalist is not, what the tendencies of this kind of entertainment? but, are the women pretty? do they sing well? is the music brilliant? is the play interesting? are there any good actors?   are there plenty of indelicacies and double-entendres? is there a bountiful display of feminine charms? is there a large audience? is the piece handsomely mounted? is it likely to succeed? and finally, how about the ballet? Supposing these to be the questions likely to be asked, we proceed to answer them briefly:

“These are beautiful women. Montaland is twenty times prettier than any woman who has appeared in opera bouffe, and a hundred times prettier than her portraits.

“They do not sing well any of the time. Mlle. Silly is the best in this respect. They have, all of them, pleasant and well-trained voices, but they are not singers—none, for instance, to compare with Irma even.

“The music is good, but not brilliant. Herve is a man of talent, but he lacks the sparkle of Offenbach. His imitations and suggestions of Gounod are very well contrived.

“The play is interesting—it is a broad caricature on Gounod’s ‘Faust,’ exceedingly well carried out with real French wit.

“The actors are excellent, especially M. Gausins (Faust), M. Hittemans (Valentine), and Mlle. Montaland (Marguerite).

“There are plenty of innuendos—in fact, a stream of delicacy runs through the piece, deep enough to drown the modesty of a first-class boarding school. In this respect the present opera is by no means exceptional.

“The feminine charms are sufficiently dwelt upon, though they are not made as emphatic a feature as in the Black Crook and some other spectacles that we have had.

“The opera was sumptuously mounted, and the audience was as large as the house could contain. The [illegible], we should say will turn out to be a [illegible]. Mlle. Montaland is pretty enough and [illegible] enough to make the fortune of a much [illegible] entertainment.” [Left portion of final paragraph in the “NYS Historic Newspapers” database is illegible.]

“Opera bouffe, with all its glory of elegance and coarseness, of melody and ribald humor, has again burst upon the town, and in a shape entirely worthy of its merits and traditions. ‘Le Petit Faust,’ the third work of the composer so far heard here, and in some respects the best, was listened to last night, at the Grand Opera-house, by a house literally crowded to overflowing. The opera was well sung, well acted, well placed upon the stage, and, as might have been expected, was hailed with thunders of applause. The music is in parts exceedingly vigorous, crisp and original. It is never deficient in sparkle, and in some numbers has no little fascination. We have little doubt therefore that its salient airs will become as popular as the most taking themes of scores of the same class made familiar here before. It bids fair, too, to be equally attractive. There is much clever acting in the piece as witnessed last night; and while the singing must be pronounced rather uneven in some passages, it will compare on the whole favorably enough with that of leading artists in opera bouffe already known here.

“Mlle. Lea Silly, the Mephisto, is an artist of striking ability. She has a lively imagination, uncommonly picturesque action, a voice somewhat worn but capable of giving ample effect to the music assigned her, and a figure remarkably imposing and effective. There can be no question of Mlle. Silly’s talent, or that it will win her in New-York a full meed of approbation. Mlle. Celine Montaland, the Marguerite, has many personal charms, a pleasing and flexible light soprano organ, and a dash and sense of humor, well calculated to make the most of Gretchen’s abundant opportunities. M. Hittemans is a thoroughly sterling artist in his way, with a vis comica that gained speedy recognition, and he apparently makes all that can be made out of Valentin. M. Gausins, the tenor, has an agreeable presence and bearing, plenty of zeal and gayety, and vocal resources equal to the occasion. M. Antony, (King Clothaire,) possesses a sonorous baritone and fairly sang the notes set down for him. The minor characters were acceptably performed, the ballet, chorus and orchestra all unequivocally good, and the scenes, especially in the last act—the concluding picture of which is a perfect blaze of voluptuous splendor—uncommonly beautiful. No lack of appreciation on the part of the audience rewarded all these excellencies. They were, as we have said, greeted with tumultuous plaudits, and the floral gifts showered at the feet of the heroines of the hour were colossal in size and sumptuous in profusion.

“It is hardly necessary to say that ‘Le Petit Faust’ is rich in coarseness and overrunning at intervals in prurient equivoque. Such of this as seemed best understood appeared to be highly relished by the audience. When a vast crowd fills a theatre like the Grand Opera-house and goes into ecstasies of enjoyment over things that nice ears and delicate minds are accustomed to condemn, there is perhaps no use, at this time and place, in launching anathemas at the performance. ‘The drama’s laws the drama’s patrons give,’ and if the public chooses to part with its money more freely to sustain this class of amusement than another, it is unlikely to be diverted from its mood save by those excesses which in time cure all similar evils and bring them to unlovely ends.

[Long paragraph on a cartoon in Punch and Paris morals]

“There are many features then in ‘La Petit Faust’ that are really artistically fine. The libretto is here and there smartly written, and the climaxes are worked up with not only consummate musical art, but with histrionic adroitness deserving of free acknowledgement. Some bits of acting, too, are notably good. Mephisto’s going to sleep in the too-seductive ballet is a stroke of art quite worthy of his nature. The devil’s work is done quite well enough at such a moment to spare him all need of trouble. Faust, who is resolutely determined to

“****”change in a trice

“The lilies of languors of virtue

“For the raptures and roses of vice,

“Requires at that juncture no diabolical aid or counsel. Other points in the representation merit encomiums, as we have suggested, in the artistic sense, little as may be said of the drama as whole in the moral sense.

“In a word, although we cannot altogether approve of opera bouffe as it is—distinguishing between what it is and what it might be—we are quite ready to admit that ‘Le Petit Faust,’ as seen at the Grand Opera-house, is a very amusing, very showy and indeed very splendid entertainment. There is a great deal of glitter about it, and not much more than a usual amount of dirt. People, undeniably clever in their way, do many things in it to make us laugh and to make us wonder. Other performances we should certainly recommend, on the score of moral utility. At the same time we cannot deny that a didactic opera bouffe would be likely to be but a dull affair. There are ways in which the bad influence of such plays can be avoided, one of which is by staying away from the theatre. Yet the public appreciation of this fact is shown by crowding the theatres where opera bouffe is to be seen as they seldom crowd any others. Under these circumstances we see at the moment no better course than to report as faithfully as we may on the dramatic qualities of each work as represented, leaving its moral aspects, in a general way, to the individual feelings, tastes and opinions which regulate individual action.”

“Mr. James Fisk, jr., opened the Erie Opera House last night with the new opera-bouffe company over whose importation so many blows have been expended and so many cards inflicted upon the public. Probably few persons supposed that a style of amusement which was so unfortunate last year could be revived with any profit to the manager, and we are not at all sure that Mr. Fisk himself expected to derive any other benefit from his adventure than the enjoyment of lively occupation and the charms of agreeable society. A dense struggling crowd, however, besieged the doors last night, and filled the theatre to an uncomfortable point of tightness. An unusually large proportion of the audience consisted of men, and in the upper gallery there seemed to be not a few who had anticipated as a part of the entertainment some sort of personal encounter between Mr. Fisk and Mr. Maretzek, and manifested by occasional hissing and other demonstrations a readiness to take part in any fighting with which the fates might favor them. Up to the time of our departure, however, there was no appearance of any actual disorder.

“A conscientious critic is expected to bestow praise wherever he honestly can, and therefore we begin our remarks upon the performance by saying that the ‘Little Faust’ is put upon the stage with that superb contempt for expense which characterizes most of the theatrical ventures of the Erie Railroad Company, and that it contains one or two scenes which are decidedly funny. It is a travesty upon Gounod’s ‘Faust,’ both in the plot and the music, burlesqueing the libretto, and stealing faint suggestions of the leading airs and musical situations. Thus a Soldiers’ Chorus is introduced, and as the warriors file upon the stage, whispers of ‘the 9^th Regiment’ fly about the house, while Mr. Hittemans, who leads them in the character of Valentin, copies the commander of the gallant organization with an extravagant fidelity which we fear Col. Fisk in his stage-box did not fully appreciate. The duel with Faust and death of Valentin are also very comical. But here we must stop. As a whole, the opera is dull. The librettists, MM. Crémieux and Jaimé, knew no better way to turn the original into ridicule than to defile it with unmentionable jokes, and stuff it full of filthy conceits such as could enter into the head of no one but a Frenchman besotted with the poison of absinthe and the fumes of the Jardin Mabille. Fortunately, we are not yet educated to a taste for game of such very high flavor, and upon the greater part of the audience, foreign as it was in its general appearance, the fun fell very flat indeed. The music has hardly a redeeming quality. Not only is it worthless, but it is not even lively. It keeps just close enough to Gounod to suggest comparison and provoke impatience; we found in it not one happy conceit, not one air which tickles the popular ear, not a good chorus, and not an effective finale. After the second act (in the course of which there is a ballet of fearful length) hundreds of people, including a large minority of the women, left the theater.

“The troupe which makes its American debut in this very stupid work is inferior to the French companies imported in former years by Bateman and Grau, though it contains some good material. Mlle. Celine Montaland (Marguerite,) to whom the manager chiefly trusts his fortunes, is a handsome, sensuous woman, with a great deal of vivacity and a genius for vulgarity at which Tostée might stand abashed. Of humor, apart from dirt, she showed no trace; but she seemed to afford a vast amount of pleasure to some of the men in the audience. Mlle. Lea Silly, the other prima donna was apparently content to exhibit her fine physical development in the accommodating garb of Mephisto. Whatever ability she may possess as an actress has yet to be shown. M. Gausins (Faust) has an unpleasant nasal tenor, and a face which does not readily lend itself to dramatic expression. Not being naturally funny, he is always oppressed by his part, and the result is melancholy and at time exasperating. M. Hittemans, however, has real comic talent, and is the only funny person in the company, except a live skeleton-horse which is introduced with a fiacre. None of the troupe can sing.

“We have used some pretty plain language in times past with reference to certain performances at the French Theater, but we have no heart to speak of the ‘Petit Faust’ in the terms which we think it deserves. We may say, however, that the credit belongs to Mr. Fisk of introducing a play more indecent and a prima-donna more revolting than any previously offered to the public of New-York; and when we add that the nastiness is not relieved by anything pretty, or amusing, or witty, that it is not accompanied by even tolerably good music, that it stands out in fact in all its stark deformity, we have perhaps said all that the class of people who read our paper will care to hear.” [Reprinted DJM 10/08/70, p. 328]

“The Grand Opera House, which should be one of the foremost in this revival, has inaugurated a season of opera bouffe which for vulgarity, indecency and demoralization exceeds even the pranks of the blonde burlesquers. We regret this exceedingly, as opera bouffe, properly conducted, may be made an enjoyable and lucrative business, as Bateman proved in his first season in this city. The music of ‘Le Petit Faust,’ when given in its entirety, is charming, but when it is mutilated and superseded by words and actions reprehensible to the highest degree the American public will very soon teach the management that they will not tolerate such an insult.”

“Opera bouffe again flourishes in our midst under the protection of the affable Admirable-Colonel-Prince-of-Erie-Woodbine-Twineth James Fisk, Jr., at the Grand Opera House. Nothing daunted at the pecuniary failures of Bateman and Grau, some months since an agent was despatched by Mr. Fisk to Paris with carte blanche to engage the most artistic and beautiful, particularly the latter, Opera Bouffers that could be induced to sail for these shores. In the meantime public curiosity had been kept alive by attractive circulars and readable paragraphs in the newspapers referring to the artists said to be engaged. At length the troupe arrived, lithographs and photographs of the principal artists flooded the shop windows and rumors of their beauty filled the city. The prima donnas were sumptuously feasted by genial Jim, and a chosen few were permitted to feast their eyes upon these magnates of the lyric stage in the drawing room. At length the opening night arrived, Monday, Sept. 26^th, and long ere the rise of the curtain every seat and available space of standing room was fully occupied; even that portion of the grand staircase commanding a view of the stage was blockaded. Numbers paced the spacious lobbies endeavoring here and there to catch a glimpse of the artists. We doubt if ever before so many people had gathered within the walls of this beautiful theatre. The opera ‘Le Petite Faust’ was given with the cast published in our last issue. It is a travestie upon the Italian opera of ‘Faust,’ and closely follows its actions and incidents. It was magnificently placed upon the stage, no expense being spared as regards scenery, costumes or appointments. Since the initial performance the opera has been considerably curtailed and many objectionable features expurgated. Mlle. Montaland has a very beautiful face, a figure inclined to embonpoint, and a light soprano voice. She possesses a keen sense of humor, and sang and acted the character of Marguerite charmingly. She is decidedly more attractive than any of the artists who have hitherto appeared here in opera bouffe. Mlle. Lea Silly, who personated Mephisto, is an artist of ability; her action is picturesque, her figure good and her voice, although it gives slight evidence of being hard worked, is still effective, and she sings the music assigned her with skill and judgment and is nightly encored several times during the performance. M. Hittemans, who acted Valentine, is a thorough artist, who possesses great comic powers, which secured a speedy recognition from the audience. His death scene was very ludicrous. M. Gausins, the tenor, acted and sang Faust well. He has a good presence and will undoubtedly become a favorite. The chorus, both as regards numbers and singing, was good. A ballet with Albertina, Lupo and Gaugin as principals, and a full corps de ballet, executed a number of effective dances in the second act. As a whole the performance is a success, and during the week, save on one stormy night, the auditorium has been completely filled.”