French Opera Bouffe: Le Petit Faust

“He [Fisk] has engaged a third prima donna, Mlle. Persini, who, to judge from the genuine success she made at the last Sunday concert at this establishment, will throw both Silly and Montaland entirely in the shade.”

“‘Petit Faust,’ or, as the boys have it, ‘Peter Foster,’ was the opera and bouffe at this establishment last evening, and the first appearance of the pretty, petit Elise Persini as the ridiculous Marguerite, was the special attraction. And she made a hit, and a good hit, for she is a nice, delicate, graceful, fascinating little body on the stage and a sprightly, coquettish actress, and she sings like a lark rising from the high grass on a lovely morning in June. She sings, moreover, with the spirit and the understanding—that is with the spirit of the music, and with the understanding that she is to make it lively. She quite captivated the house, and the gallantry of the house quite captivated her, for she smiled most graciously every time and seemed to enjoy her encores with the zest of a Parisian favorite bent upon conquest and living on admiration. What cares she, or any of this Parisian troupe, for the applause of Napoleon when they have the enthusiastic applause of the sovereign people of the chief city of the great republic? Moreover Persini, by her spirited and captivating singing and acting, not only thoroughly inspired the enthusiasm of the house, but she infused something of the same enthusiasm into the whole performance and in all its parts. She is a good card to the management, as is also Montaland, who reappears in the ‘Grand Duchess’ this evening.”

“Last evening ‘Le Petit Faust’ was presented at the Grand Opera House with a new prima donna, Mlle. Elise Persini, in the rôle of Marguerite. She is young, pretty, graceful and ladylike, and has a voice which, though not very powerful, is fresh and clear. Her opening song was well executed, and a prompt encore was evidence that she had at once gained favor with the audience. The duet with Faust in the second act was sung with a crisp naïveté which cause it to be redemanded. A word of praise is due to Mlle. Silly for her sparkling rendering of the Tyrolienne in the same act. Mlle. Persini is a decided acquisition to the company, and will no doubt become popular.”

“The part of Marguerite, in ‘Le Petit Faust,’ was essayed, on Monday, by an artist new, until then, to local audiences. Mlle. Persini, who comes, we believe, from Ems, whether she had gone from the Athenée Theatre in Paris, is young, intelligent, and gifted with a light soprano voice, which she uses with the ease and certainty of an accomplished vocalist. The Grand Opera-house has not been fortunate in respect of singers, and the addition to the company of a lady whose vocal resources are by no means limited, and who is evidently equal to much greater efforts than grew out of the demands of her part, Monday, is a fit theme for congratulation. Mlle. Persini not only gave its full value to the music she interpreted, but acted the part with spirit and grace.”

“Mlle. Elise Persini, prima donna soprano, made her debut in opera bouffe at the Grand Opera House on Monday evening, Oct. 31st, in the character of Marguerite in ‘Le Petit Faust,’ which she sang and acted with commendable taste and spirit. This lady is the third prima donna who has sung this character since the commencement of the operatic season, and we think the most successfully. She is petite in figure, has an intellectual, expressive countenance, and her acting is impregnated with a high degree of mercuriality. Her voice is powerful, and possesses the charm of freshness in a greater degree than either of the other prima donnas of the troupe. Having already commented upon the balance of the cast, we have nothing to add save that Lea Silly appears to better advantage in Mephisto than in any character she has yet enacted.”

[Dates of other performances].

“The political excitement has interfered with the attendance here during the past week.”