Kelly and Leon’s Minstrels

“Our colored brethren at Kelly & Leon’s have brought out an amusing burlesque on one of Offenbach’s latest and brightest productions. ‘The Rose of Saint Flour.’ The only Leon is of course the Rose. Horticulturists have been for fifty years trying their best to produce a black rose, and here it is at Kelly & Leon’s.”

“Burlesque operas form just now the prevailing entertainment at the minstrel halls. They are often [funny?] and melodious, and when enacted with the genuine [illegible] which some of these minstrels possess, serve to afford a hearty laugh. A burlesque of the Nilsson concerts is just now the attraction at one of the Broadway minstrels halls. There is an immensely amusing man in the capacity of leader of the orchestra. A stalwart sable dame, with a boxing glove on one hand and a stocking on the other caricatures the affectations of the concert pianists of the day. The ‘O Leon’ gives an exaggerated picture of Nilsson, which is extremely amusing, without being as rude as the same performer’s uncivil travesty of Parepa.”

“The burlesque Nilsson concert at Kelly & Leon’s has made a decided hit, and since it was honored by a visit from the fair songstress herself and Mme. Seebach the hall is scarcely able to accommodate the number of ladies who flock to hear Leon in the mad scene from ‘Hamlet.’ ‘La Rose de Saint Fleur,’ a new opéra bouffe, has also met with flattering success.”

“…the present programme has hit the popular vein and full houses have been the rule during the past week; in fact, upon three evenings standing room only could be had. Mme. Seebach was present one evening during the week, and applauded Leon in his imitation of Nilsson.”