French Opera Bouffe: La Périchole

“The first performance of ‘La Perichole’ drew together a very large audience at the Grand Opera House last evening.

 

Offenbach has given to this opera some of the most happy of his musical ideas. There is no doubting that he is occasionally very felicitous in the expression of bright and sparkling melodies. Of genius or inspiration he never had a spark, but he is a well-taught musician, with a fertile fancy and the ability to see the humorous point of a situation, and to give it the boldest and drollest musical setting. He knows the works of every other composer, and appreciates even Bach and Beethoven. Not only appreciates them, but, like a mischievous musical magpie, hops off with their ideas and sings them after his fashion to dance rhythm, so skillfully altered as scarcely to be recognized for what they really are.

 

The present opera gave Mlle. Aimee scope for the display of her vocal and dramatic talent, and this she used to such advantage as, at the end of the second act, to win for herself a genuine burst of applause, and an emphatic recall, that had its inspiration not in the claque, but in the general and hearty appreciation of the audience.

 

The opera has been admirably put upon the stage. The street scene in the first act—a plaza in the city of Lima—does the greatest credit to Mr. Dayton’s artistic taste and architectural skill.

 

‘La Perichole’ will be repeated during the remainder of the week, and both for its intrinsic merit and the general excellence of the performance, we commend it to all those who enjoy opera bouffe, for it certainly is one of the best operas of that class.” 

“The charming music of Offenbach’s ‘Perichole’ was listened to at the Grand Opera House last night by a large and delighted audience. There were applause and encores without stint, and the entire performance was so enjoyable a long and profitable run is ensured for this most fascinating of opera bouffes.

 

When Irma and Aujac sang in ‘La Perichole’ their admirers conceded that it was in this opera that they found their happiest successes. Aujac, the manly, handsome tenor, was superb as Piquillo. N. Gausins, who now takes the part at the Grand Opera House, cannot approach him as a singer; but he is a vivacious and skilled actor, and so pleasantly covers up his vocal deficiencies as to win deserved applause. His lack of voice was most noticeable in the taking air, ‘Les femmes il n’y a que ca,’ in which Aujac completely carried away his listeners; yet Gausins secured an encore for his rendering of the piece solely by his clever and amusing action.

 

Mlle. Aimée, the Perichole of the evening, did not give to the part that romantic [illegible] which Irma did; but she acted with so much skill and sang so pleasingly that she leaves no cause to regret her predecessor. In all her principal arias she was encored, having to repeat twice the Gipsy song and the closing duet with Piquillo. Aimée’s success in her new part was thorough, so complete, in fact, that she can well afford to omit the rather coarse touch of a can-can dance which is the only blemish in her performance.

 

The opera was otherwise well sung, the choruses being excellent. In the minor parts, Duchesne, Varlet and Walter did good service. The wit of the libretto is at times very weak, and there is at some points of the opera an intolerable deal of dialogue to a pennyworth of music. To the mass of the audience at the Grand Opera House, the opera would be far more interesting if the dialogue were cut down.”

“At Fisk’s Aimée appears in the ‘Perichole,’ and, of course, carries the house by storm. She is at all times irresistible by her beauty and grace; but, as Perichole, she gives us the beau ideal of the gamin de Paris, who makes the Quartier Latin reel with ecstasies of delight, and who gives us the idea of the enthusiasm Thérèse would create in the cafés chantans, if, in addition to her art, she had possessed Aimée’s sprightliness and esprit. She knows—most rare accomplishment—how to walk, too, on the stage and how to dress as only a woman can to the Paris manner born. No wonder she was the idol of the Variétés at Paris, as she now is of our jeunesse dorée here. In the simple but artistic garb of a ballad singer she looks ravissante and bewitching, and when she changes to a lady of the vice regal palace and her dress glows with the diamonds showered on her by impassioned South Americans at Rio Janeiro she looks she looks as fascinating and distingué as if born to that sphere.

 

The best thing Fisk can do now is to carry Offenbach himself away from Paris, where he has nothing to do, and to keep him in durance here until he has set Erie to music and set America wild by bringing out all our great national and subjects à la ‘Perichole.’ There is nothing impossible to Fisk. Until he has done this he will not have completed his destiny. But the ‘Perichole’ is a pleasant installment of the good times to come. The company is admirable. The Viceroy is extremely funny in the dinner scene, and Gaussin does remarkably well. The smallest parts are touched with a careful completeness which may well put to blush the art-degrading star system of the Anglo-American stage. It is shown in ‘Perichole’ that although Aimée never ceases for one moment to be the central point of radiation, the excellent character of the company enhances her admirable personification without in the least detracting from her the admiration of the audience. We trust it may be long before Mr. Fisk has occasion to travel with his summer clothes.”