French Opera Bouffe: Barbe-bleue

“The appearance of Mlle. Silly as Boulotte in ‘Barbe Bleue’ at the Grand Opera House last night, was entirely successful. Her interpretation of the part differs enough from that of her predecessors, Irma and Aimée, to possess a certain degree of originality. She gives the scenes of awkward gaucherie with spirit and with a delightful clumsiness that is most amusing. Throughout the opera she was warmly applauded.”

“On Wednesday Offenbach’s ‘Barbe Bleue’ was successfully brought out again, Mlle. Lea Silly making her first appearance as Boulotte. Mlle. Silly availed herself fully of the fresh opportunity to evince her great versatility of talent both as singer and as actress. She retained beneath the white robes of the rostere and the bridal splendor of her presentation as Barbe Bleue’s sixth wife, at the court of King Bobeche all the exuberant fun and the brusque manners of the peasant girl Boulotte. In the closing and amusing scene of the second act she imparted something of her own animation to all who surrounded her, and she was twice encored when she sang

Pourquoi partir!

Je commencais a m’divertir

Throughout the entire piece her personation of Boulotte was such as to satisfy and delight the most fervent admirers of her predecessors in this entertaining rôle. Mlle. Suzanne Thal made a burlesquely royal Queen Clementine and Mlle. Hache a pretty Princesse Hermia. Mr. Duchesne was droll enough as King Bobeche, especially when he acted as master of ceremonies at his own court, in the capital scene whicn satirized courtly etiquette. Mr. Girrebeuck sang correctly, of course, as Barbe Bleue, but his voice and method are more suitable for opera comique than for opera bouffe. It would be impossible for any artist to make a New York audience forget M. Aujac’s Barbe Bleue. M. Hittemans (Count Oscar) is one of the few of the present company who possess music of the real vis comica. M. Varlet played the part of Popolani and M. Valter that of Prince Saphir. On the whole the success of ‘La Perichole’ could not have been more agreeably interrupted than it was by that of Mlle. Silly as Boulotte in ‘Barbe Bleue.”

“’Barbe Bleue’ is one of the two or three of Offenbach’s operas which leave the pleasantest memory in the mind of the hearer. The music is particularly well orchestrated, and is throughout sparkling and melodious. Of the opera, or of the singing of it at the representation of Wednesday evening, there is nothing specially to be said. Mlle. Silly is inadequate to the requirements of the opera in this respect; but if she does not sing well, she does with spirit, and her acting in the character of the peasant girl turned fine lady was curiously good. There is, running through all the best impersonations of this clever actress, a vein of broad humor, and something which certainly borders on imagination—a feeling of hidden force and fitful fire—which makes her delineation interesting to the dramatic taste, quite apart from any merit as music. Her acting in the court scene, where she energetically hugs her former friend and idol, the young peasant, now the Count, and finally drags him with her off the stage [in] spite of all the opposition of the enraged Bluebeard, was as vigorous and good a bit of low comedy as one is apt to see on the operatic boards.”

“Wednesday and Thursday evenings, ‘Barbe Bleue’ was performed, with Silly in the role of Boulotte, which afforded the audience an opportunity to compare her personation with that of Aimee and Irma. Her reception was enthusiastic and her performance was highly satisfactory, possessing all the vivacity which the character demands. It may be recorded that her performance was successful.”