Aim�e Opera Bouffe: La Princesse de Tr�bizonde

“’La Princesse de Trebizonde,’ the new opera by Offenbach, which will shortly be produced at the Lyceum Theatre, has the merit of good music, champagne-like in character, and a clever libretto without a particle of indecency.” 

Cast listing. “For the first time in America.”

“The libretto of this opera is very amusing and singularly free from the objectionable element that constitutes the main portion of Vasseur’s work. It relates the ludicrous adventures of a troupe of mountebanks while on their travels through Europe. A wax figure belonging to their collection and representing a princess of Trebizonde is broken, and Zanetta, daughter of the chief of the mountebanks, takes its place, in order not to disappoint the public. A young prince falls in love with the supposed statue, and asks his father to purchase it for him. Meanwhile the mountebanks win a chateau in a lottery, and put on a deal of style. The Prince visits them, invites them to Court and orders the statue to be given to his son. After many comic scenes at Court the identity of the wax ‘figger’ is discovered, and the Prince père is induced to give his consent to the nuptials of his son and the mountebank’s daughter.”  

Plot synopsis. 

To be presented in the work’s original form, which is entirely new to New Yorkers.

“A large and fashionable concourse witnessed the first representation of ‘La Princesse de Trébizonde’ at the Lyceum Theatre last evening, and expressed great gratification at a performance pleasing, amusing, and inoffensive. In respect of inoffensiveness, indeed, ‘La Princesse’ takes precedence of all the opera bouffes known to the public, while it is tuneful enough to satisfy the least musical audience, and as vivacious as could be desired. To welcome such a work to the stage of which ‘La Timbale’ until day before yesterday had possession, is to acquit one’s self of an agreeable task, and the hearty applause with which most of the numbers of the score, and the uncontrolled merriment with which the comicalities of the piece were received, showed that the frequenters of the house were as much relieved as ourselves by the change. ‘La Princesse,’ we should say, will remain upon the bills for some time. Its story, in the belief it will be rehearsed for many nights, may be laconically told [snynopsis follows]. A long series of laughable episodes is enfolded by this narrative, and several pretty tunes and effective concerted passages illustrate it musically. In respect of droll incidents, a scene in the style of the burlesque circus scene, made familiar by the minstrels, and occurring in the first act of ‘La Princesse;’ the transactions of the mountebanks, in act the second, when they continually forget themselves and betray their recent calling by all sorts of absurd attitudes; and the transformation by the troupe, in the third act, into wax figures—a transformation which ceases when Prince Casimir insists upon examining their mechanism by the summary process resorted to by Japanese suicides—elicited most laughter. The music, which is bright and melodious, is richer in sentimental airs than in the ear-taking songs and finales which compel the feet to keep time with the singers and the band. We shall not attempt, however, on a single hearing, to supply an exhaustive list of the best portions of the score. We were favorably impressed by Raphael’s couplets in the first act—Une jeune fille passait;’ by the burden of the comic song of Prince Casimir, ‘Me maquillé je;’ by the harmonious rondo of the pages in the last act, and, especially, by Raphael’s versos in act the second, commencing ‘Elle est peinte,’ and exceedingly graceful in form. But it would be sheer injustice, after a single recital, to declare that a three-act score of Offenbach is only commended to notice by three or four tunes. While we shall be better able to write of the notes of ‘La Princesse’ in a week or so, we can at once proclaim that the rendering of it is unexceptionable. Nothing more animated and more precise in the matter of singing and acting has been enjoyed, and the mise en scene is so rich as to be almost too good for so unpretentious an entertainment as opera bouffe ought to be. The company of Messrs. Grau and Chizzola is the strongest we have had for years, and for the first time this season, we are afforded a taste of their quality. Mlle. Aimée’s exuberant fun does not have as free play as usual in ‘La Princesse,’ but the artist seems as much at home in opera comique as in the lesser order with which she has been identified, and in the expressive words and music she has been allotted to Raphael, the charm of her diction and song is as potent and as gratifying as her influence in more hilarious characters. Mlle. Gandon, a most spirited and finished player, endows Regina with indescribable witchery, Mlle. Minelly is suitably handsome and poetical as Zanetta, and Mlle. Kid, as Paola, becomingly masculine. M. Debeer, the liveliest comedian ever before an American audience, and equally entertaining as a singer, an actor, and a clown, produced the strongest impression of the evening as Tremolini. Cabriolo was personated with unflagging humor by M. Dubouchet, and Prince Casimir proved an exceedingly funny individual, as portrayed by M. Duplan. We have only space to add to this hurried record of the representation, that the encores were frequent, that there were two calls before the curtain, and that, in fine, the indications were such as to assure us that we should have many chances of seeing ‘La Princesse de Trébizonde,’ when we shall have space to deal with it at length.”

“After all, in the matter of opera bouffe, there is no man equal to Offenbach. Like all other successful men, he has had his imitators and rivals, some of whom have almost equaled their master in even his brightest moments, and have surpassed him when at his dullest. But take him for all in all, Offenbach is the best of the opera bouffe composers. Of this fact his ‘Princesse de Trebizone’ brought out last evening at the Lyceum Theatre, is a freshly-convincing proof.

It is one of the brightest and most entertaining works of its class that have thus far been produced in this city. The humor is genuine, the situations farcical in the extreme, the dialogue swift and bright. The libretto is as good as the music, and that in turn admirably sets off and illustrates the libretto. This work makes clear what seemed almost to have ceased to be matter of faith, that an opera bouffe can be bright without coarseness, and sparkle with some other lustre than that of vulgarity.

It is scarcely necessary to say that the piece was capitally played. That, with such an admirable company of comedians as the one in question, is taken as a matter of course. Every part, even to the most subordinate, receives from these well-trained artists a finished performance; and the whole piece is sprightly with capital by-play and a bright intelligence and sense of the grotesque that makes every scene immensely entertaining.

The story of the ‘Princesse of Trebizonde’ is one to be listened to in the theatre and by the aid of the stage pictures, and not in the columns of a newspaper. The first act [brief plot summary follows]. We will not stop to detail the plot, but commend the piece as one that cannot fail to amuse and that is in every way deserving of public favor.” 

“We doubt if French opera bouffe can reach a point of excellence beyond that attained by the performance of the Aimée company last evening at the Lyceum Theatre. There are no songs in ‘The Princess of Trebizonde’ which will become so popular on the streets as the chief tunes of ‘The Grand Duchess’ were, but the new work—new at least to this city—is full of bright, charming melody, skillfully introduced and varied with those pretty effects and pleasant little trickeries which have come to be described by the adjective ‘Offenbachian.’ Again, there is no member of the new company whom we could single out as a remarkably good singer. Even Mlle. Aimée, by far the most gifted performer of the troupe, could never have gained much favor as a musical artist without her remarkable dramatic talent. Yet the representation of this, the most brilliant of Offenbach’s pieces heard here since ‘The Grand Duchess,’ was thoroughly good. These players are so irresistibly droll; all their movements are so very funny, their rendering of the most commonplace passage in the text sometimes causing unexplainable roars of laughter among their hearers, that when they appear in such a really humorous and well constructed work, as ‘The Princess of Trebizonde’ (the words of which were written by MM. Nuitter and Trefeu), they keep the risibilities of the audience at the explosive point throughout the performance. We have already given a slight suggestion of the story of the new opera bouffe, and will not, in this place, give the plot in detail. The characters are all good, and were distributed last evening to the best advantage, the cast including three persons who thus made their first appearances. Mme. Kid, who, notwithstanding her immense proportions, is as frisky as the cheerful little animal whose name she bears, was evidently not engaged because of her powers as a singer, which are very limited. But she is exceedingly funny, and as Paola, who lifts the heavy weights and plays ponderous parts generally in Cabriolo’s show, although she is naturally tender and romantic, was seen to good advantage. Another first appearance was M. Guyot, Sparadrap, the much-abused tutor to the young prince, who promises to be a useful addition to the list of comedians; but M. Duplan, Prince Casimir, was the chief débutant of the evening. He possesses a fair baritone voice, and is a good representative of the ‘old man’ parts, rivalling M. Dubouchet, whom we think, however, the better actor of the two, as he is probably more versatile. But Duplan was loudly cheered last night, and his broad exhibition of mingled pompousness and irascibility has already established him as a public favorite.

We have alluded to the power these persons have to cause laughter when they have exceedingly slight material at their disposal. As an instance, we may mention the principal air of Casimir, which Duplan sang with good effect. Each stanza is closed by a comic refrain: “Aux [illegible],/Au Canada,/Aux colonies,/Et cetera.’—and the audience last night during each verse and the encore, listened with broad smiles, until the singer reached ‘Et cetera,’ when the entire company broke out into loud laughter. There was nothing funny in ‘Et cetera,’ but the singer’s changing expression reached a point of intense earnestness at that place which it was impossible to resist.

Mlle. Aimée had but little to do last evening as young Prince Raphael, but she acted and sang with the grace of a consummate artist, depicting pleasantly the mock-ingeniousness of the deceitful offspring of Casimir. Mlle. Minelly was Zannetta, Cabriolo’s daughter, whom Raphael falls in love with when she takes the place of the broken wax figure (the Princess of Trebizonde); Dubouchet was very funny as the showman, and Debeer and Mlle. Gandon, as Tremolini and Regina, repeated their success in ‘La Timbale d’Argent,’ a ludicrous burlesque duet gaining great applause. We have only time to briefly mention the music, and shall endeavor to treat it more fully on another occasion. Raphael’s first air, ‘Une jeune fille passait’; the quintet at the close of the first act, ‘Adieu baraque héréditaire!’ a lively scene at the opening of the second act; the chorus of the huntsmen; the chorus of the pages, and many more numbers merit an extended notice.” 

“A new opera, by Offenbach—new, at least, to this country—‘La Princesse de Trebizonde,’ was brought out at the Lyceum last night. We have already given the plot or the portions of the libretto necessary to gain an idea of what MM. Nuitter and Trefeu, the librettists, wished to convey. Since the production of ‘La Grande Duchesse’ and ‘La belle Helene,’ by the same fecund composer, Offenbach, we know of no opera that gained on the bouffe stage of America such an immediate and unqualified success at first representation as ‘La Princesse.’ The story is exceedingly funny without being indecent; the cast was well distributed; the music is superficial and champagne-like in its glitter, without being what a musician would call thoughtful, and the situations and scenes are never tiresome. It can readily be placed as an opéra bouffe on a standard of equality with any work of Offenbach, and, considering the unusual number of encores bestowed upon the principal musical numbers last night, its popularity in this city is assured. The mountebanks in the first act had an abundance of comic business, which in their professional point of view might be regarded as a hit. In the second act, in their changed condition as proprietors of a baronial castle, they were no less happy, and in the last act, in the explanation of affairs with the ruling prince of the period the fun came to a climax. The entire company was in the cast. Mlle. Aimée was the naughty Prince Raphael, who worries the life out of his guardian, Sparadrap (M. Guiot), and his father, Prince Casimir (M. Duplan). Some very pretty chansons fell to the share of this favorite opéra-bouffe cantatrice, but the remarkable deterioration of vocal power since the last season in her regard robbed them of much of their effect. M. Minelly, the best vocalist of the troupe, had a rather subordinate rôle as Zanetta, the soi disant Princess of Trebizonde, and in the few opportunities she had to sing she evinced a decidedly agreeable and well-cultivated voice. She should exchange rôles with Mlle. Aimée. The fascinating little Mlle. Gandon made a success as the manageress of the mountebank, Regina; and a new artiste, Mlle. Kid, created a favorable impression as Paola, a lady of aristocratic yearnings and one whom cruel fortune had place in the position of ‘the Wild Woman, caught in the forests of Africa.’ Mlles. Kid and Gandon may be considered as the most talented members of the company. M. Debeer made a decided hit as Tremolini and Duplan, one of the chief attractions of ‘La Fille de Madame Angot,’ surpassed himself as Prince Casimir. M. Dubouchet was a very amusing representative of the mountebank manager, Cabriolo, and from first to last held the audience in good humor. The opera is susceptible of more elaborate and extensive display as far as chorus, stage effect and mise en scène are concerned, and M. Van Ghele needs to pay more attention to his orchestra. The music, as might be expected, is full of reminiscences of earlier works of the composer. In fact, one of the most successful numbers, which received a tumultuous encore, is almost note for note with ‘Un Mari Saie’ from ‘La Belle Helene.’ Then there is a Tyrolienne, very like the one in ‘Geneviève,’ a beautiful—in an opéra bouffe sense of the word—duet founded on a scene from ‘Barbe Bleue,’ and a finale (first act) resembling the ending of the first act of the same opera. Well, as long as a composer ‘borrows’ from himself we cannot very well find fault. As to the musical value of ‘La Princess,’ according to the recognized canons, Le jeu ne vaut pas la chandelle. Offenbach is ever frothy and never serious. Probably therein lies the secret of his success. Anyhow Messrs. Grau and Chizzola may be congratulated on producing an opera full of fun, wit and humor, and eminently attractive as such. Well for them if they had opened their season with it, instead of the stupid, ridiculous and indecent production of ‘Lem Vasseur.’”

“’La Princesse Trebizonde,’ an opera comique, and one of the successful works of M. Offenbach, was presented for the first time in America, at the Lyceum Theatre on Thursday evening, September 10. The opera, unlike its prececessor at this house, ‘La Timbale d’Argent,’ is devoid of that peculiar naughtiness which gave the latter its sole claim to popularity; but offers instead bright, sparkling music, wedded to a funny and acceptably respectable story. The work, viewed in its entirety, presents but little evidence of creative power on the part of M. Offenbach, and the various musical numbers, as they are presented with their sparkle, froth, and catching melodies, can but bring back remembrances of old favorites, some almost forgotten, recalling vivid recollections of ‘Genevieve,’ ‘Barbe Bleue,’ ‘La Belle Helene,’ etc. Like all of M. Offenbach’s compositions, there is a vivacity and melodious construction, which will give a popular life to this effusion, and, seconded by the admirable acting of Mlle. Aimee and company, insure for it a success which it certainly deserves. The libretto is by MM. Nuitter and Trefeu; and, as we have before published the story, we need not describe it. Mlle. Aimee as Prince Raphael had but little opportunity to display her natural vivacity, but still gave a most effective impersonation of the character, receiving for her rendition of several musical numbers, notably the couplets in the first act, ‘Une jeune fille passait,’ and in the second act, ‘Elle est peinte admirablement,’ most enthusiastic encores. Mlle. Gandon gave a bright and sparkling interpretation to the role of Regina, rendering the couplets in the first act, ‘Quand je suis sur la corde raide,’ bewitchingly, well meriting the hearty encore. Mlle. Minelly gave a graceful portraiture of the character of Zanetti, vocalizing with effectiveness, especially in the rondo in the second act, ‘Femme du Grand Rhotomago.’ Mlle. Kid, who on this occasion made her first appearance in America, is no doubt, dramatically, an acquisition to the troupe, as she rendered the part of Paola, a not very graceful one, in a suitably masculine manner. M. Debeer but strengthened our former impression regarding him as one of the cleverest of his school, one of the principal features of the performance, seeming equally at home as an actor and a vocalist. M. Duplan, as Prince Casimir, deservedly won applause for his clever acting, and his exceedingly humorous rendition of the bouffe song in the second act, ‘Me maquille-je comme on dit.’ MM. Dubouchet and Guyot thoroughly availed themselves of all the comical opportunities presented, and proved themselves capital actors. The chorus were effective, thoroughly under control, and gained several encores for their performance. Thus the opera is presented as a whole with a finish that should insure for it success. The story, full of life and mirth, gives scope for the most ludicrous scenes, presenting opportunities which are readily taken advantage of, and in an inimitably comic manner, and which, with the bright, sparkling airs and effective concerted music, should render the opera as popular as its well-know predecessors from the same author. The attendance during the past week has been excellent, and the opera will most probably retain the boards until the end of the Aimee season.”