Aim�e Opera Bouffe : La Fille de Madame Angot

“An overflowing audience was gathered at the Lyceum Theatre last evening, to witness the revival of ‘Le Fille de Madame Angot.’ This lively and tuneful opera had a protracted run last season, and might be profitably kept upon the bills for some weeks to come from the present writing, did not arrangements previously entered into forbid. The impression of yesterday’s performance was so pleasant as to make one almost regret that such arrangements must prevail. Lecoq’s score is full of melodious themes handled with uncommon delicacy, and the libretto provides for the artists a great deal of amusing business. We need not, however, proceed with a dissertation upon either portion of the work, which was reviewed at length last year. Its rendering is now more finished and striking than heretofore. Mlle. Aimée still plays Clairette, and throws meaning into every tone, word, and look of one of those singular rôles of a half-innocent, half ‘knowing’ girl, with which the French répertoire abounds, and M. Duplan still pictures Louchard, a Javert as mirth-provoking as Hugo’s is tragical. But new artists are intrusted with the remaining rôles. M. Kolletz, a tenor who has just arrived from the Paris Folies Dramatiques—the Mecca of opera bouffe performers—is Ange Pitou; Mlle. Minelly represents [cast list with roles]. This list of names implies that the distribution is of exceptional strength, and much more than an acknowledgement that the implication is well-founded we have not space to print. We must notice, if ever so briefly, the favorable reception of the new tenor. M. Kolletz is young, gifted with a pleasant voice, versed in the use of his advantages, and, in fine, generally acceptable. But he has a tendency to be ultra-sentimental, and to raffinements of delivery, which are a trifle out of place, and he is to be taxed, too, with some effeminacies of style which are scarcely attractive, when so many pretty faces and forms of the other sex solicit admiration from before the footlights. Mlle. Aimée’s portrayal of Clairette requires no commendation at this late hour. As for Mlle. Minelly’s performance, we need but observe that it is elegant and fascinating. The recital will bear a more detailed reference, and shall receive it at no distant day. The programme, of course, is to be unchanged during the current week.”

[Accessed through the New York State Historic Newspapers database; 28 lines of text, too faint and illegible to transcribe.]

“In its recklessness and extravagant absurdity ‘La Fille de Madame Angot’ is a perfect specimen of the French opera bouffe. Taking desecrated Paris in the days of the Directory and utterly ignoring all its terrors and dark shadows, the authors of the libretto constructed an amusing satire on the immortality and inconsistency of the supporters of the first republic. The women of the market, who were a power during the rule of Barras, appear before us in silk and gauze and gay ribbons to sing ‘Tra la la,’ and the principal personages are exceedingly clever burlesques of typical characters. To say that this piece has been successful would scarcely express the favor with which it has been received in France, in England and in this country. Although it was first produced nearly a year and a half ago, its popularity in Paris is still undiminished, and in London, during the past year, it has occasionally been sung at four different houses on the same night, the text used in three of the versions being in the English language. Mlle. Aimée introduced ‘La Fille de Madame Angot’ to New York on the 25^th of August, 1873, and its representations were only brought to a close with the termination of her engagement at the Broadway Theatre. An English version of the absurdity was also sung in New York last year. Yet yesterday evening, when the piece was reproduced by Mlle. Aimée and her company, the Lyceum Theatre was crowded, the enthusiasm of the audience was unbounded, and all the principal numbers from the Romance of Clairette to the rollicking concerted piece in the finale, ‘Ah! c’est done toi, Madame Barras!’ were warmly redemanded.

There are several important changes in the cast of ‘La Fille de Madame Angot.’ Stani, as Mademoiselle Lange, is replaced by Minelly, who was extremely successful last evening in her singing and acting, and Pomponnet, assumed last year by Deschamps, is now played by Debeer, the original representative of the tender-hearted republican barber at Paris. M. Debeer, in the two works previously produced this season, chiefly commended himself to us by his powers as a comedian; but last evening he obtained new honors as a singer. He rendered the little melody in the second act, ‘She is innocent,’ in an excellent manner; and came out with unexpected strength in the trio of the third act, with Clairette and Larivaudrere. Of M. Debeer’s irresistible facial expressions and droll antics we have spoken favorably before, and his acting in this piece is praiseworthy; but he should bear in mind that vulgarity and blasphemy in broken English are sometimes hissed, even in theatres where people expect to hear French opera bouffe with all its native abandon. Kolletz, the new tenor, who appeared as Ange Pitou, the fickle ballad singer, has a very ordinary voice, but is a clever actor. Mlle. Kid, M. Duplan and M. Dubouchet added to their former triumphs by their impersonations of Amaranthe, Larivaudrere and Louchard. Mlle. Aimée’s Clairette is, as before, perfect in its way. She is still the most natural actor of French vaudeville that we have had here, and her joyousness in her duet with Lange (concerning bread-and-butter days at school), in the merry trio already referred to, in the song ridiculing the republic, and in the finale was as acceptable as ever. Sprightly Mlle. Gandon came forward to dance in the last act, and was recalled four or five times. Once or twice the chorus sang badly out of tune, but the performance, as a whole, was even and good.”

“Over a year ago at the Broadway Theatre this opera was produced for the first time in this city. Since that time it has been regarded as the most popular work in the opéra bouffe repertoire. On the other side of the Atlantic it has certainly won its way into the affections of the public. It is played at present in no less than four theatres in London in an English version, and it is passing its two years’ run in Paris. The reason of the enormous success of the opera is not obvious by any means, as, in a musical point of view, an earlier work by the same composer, Lecocq, ‘Fleur de Thé,’ is far superior. But the three librettists in the opera in question, have done their work so well and the music is so ‘champagny,’ and there is so much opportunity for effect that the preference of the average public cannot be well found fault with. The first representation last night with Messrs. Grau and Chizzola’s new company was full of interest to those who can appreciate good acting, chic, élan, and fun, marred only by certain uncalled for indecencies, with a moderate standard in singing. The voice of Mlle. Aimée is no long what it was wont to be, and Mlle. Kid, who represented Amaranthe, is a shade lower in the vocal standard. Yet those two artistes made a dramatic success last night of the most unquestionable kind. Mlle. Minelly, the real prima donna of the company, represented the peculiar Mlle. Lange to the life and gained deserved applause. The new tenor, M. Kolletz, who made his début as Ange Pitou, is an actor of rare excellence, but his voice is hard, uneven and metallic. The Larivandière of M. Dubouchet was full of good points, and Debeer, Genot and Duplan made the same effect with the roles of Pomponnet, Trenitz and Lonchard that they accomplished last season. The charming music was as attractive as ever with the large audience and the encores were numerous. Yet it is to be regretted that many unauthorized and unbecoming features were introduced. The opera in its original form will stand with the public. Why repeat the experience of ‘La Timbale d’Argent?’”

“…The new tenor did not make the favorable impression anticipated. He is not handsome, has a hard, unsympathetic voice, assumes a rather lackadaisical style, and does not possess the spirit and abandon of the best burlesque actor. Nevertheless, he elicited applause in some of the scenes. M. Genot, too, is not up to the standard of his predecessor in the same part; but De Beer’s Pomponnet was excellent, and Mlle. Minnelly appeared to great advantage in her role, except in regard to her costume, which was not suitable to the tastes of the best class of the patrons of the house. Mlle. Goudon made a decided hit in the dancing scene. Aimée was in charming voice, and both she and Minnelly were frequently encored.”