French Opera Bouffe: Le Voyage en Chine

Principal singers; the company received with much enthusiasm recently in Havana.

Plot synopsis. 

Cast listing. 

“A season of opera bouffe was entered upon at the Park Theatre last evening, with the agreeable accompaniment of a numerous and fashionable audience. A new work was performed to give particular éclat to the occasion. The novelty was a three-act opera-comique called ‘Le Voyage en Chine,’ and it was made known by a company of artists, including principally familiar faces. If the first and second acts of ‘Le Voyage en Chine’ were equal to the third, M. Bazin’s achievement would have wrought an excellent impression. As it is, the first two acts of his opera are much too rich in dialogue for an English-speaking audience, while the music is not original or fluent enough to compensate for the prodigious quantity of talk. We can readily understand the causes of the success of ‘Le Voyage en Chine’ in Paris. Its libretto is of the most neatly constructed kind; its language is unexceptionably good, and the music to which M. Bazin has wedded the text is grateful in form, piquant in motives and treatment, and full of opportunities for the clever singers the Opera Comique Theatre possesses. American audiences, however, are not yet ripe for opera comique, and an opera bouffe public must have more action, more tunes, and more downright fun than are to be found in the production under notice. Hence we apprehend that ‘Le Voyage en Chine’ will not have a protracted run. The story it unfolds is very simple [plot synopsis follows].  As we have already implied, the music in the third act is by far the best. A well-written sailors’ chorus, with which the act opens, and a prettily-harmonized prayer, are noticeable among the numbers of this part of ‘Le Voyage en Chine,’ though as a lyric work it really contains nothing remarkable. The new opera was nicely sung and acted at the Park. M. De Quercy, an artist who had not previously been heard in this City, appeared as Henri, and although a little mature in point of voice and physique for the part intrusted to him, approved himself a tenor of culture and an animated and experienced comedian. Mlle Minelly, whose skill as a songstress has often had mention in these columns, was quite equal to the character of Marie. M. Duplan, one of the best comiques we have ever had in opera bouffe, pictured Pompéry with unflagging humor, and M. Valaire, the stage manager of the company, contributed to the entertainment a capital sketch of Bonneteau, an old provincial notary. But the hit of the evening was made by M. De Beer, who personated Anatole. M. De Beer has a very comical and mobile face, and a great deal of natural eccentricity, and, moreover, he takes the trouble to elaborate his least important characterizations. To the latter fact, in this case, is to be mainly ascribed his success in the third act of ‘Le Voyage en Chine.’ He has undoubtedly made a very careful study of sea-sickness, and his imitation of that droll, but, in truth painful malady—an imitation free from coarse action of any kind—kept the audience laughing throughout the whole third act. M. Bazin’s opera, it is only necessary to add, has been appropriately set at the Park, and its recital is as good, in the matter of ensemble, as nine French representations of every ten are sure to be.”

“A season of French opera was commenced last evening at the Park Theatre. A very pretty and entertaining opera comique by Bazin was presented. The music exhibits no extraordinary talent in the composer, but it is bright and pleasant, and some of the choruses, notably one in the first act, are happily scored. The play upon which the music is based is amusing, and that, too, without a flavor of impropriety. The company seems to be a very good one. Some of the best of the artists engaged by Mr. Grau will be heard later in the season.

Mr. De Quercy, a tenor, made his first appearance last evening, and displayed a voice of much power and of good quality. Mlle. Minelli, who assumed the leading feminine rôle, has been heard before, and always with pleasure. The vivacity and finish which the French actors seem to have constantly at command, made the performance an agreeable one.” 

“A little French comic opera called ‘Le Voyage en Chine’ was given at the Park Theatre last night. It is really an extravagant comedy, with songs interspersed, and in the first and second acts the music is by no means the most interesting part of the work. There are one or two taking numers in act third, however—a duet for tenor and soprano, a little baritone air, ‘Quand le Soleil,’ and a drinking song of sailors ‘Le cidre de Normandie,’ which are more creditable to the composer. The story of ‘A Voayge in China,’ which is rather clever, was adapted by Mr. Henry B. Farnie under the title of ‘The Black Prince,’ and was recently produced with some success in London. The music of the English piece, however, was selected from the earlier operas of M. Lecocq, whose compositions have an originality and vivacity which are missing in the score of M. Bazin, the composer of ‘Le Voyage en Chine.’ The principal character… [plot synopsis follows]. M. Duplan as Pompery was excellent, and M. De Quercy, the new tenor, as Henri, Mlle. Minelli as Marie and M. Vallaire as a tiresome old notary, received applause. M. Debeer has a part of an approved type, in which he can exhibit his low-comedy powers to advantage. In the first act he stutters, in the scond he holds pebbles in his mouth to cure his infirmity and swallows them, and in the third he is seasick. His impersonation was highly elaborated, and the only fault we can find with him is that his sickness was a little too real.”

“The French opera season at the Park Theatre begun last night with Bazin’s opéra comique, ‘Le Voyage en Chine.’ The story of this little opera has already been told in the Herald, and, simple as it is, it affords a theme for some good music and a great deal of fun. Any one who should expect from it anything very striking or unusual would be disappointed, but to those who are content with simple music and sprightly dialogue it affords an excellent evening’s entertainment. If we were to attempt a description of its character in the fewest words we should call it a pleasant comedy interspersed with choruses and melodies. Its chief charm is in its dialogue, and this is readily appreciated, even by those whose French is too meagre for criticism. It is, in short, just such a musical play as is suited to the bijou Park Theatre, and we shall be surprised if it fails to find a home for a long time at this house. With regard to the performance itself, it may be said that the acting was much better than the singing. M. Duplan as Pompery was excellent, and he shared the honors of the evening with M. De Quercy, who took the part of Henri. These two artists bore the chief part of the performance, and to them almost entirely was its success due. M. Debeer as Alidor was amusing. Mlle. Minelli as Marie was not strong; but she acted and sung pleasantly, and in the second act especially received a flattering reception. A large house greeted the new company, which is a fairly sustained one. The performance, though imperfect in many respects, showed more evenness than was to be expected on a first night, and gives promise of a unique and successful season.”

“French Comic Opera was introduced Monday night upon the stage of the Park Theater, in the presence of a numerous concourse of pleased spectators. ‘Le Voyage en Chine,’ by M. Bazin—a late Paris success—was sung and acted by [see above]. This company is presented here by Mr. Stuart in managerial conjunction with Messrs. Grau and Chizzola of the Lyceum Theater. M. De Quercy made his first appearance in America. M. Lecocq’s ‘Girofle-Girofla’ is in preparation. The reception accorded to the opera and its interpreters was that of intention and enjoyment. Looking upon the spectacle that was presented, and contrasting it with recent exhibitions given  by the Soldene English Opera Company at the Lyceum, the spectator remarks, with Sterne, that ‘they do these things better in France.’ M. Bazin’s work is comic opera rather than opera bouffe. It was prettily set, and by the male performers, well acted and well sung. It is steadily amusing, and it is free from the blemish of vulgarity. The new tenor, M. De Quercy, has a fine voice and an agreeable presence, and he showed himself capable of both earnest emotion and humorous banter. The story of the voyage into China is full of drollery, and the music that assists in the telling of it sparkles with fancy. More than this we cannot now say; but this suffices to indicate that Mr. Stuart has provided a choice entertainment of a light character, and that it started at the Park Theater with every augury of popular success.”