Soldene English Opera Bouffe: Chilp�ric

First time in America of the English version.

“Hervé’s opera bouffe of ‘Chilperic,’ in its English dress, is a novelty here. Messrs. Grau & Chizzola, at the Lyceum Theatre, produced it last evening in costly and handsome dress. The scenery has been painted by H. W. Calyo. Miss Emily Soldene and her associate players give the work a careful interpretation. The music of ‘Chilperic’ is generally pretty, sometimes sweetly plaintive, and occasionally passionate and strong; and it is dramatic since it tells its story–its writer having entirely succeeded in making sound the servant of meaning. The story is delicate or not, according as it happens to be taken. The piece was prettily dressed last night, but it was rather feebly sung. Miss Soldene, in the quarrel-duet, made inarticulate noises, accompanied by strong pantomime, and this can scarcely be called vocal execution. She gave the ‘Butterfly Song,’ however, with exhilarating spirit, sensuous relish, and distinct and finished delivery and style. Landry’s love-song, sung by Mr. H. Laurent, was given with truly passionate feeling and fine execution, and it deserved its recal. The serious parts of the music, throughout, affected us as the best—of which this song may be deemed an apt specimen. The theater was well filled, and the spectators were in a holiday humor; they applauded almost everything, and, in particular, they recalled pieces of farcical antic that are scarce worthy of a circus-ring. The discovery of a leech upon the seat of a clown’s trowsers, and the delivery of a whack with a warming-pan, were prominent among the hilarious hits of the evening, and they diffused a noble joy. Miss Soldene—always a feast to the eye—was gorgeous and handsome in white silk and silver; and she gave pleasant and admirable exhibition of her proficient skill in acting the profligate gallant of comedy. The full cast of parts is appended [lists cast].”

“A performance of great liveliness and color was enjoyed at the Lyceum Theatre, last evening, when ‘Chilpéric’ was represented. The original version of ‘Chilpéric’ was sung in the same house, five or six years ago, but it had a few recitals only, and Hervé’s tunes came upon us last evening with perfect freshness. The story is absurd, but the score is brimful of melody, singularly original in form, and wonderfully elegant in treatment. Offenbach, as a writer for the orchestra, is not to be named in the same day with Hervé, while it must be admitted that the former composer’s music, more appreciable because less original, is also more popular. The Soldene troupe do justice to the pretty numbers of ‘Chilpéric,’ and their unflagging spirits and admirable discipline endow the silly but amusing scenario with as much effectiveness as it can possess. So plenty are the marches, dances, and tableaux, and so magnificent is the stage attire of the work, that its success, in fact, can rest upon its spectacular elements. Very rarely does the eye light upon scenes equal in life and brilliancy to those unfolded at the Lyceum last night, and never have the dashing choruses and well-distributed finales been interpreted with more ‘go.’ Miss Soldene, who personated Chilpéric, carried off, as usual, the lyric honors of the entertainment, but a good word must also be said for Miss A. Lyndhurst, who portrayed Fredegonde, and for Miss Robson, who represented Galsuinda, and whose intelligence and refinement of manner are in refreshing contrast with the combination of imbecility and pertness occasionally exhibited by some of the performers of the gentle sex. An eccentric and laughable sketch of Senna, the Court Physician, by Mr. Marshall, and a comical delineation of Fatout, Grand Chamberlain, by Mr. Wallace, were the other noticeable features of the entertainment, which afforded continuous pleasure expressed by liberal applause, to a large and fashionable audience.”

“Hervé’s Chilperic, an opera bouffe in three acts, was presented at the Lyceum Theatre last evening by Miss Emily Soldene and her associates. This work was sung here for a little while about six years ago by a French company, but it did not obtain much favor, and it is scarcely probable, although the members of the present cast are painstaking, that ‘Chilperic’ will be as successful as the other pieces in which the Soldene troupe have appeared. Some of the music is exceedingly pretty, and the orchestral score is not marred by flippancies and absurdities, as it often is in the more popular operas bouffe. But the work lacks for want of a better English term what is often called ‘snap.’ The libretto is very weak and incoherent, and some of the comedian[s], who took part last evening were obliged to resort to the most hackneyed and pronounced kind of buffoonery to save the piece from dragging.

The setting was admirable. Bright and tasteful dresses were worn by all the actors and supernumeraries, the armor and trappings were well chosen, and the tableaux were picturesque and striking. The opera was excellently sung in every part, better, indeed, than in any work previously produced by this company has been on its first representation. Miss Emily Soldene was Chilperic, and her impersonation was conceived in the true spirit of comedy. She grasps the character of the handsome, dashing vagabond as easily as she does that of the fickle French actress of the impetuous German Duchess. She presented a more than usually pleasing appearance in her kingly attire, and she rattled through the spoken text of her part with volubility and humor. The entrance on horseback, and the opening air of Chilperic, received the approval of the audience. In the ‘Butterfly Song,’ a tripping little melody, Miss Soldene was, to our taste, heard to better advantage than in any other of the numbers allotted to the part. The quarrel duet with Fredegonde was very funny. Miss Lizzie Robson, who since her first appearance in ‘Genevieve de Brabant’ has been steadily gowing in popular favor, was a vivacious and graceful Spanish princess, Galsuinda, and she sang the characteristic air, with castanet and tambourine accompaniment, in a delightful manner. It is to be regretted that Miss Robson has so little to do, but her refinement and personal beauty make that very little enjoyable. Miss Agnes Lyndhurst as Fredegonde, a peasant girl, acted and sang intelligently. To Mr. E. Marshall…[lists cast] the low comedy characters were allotted, and, as we have said, they descended to buffoonery. A broadly farcical incident in which a basket of soiled clothing was introduced, a humorous scene in which a hot warming-pan was used to advantage, a pair of shears left by accident on the seat of a chair, a runaway leech, and numerous allusions to Barnum’s Hippodrome and Union Square were among the means used to excite laughter. Mr. H. Laurent as Landry, a peasant, sang a tender, pretty melody with good effect, and Miss H. Travers acquitted herself with credit as a progressive woman of the middle ages. A number of Druids were even more tiresome than such people generally are on stage, because they tried to be funny.”

“’Chilpéric,’ the best of Hervé’s works, was produced last night at this house under the most favorable auspices. There was a crowded and brilliant audience, who enjoyed heartily the music, which is very superior to what we generally find in works of the same character. ‘Chilpéric’ is full of melodies that leave a lasting impression. The story is amusing and gives ample opportunity for the display of grotesque humor, which is the charm of this class of performance. The reception it met with last night was very favorable and it cannot fail to prove as attractive as its predecessors. Miss Soldene as Chilpéric looked every inch a king. She was in excellent voice and gave the several songs that fell to her with her usual dash and spirit. Miss L. Robson, who took the part of Galsuinda, promises to become a favorite with the public. Already she has made quite remarkable progress in the good graces of the audience—a progress due wholly to the excellence of her singing. Last night she was twice recalled. Her voice is sweet and sympathetic, and she sings with much feeling. Miss Lyndhurst as Fregonde and Mr. Lawrent as Landry also made a favorable impression. The work is pretty well divided, and as the melodies are thickly distributed and the choruses are good, there is always something agreeable turning up which renders it impossible for the audience not to be pleased. The appointments are remarkably rich; some of the tableaus are gorgeous color pictures.”

“The Herve operetta ‘Chilperic’ is now given at the Lyceum Theater by the troupe of Fräulein Emily Soldene. The operetta is no longer new for New Yorkers, as it was already given five or six years ago under the direction of the elder Grau. It was not successful then, despite an exemplary performance in French, and again now, even though the English adaptation is quite good, the opera is unlikely to last long on the stage. The operetta lacks a coherent plot, and the music, however beautiful some of the individual numbers are, also disappoints, as it suffers from the same weakness as the plot. The performance yesterday was, by the way, very satisfactory, and in particular Fräulein Soldene did well in the role of ‘Chilperic.’”

Likelihood that the attractive work may hold the stage through the holiday season.

“…Hervé’s opera-bouffe of ‘Chilperic,’ which was, on this occasion, produced for the first time in this country in an English dress, it having been given under Grau’s management in its original form at this house—then the French Theatre—June 1, 1869. It was but lightly appreciated then, and the present adaptation can hardly achieve for it a popular success; for, while the various numbers include pleasing arias and show musicianly cleverness in the concerted passages, it yet offers but little to make it acceptable to the general ear, that has been accustomed to the snap and sparkle of Offenbach or the more refined productions of Lecocq. As an opera-bouffe it lacks the peculiar spirit of grotesqueness, and also the satirical humor, which give to compositions of this class their distinctive character; and wanting these, it can find no higher level than the familiar English burlesque, and will undoubtedly have to depend for its prosperity, at this house, upon the cleverness of the artists of this troupe, who with their local gags and droll acting give an exceedingly amusing performance. The first act, opening with a sacred chorus of Druids, rather serious in its character and strongly reminiscent of grand opera, terminates in a lively umbrella dance, an effect which has been often done in burlesque, and affords in this transition from grave to gay a strong musical contrast. The two other acts offer no special features worthy of mention, and the opera at its termination leaves a feeling of disappointment that proves it far from satisfactory in a musical sense. Miss Soldene, as King Chilperic, made a magnificent appearance, and entered most heartily into the spirit of the part, offering a vivacious and sparkling interpretation of the character. The quarrel duet with Fredegonde and the Butterfly song, in particular, were given with all the chic and abandon of the French school, and proved this lady to be one of the most acceptable artists who have appeared in opera-bouffe. The Misses Robson, Lyndhurst and Travers, in their characterizations, made a pleasing impression, and the drolleries and capital low-comedy bits of Messrs. Wallace, Marshall and Lewens proved acceptably funny. Landry’s love song, in the second act, made quite a vocal hit for Mr. H. Laurent, who gave it with such admirable expression and fine execution as to deservedly win an encore. The piece was liberally produced, the costumes being rich and elegant, and the scenery and appointments all that could be desired. We append the cast [lists cast].”