Soldene English Opera Bouffe: Genevi�ve de Brabant

“Miss Clara Vesey, the sister of the prima donna of the English opéra bouffe, made her first appearance last [night] as Oswald in Offenbach’s opera, ‘Geneviève de Brabant.’ Her success was of the most unequivocal kind. But in this company Miss Emily Soldene seems to carry off all the honors. She is the best representative of Drogan we have had in New York, and her beautiful voice and clever acting lend new interest to the well worn music. The opera is placed on the stage superbly and the chorus and orchestra deserve much praise. The process of dilution through which the opera is put in order to present it, without objectionable features, in the English form, has deprived it of much of its virile strength and attractiveness.”

“At the Lyceum Theatre, the Soldene Troupe have done a fair business the past week with ‘Genevieve de Brabant.’ On Thursday evening Miss Clara Vesey made her American debut, singing the role of Oswald, the Duke’s page. She is a brunette, petite in form, quite pretty, and acts with much archness and vivacity…”