Soldene English Opera Bouffe: La Fille de Madame Angot

“‘La Fille de Madame Angot’ was given last evening by the English opera troupe of Fräulein Soldene for the first time at the Lyceum Theater. The English have severely curtailed this opera of Mr. Lecocq. [There’s a difficult clause in the preceding sentence that suggests the English are very good at cutting things.] Many of the numbers, and especially the ensembles, have been altered and shortened. The performance was also behind that of the French Opera-Bouffe. Even Fräulein Soldene is a very weak ‘Mlle. Lang’ and the singers of the other main roles are not much better. But the operetta, just like ‘Genovesa,’ is brilliantly designed and staged in the best possible way. For the time being, ‘Die Tochter der Madame Angot’ will be performed every evening.”

“The Soldene English Opera Bouffe Troupe are at their best in ‘La Fille de Madame Angot.’ Lecocq’s most successful opera was produced by them at the Lyceum Theatre last evening, and the performance afforded great delight by its spirit, briskness, and precision. The English version which Miss Soldene and her associates interpret differs from the parent work only in so much that Mlle. Lange is cleverly introduced in the first act for the purpose of singing the ronde descriptive of the life and qualities of the deceased fish-wife. Audiences never weary of Miss Soldene’s vocal efforts, and this addition to her task gave exceeding pleasure. The whole representation, however, gratified the public. Miss Robson may be a trifle deficient in experience, but she uses her voice with taste and skill, and being withal both pretty and graceful, she is a not unacceptable Clairette. Mr. Beverley is also a rather clever singer, and his acting is easy and unaffected, which is tantamount to saying that Ange Pitou has in the gentleman a competent representative. The fun in ‘La Fille de Madame Angot’ is supplied by Messrs. Lewens and Marshall, and, as heretofore, an array of bright eyes and comely faces extends over the width and depth of the stage. Yesterday’s recital was abundantly successful; most of the known numbers had to be repeated, and the ultimate impression was excellent. ‘La Fille de Madame Angot,’ which, as we need hardly remind the reader, is one of the most melodiously and ingeniously written of operas bouffes, and quite inoffensive, will be given throughout the week.”

“It is a sad thing that virtue and cakes and ale will so rarely go together. There is a simple little anecdote of a small boy, who, when warned by his mamma that if he went out to play in the gutter he would be sorry for it, tartly replied, ‘Well, if I stay in, I shall be sorry too, so I’ll go!’ Somewhat similar is an embarrassment with opera bouffe. Punctilious people who hear it in its French dress are pretty sure to be scared with its over-frank directness of speech and action, but then it’s funny. As adapted to English-speaking audiences and actors it is unimpeachably proper, but more than perceptibly tedious, so a fair share of the fun-loving public will, on the whole, probably prefer to take its naughtiness in the original package. But, though Miss Soldene’s troupe do not act ‘Madame Angot’s Daughter’ in any proper or improper sense, they sing it, as music, very well indeed. Miss Robson has a silvery little ‘pocket voice,’ which does not for a moment recall the racy gutturals and audacious ventriloquism of Aimée, but she uses it as Madame Angot very daintily and sweetly, notwithstanding. Mr. Beverly too, the Ange Pitou of the evening, has a very ripe and pure tenor, though of small caliber, and sings in general with taste and correctness. As for Miss Soldene, it would be late in the day to hint that she is a capital vocalist in the English ballad style, which is as unlike the Bohemian breadth and ‘snap’ inherent in the character of Mlle. Lange as anything can well be. In short, our friends of the Lyceum make extremely pleasant music, which, however, would be quite as pleasant, or perhaps more so, if entirely disconnected from any action of the piece.”

“The English players who have visited us this autumn have been exceedingly unfortunate in their selection of opening pieces. Mr. Toole and Mr. Montague scarcely obtained the favor on their first appearance in New York that their later performances have shown them to deserve; and Miss Soldene’s company of comic opera singers by no means did themselves justice in the shallow, badly-translated version of ‘Genevieve de Brabant’ in which they began their present engagement at the Lyceum Theatre. Miss Emily Soldene’s Brabant is a clever and winsome impersonation, but the performances of her assistants in ‘Genevieve’ were not particularly brilliant. Those who had witnessed the previous representation, therefore, were quite unprepared for the sparkling and exceedingly clever performance last evening of a version of ‘Madam Angot’s Daughter,’ in which Miss Soldene appeared as Mlle. Lange. The adapter of the libretto has done his work excellently well. In removing from the piece the impurities and offensive suggestions of the French original, he has not only removed all that is interesting or humorous in the story. There is not a single vulgar allusion in the text, or a suggestion of impropriety in the action, but the piece is cheerful and entertaining throughout. The favorite actress of Paris and of Barras is given an entrance in the first act, and in the character of a street-singer she warbles the biography of Madame Angot, which Amaranthe sings in the original.

Miss Soldene’s impersonation of Mlle. Lange sustained the favorable opinion already expressed concerning her vocal powers and her acceptability as an actress. She was warmly applauded, and most of the musical numbers allotted to the character were redemanded. Of these the famous ‘Madame Angot’ song, which we have already mentioned, the ‘Augerceau’ air, and the encounter with Clairette, in the last act, were received with the greatest enthusiasm.

Miss Lizzie Robson made a charming Clairette. Her voice is a high soprano, sweet and silvery, and she was especially successful in the more delicate numbers—such as the opening air of Clairette, where she expresses her gratitude to her foster fathers and mothers, and promises obedience to their will. She also sang her parts effectively in the duets with Ange Pitou and Mlle. Lange. The rollicking songs were well done, but Miss Robson’s voice is not very strong, and it is apt to get husky after the second or third repetition of a number which must be loudly sung. Miss Robson looked her part admirably, and her acting is commendable, although not too good to be improved.

Mr. Beverly sang and acted well as the fickle Ange Pitou, and Mr. Marshall as Louchard, Mr. Wallace as Trenitz, Mr. Rae as Ponponnet, Mr. Lewens as Larivaudiere, and Miss Clara Vesey as Hersilie all deserve to be credited with capital performances. The scenery and decorations were handsome, the costumes were gorgeous beyond description, and when the stage was filled with choristers and supernumeraries the effect was extremely pleasing. English opera bouffe may now be said to have achieved a success in New York, and the present version of ‘Madame Angot’s Child’ will doubtless receive the approbation that it deserves.”

“The ever-favorite daughter of Mme. Angot made her appearance in English dress last night at this house under the care of Miss Emily Soldene and her merry blondes. There was a large audience to meet her, and the pretty little theatre looked cosey and bright. Lecocq’s delightful music was well rendered by the company, which has improved considerably since the first performance. The choruses were given with vigor and perfect ensemble; especially the conspirators’ chorus elicited warm applause. Miss Soldene assumed the rôle of Mlle. Lange, and gave with such spirit and success the song of Mlle. Angot,

To sell fish was her calling,

Mere Angot was her name.

that it received the honor of an encore. It was given with all the dash and élan of the best French school of opéra bouffe. One of the great charms of Emily Soldene’s acting and singing is its spontaneity. We feel that she enjoys what she does as much as the audience, and that she has thrown herself on the stage with enthusiasm. She’s so jolly that she coaxes the most saturnine spectator into good humor almost without his knowledge. She was well supported by Miss Robson, who sang the rôle of Clairette Angot with archness and spirit. Her voice is very pleasant, and her rendering of the sedition rondo, ‘Time was when monarch meant plunder,’ was deservedly encored. The duet, ‘Dear Days of Childhood, Time of Gladness,’ was also given with admirable taste and in a very spirited manner. The Trenitz of Mr. Wallace was exceedingly funny, rivalling the agility of the Parisian creator of the rôle. Mr. Marshall, as Louchard, was as disagreeable a looking customer as the original must have been under the Reign of Terror. The appointments were remarkably rich and some of the scenes were delightful color pictures. Indeed, the stage setting left nothing to be desired. It is not often that we have the opportunity of witnessing a performance of such even merit. It has the additional recommendation of being perfectly free from anything that could offend the most sensitive. It affords that portion of the public unacquainted with the French language an excellent opportunity of listening understandingly to a work with which they are all partially acquainted.” 

“The Soldene English Opera Bouffe Company have produced a very decided and favorable impression in ‘La Fille de Madame Angot.’ This lively and melodious opera was brought out at the Lyceum Theatre Monday evening, and ever since the house has been crowded. The representation is indeed well worth attending. Miss Soldene sings all Lecocq’s music with great taste and skill, and Mr. Beverley, the tenor of the troupe, manages a small but agreeable voice with excellent results. Miss Soldene, as already noted, personates Mlle. Lange, and Mr. Beverley portrays Ange Pitou. Clairette has a pretty and painstaking representative in Miss Lizzy Robson, and the purely comic rôles of the piece are in competent hands. Perhaps the most prominent feature of the recital we now allude to is the briskness and smoothness with which it progresses. So rattling an entertainment is seldom enjoyed, although it would be well if the desire to give all the numbers of the score with exceptional brio did not occasionally cause the artists to glide over some very significant and very effective points. The stage attire of ‘La Fille de Madame Angot’ is also to be referred to as conducing largely to the success of the revival. Brighter scenes than the combinations of Directoire costumes worn by a host of pert and pretty girls present have not met the eye since the earliest times of opera bouffe in Fourteenth street.”

“At the Lyceum Theatre, on Nov. 16, an English version of ‘La Fille de Madame Angot’ was sung for the first time here by the Soldene Troupe. The opera was beautifully mounted, and the cast was far more effective than that given to the previous production. All the popular airs were loudly encored; the conspirators’ chorus was redemanded some half a dozen times, and in the spirited finale of the last act Miss Soldene elicited a storm of applause. The concerted pieces were finely given, and the orchestral music was noteworthy for its excellence. In short, the entire performance was highly successful. Miss Emily Soldene unquestionably gave the best impersonation of Mlle. Lang that has been witnessed upon the local stage, and she appeared to greater advantage than in the role previously embodied by her. Miss Robson gave a spirited rendering of Clairette, both vocally and dramatically, her clear-toned and sweet voice being heard with marked advantage in the best arias of the opera. Mr. Beverly made a very favorable impression as Ange Pitou, being quite a clever actor, and possessing a remarkably sweet tenor voice. The other characters were satisfactorily performed. On Monday evening the auditorium was fairly filled; but the attendance speedily increased, and during the remainder of the week an excellent business was done.”