Théâtre Français

Event Information

Venue(s):
French Theatre

Conductor(s):
Auguste Predigam

Event Type:
Opera, Play With Music

Record Information

Status:
Published

Last Updated:
21 July 2016

Performance Date(s) and Time(s)

26 May 1866, 8:00 PM

Program Details

“Inauguration of the new theatre”

Performers and/or Works Performed

3)
Text Author: Moreau
4)
Composer(s): Isouard
Text Author: Hoffmann

Citations

1)
Article: New York Herald, 19 May 1866, 1.

    “SUCCESSFUL EXPERIMENT OF LIGHTING THE NEW HOUSE.
 
    This elegant building, which is, no doubt, destined shortly to become the favorite place of resort of people of refined and cultivated taste in this metropolis, was thrown open last night to a number of ladies and gentlemen, for the purpose of witnessing the first experiment of lighting the house. Shortly after eight o’clock people began to arrive, and after walking through the tiers and viewing the splendid auditorium from all sides and in all its exquisite details, descended to the orchestra, and then collected on the stage. At this moment the gas was fully turned on, and the house appeared in a blaze of graceful purity and unparalleled magnificence. The exquisite taste which presided over the decorative part of the auditorium was fully appreciated by the visitors, who simultaneously expressed their admiration by unanimous applause.

    The effect of the ceiling, with its exquisite medallions, and of the proscenium, crowned by two gigantic allegories of Music and Tragedy, in golden relief, on the pure white back ground, was truly magical. On the other hand, the proscenium boxes, divided on each side by three columns surrounded by graceful caryatides, stood out in bold relief radiant with their exquisite decoration. Without counting the orchestra lights, the three hundred and fifty gas burners in the auditorium, displayed in semicircular arrangement throughout the tiers, gave the ensemble a most enchanting aspect.

    Compared to most of the old buildings on Broadway, where the public are packed together like sheep in a fold, condemned to several hours of sore inconvenience to limb and body, this house, with its wide and comfortable seats, its elegant boxes, its tasteful decorations, its masterly frescoes and its excellent acoustic arrangements, is quite a new feature in New York. Its opening inaugurates, also, a new era to art under the discriminating management of men of undoubted talent and experience. This most important fact, with the exhilarating aspect and the hygienic attributes of the new house, will at once be appreciated by an intelligent public fully alive to all progress replete with comfort, and, above all, a keen observer of all civilizing improvements.”

2)
Advertisement: New-Yorker Staats-Zeitung und Herold, 25 May 1866.
3)
Advertisement: New-York Times, 26 May 1866.

COMMENT: Author’s name for Nos alliées is given as Mercier, who was seen in a production in Gand.

4)
Advertisement: New York Herald, 26 May 1866.
5)
Review: New York Herald, 27 May 1866, 5.

    “By the opening of the new French theatre last night a new era for the American stage was inaugurated. We were anticipating success, but the result decidedly surpassed our expectations. The performance was conducted throughout with that admirable tact and discriminate knowledge of the requirements of a first class audience which are so characteristic of all theatrical entertainments in the capitals of Europe. In spite of the partially unfinished state of the stage machinery everything went on satisfactorily.

    In the past the public of New York, generally absorbed in the contemplation of that which was believed to be a realization of perfection, have constantly lost sight of that indispensable harmony of details which is one of the foremost attributes of perfection on the stage. This deficiency will doubtless soon be remedied upon the American stage by the very exigencies of a public that emulates refinement in all its forms. These exigencies will sweep out of the New York theatres all the selfish speculations which, while they disgraced the stage, were nipping in the cradle the hopes, ambition and emulation of talents which are but waiting for a sign of encouragement to step out of a sphere of modest retirement and add to the American stage some of that fame of which it stands in need.
    
    The educated classes have begun to feel the extent of the gross impositions practiced upon the public at large, and last night’s brilliant manifestation will do much in favor of an energetic movement in the right direction for the coming season. The new house was filled with the best society. The fine auditorium, affording in its intelligent distribution every comfort that the combination of good taste and science could devise, presented a sight which will not soon be forgotten.

    On Friday afternoon tickets had become scarce and yesterday numerous applications could not be complied with. Messrs. Juignet and Drivet, however, deserve much praise for their untiring exertions and their gentlemanly efforts to accommodate everybody. Many of the fortunate ticket holders arrived at an early hour in order to obtain a thorough survey of the house in all its details and inspect its neat and tasteful decoration before the rising of the curtain. We need hardly add that unanimous approbation was expressed and that the universal satisfaction which could be read on every countenance gave the auditorium, glittering with fashion, a most exhilarating aspect, when the entertainment opened with Nos Alliées.
[review of the play follows]

    Les Rendez-vous Bourgeois concluded the performance. One of the most successful opera bouffes ever put upon the stage, Les Rendez-vous Bourgeois, was represented for the first time at the Comic Opera, Paris, May 28, 1807, and has since been given over a thousand times in the French capital with unabating success, being brought out again at the theatre of the Bouffes-Parisiens April 26, 1866. Its reception by an American audience last night speaks much in favor of its merits. As an opérette it is a most lively reminiscence of those charming ariettes which made the delight of the early stage of the French empire. It was written by Hoffmann; the music is by Nicolo. Both librettist and composer thoroughly understood their public, which is the public of all times; for in bequeathing to posterity their extravagant drolleries of wit and harmony in one of the most amusing sketches of middle class associations of the time, they laid the foundation of a stock of incommensurable merriment for several generations. In our opinion their immortality is one of the kind for which even our nephews and grandchildren ought to feel grateful.

    In saying that the impersonation of the characters of this opérette by the troupe of Messrs. Juignet and Drivet is perfect, we shall hardly have paid our just tribute of gratitude for the amount of merriment which we derived from the performance.

    Mme. Potel is an excellent comic singer, and thoroughly understands how to handle the ariette.  Mmes. Larmet and Hinry had their full share of applause, and never did a Paris public listen to a finer Jasmin than the one which Mr. Henry Fontenay so skillfully impersonated last night. Messrs. Chol, Larmet, Deligne and Herndorff, already well known among us, will certainly gather some comic-operatic laurels before another season has closed upon us.

    To-morrow Mr. Draper’s troupe will give us the Doctor of Alcantara, an English operetta, translated from and arranged after Bonjour Monsieur Pantalon. This is another inauguration on the same stage which will doubtless register its success by the side of that which we have but briefly recorded.

    The orchestra, under the leadership of Mr. A. Predigam, is second to none in the metropolis. This was fully demonstrated last evening by the excellent execution of the overture of the Adolphe Adam’s Torreador.”

6)
Article: New York Herald, 27 May 1866, 5.

Description of the new French Theatre, one paragraph each on “The Front,” “The Vestibules,” “A View of the Salle,” “The Parquet,” “The Dress Circle,” “The Upper Tiers,” “The Proscenium Boxes,” and “The Proscenium, Stage, Scenery, Machinery and Retiring Rooms.”  A very detailed and generally more objective account than that given in the Times, the Herald’s occasional subjective observations are more generous than those of the Times, noting, for example, “the chaste magnificence with which the house has been decorated. The artist and architect have used colors and mouldings most sparingly, and the result of their discretion is speedily made evident.”

7)
Review: New-York Times, 28 May 1866, 5.

“The French Theatre was opened to the public on Saturday evening. Our readers will be glad to know that Messrs. Juignet & Drivet have at last found a home, and that we may hereafter anticipate a series of performances worthy the traditions of the French stage. We are among those who take the matter calmly. Nothing will be upset or disturbed by this new venture. It does not mark the beginning of a new era, and is not likely to sap the allegiance of the public to the regular drama. A necessity more fashionable than urgent existed for a house where the French language could be heard, and this has been supplied. Messrs. Juignet & Drivet have a capital company, and, so long as they produce their pieces well, they will enjoy the success they merit. Expectation has, we think, been unduly excited about their establishment. Externally it is by no means an architectural ornament to the City. Internally it is an ordinary theatre, far inferior in finish of decoration to the Olympic or Niblo’s Garden. The impression, indeed, on entering is anything but pleasant. The decorations are cheap, and in bad taste. Nothing can be more hideous than the row of gilt eagles which disfigures the first tier, or more unsightly than the upper proscenium boxes. The heat on Saturday night was intolerable, owing perhaps to the perfume of paint through which it was communicated. We hope that the subject of ventilation has been duly attended to. It is too often neglected even in our best regulated establishments. The auditorium proper, including amphitheatre, will seat about fifteen hundred people. From every part of the house a good view of the stage can be obtained, and the acoustical properties of the building seem to be perfect. The pieces played on Saturday night were ‘Nos Alliées’ and ‘Les Rendezvous Bourgeois.’ When the curtain ascended on the comedy the house was not half full, although the sale of reserved seats had ceased at the box-office. The audience advanced in numbers during the evening, but for an opening night the attendance was inadequate. It represented, however, many of the best families. The artists of the company are the same as heretofore. They played with much spirit. ‘Nos Alliées’ is the original of ‘Bosom Friends,’ and was given last season with the same distribution. It could hardly be improved. An opera-bouffe called ‘Les Rendezvous Bourgeois’ was the afterpiece.  An excellent orchestra, under the direction of M. Predigam, contributed agreeably to the evening’s entertainment.”