French Theater

“Galatée is on the bills for Thursday night, and we earnestly commend this beautiful performance to our opera-goers. The music, which is by Massé, is of a high order, and finds most worthy interpreters in this country.”

‘We are happy to say that such arrangements have been made as will ensure the continuance of the French company here.”

“In spite of the weather last night, which was very unpleasant and threatened to be stormy, the French Theatre was well filled. The attraction of such an opera as ‘Galathée’ was, indeed, sufficient to account for this. We have already criticised this opera, and there is no necessity for further comment to-day. We cannot, however, forbear to reiterate what we have already said in regard to its admirable performance by the French company, and especially as to the exquisite singing and acting of Mlle. Naddie, who, as Galathée, even excels herself. We have never, on any stage, seen a more perfect piece of artistic and yet thoroughly natural acting than this. It needs no knowledge of the language to understand the emotions delineated by Mlle. Naddie. A cursory reading of the libretto is all the aid that is necessary to follow the plot with ease. Her rendering of the drinking song, in the second act, is one of those performances which not only compel the admiration due to a splendid execution of vocal difficulties, but which fairly carries away an audience by its dramatic fervor and force. We will again say that we confidently expect the French to become a successful rival of the Italian opera in this country. While the former could never become naturalized in England, the quick appreciation of American audiences will readily enable them to understand and enjoy the refined humor of the French comic opera. The acting on the French stage is, besides, so much superior to that of the Italian school, that the mere pantomime almost supplies a lack of knowledge of the language.”