French Opera: La Dame Blanche

Juignet and Drivet are no longer the directors of this troupe; it is now “directed and controlled by an association of the artists themselves.”

“’La Dame Blanche’ last night was performed before a large and enthusiastic audience. This opera, both in plot and music, has all the elements of popularity, and, rendered as it is by the French company, it cannot fail to receive a great success. Unlike most operas, the story is full of dramatic interest, and a charming romance, which does not exceed the bounds of probability.

     It is difficult to select the songs and choruses in this opera for special mention, because the music from the beginning to the end is marked with most delicious melody and a high perfection of music construction. Anthelme’s song in the opening scene, ‘Ah quel plaisir d’etre soldat,’ rings with the life of the camp and field. The description of the White Lady, which is sung by Mlle. Laurentis and the chorus, expresses graphically the superstitious feeling of the people. A love duet between the young soldier and the White Lady—Mlle. Naddie—was delightfully fresh and tender, and was warmly applauded, as it fully deserved. One of the most effective points in the opera was a concerted piece at the end of the second act, where the entire company are engaged. We remember nothing superior to this in the range of light operas. The play ends with a most exquisite arrangement of the old Scotch song ‘Robin Adair,’ which is sung first in chorus, then by Anthelme, and subsequently by all the characters. This beautiful melody is interwoven with the orchestral score, is taken up by the solos and choruses, dropped and repeated with an artistic power and delicacy of treatment, which is not exceeded by Flotow’s use in ‘Martha,’ of the song of ‘The Last Rose of Summer.’” 

The event was sold-out and very well received by the audience.

“Boieldieu’s charming opera, ‘La Dame Blanche,’ was brought out in excellent style at the above establishment on Tuesday evening, before one of the largest audiences we have yet seen assembled to listen to the French opera. The company is now a common-wealth, and we are glad to see an evidence of the intention of our French citizens to sustain their praiseworthy endeavors.

Boieldieu was one of the musical lights of the present century, having died only as late as 1834. He was the author of several operas, which met in their day with varied success. The two operas by which he is to-day the best known are ‘La Dame Blanche’ and ‘Jean de Paris,’ both of which keep the stage, and will probably hold their place in the musical literature of the future, on account of a certain perfection in their style which stands the test of criticism and the changes in musical fashion and taste. The music abounds with fresh, natural melodies, which we recognize throughout the opera distributed between the voices and the instrumentation. The choruses are beautiful, both in melody and harmony, and the instrumentation abounds with beautiful figures, and is dashing, brilliant and full of color. We do not claim for the work musical inspiration of a high order, but we find in it pure melody, with able working of the subjects, a marked appreciation of dramatic effect and a rounded beauty as regards form, which makes itself felt from the beginning to the end. The concerted and ensemble pieces are numerous, a feature now much neglected for the sake of vocal display, and are worked with masterly skill. It is a thoroughly enjoyable opera; its variety precludes all sense of tediousness, and the audience on Tuesday sat three hours and a quarter of music with a satisfaction which could only spring from positive enjoyment.

     The performance of the opera was eminently satisfactory. The choruses, which are numerous and fully harmonized, were sung with admirable correctness, spirit and promptitude, and proved one of the pleasantest features of the performance. The orchestra was well drilled, and, for its numbers, besides playing with accuracy and spirit, imparted much color to the score.

     The principal artists are all excellent singers and accomplished actors, who speak with graceful fluency, with propriety, piquancy and emphasis. M’lle. Naddie is an educated singer, fluent in execution, and graceful and earnest in expression. She uses her voice, which is of moderate power, skillfully and with effect, and both in her singing and acting the charm of refinement is agreeably manifest. The same may be said of M’lle. Laurentis, who is a spirited and piquant actress and an accomplished singer. Another pleasant feature observable in the French Opera Company is the elegance and propriety of the costumes; the eye is never offended by violations of taste, for the artists do not forget what is due to the conventionalities of society. Mr. Anthelme appears to be the special favorite of the public, and was greeted with remarkable demonstrations of popular regard. He has a light but very pleasing tenor voice, blending the somber and head registers with rare grace and skill. The music calls for frequent use of the falsetto, which M. Anthelme’s careful and artistic management render agreeable rather than otherwise.  His role is singularly arduous, but he knows so well how to reserve his powers that he went through it most successfully, without apparent effort. He is a graceful and easy actor, and vocally and dramatically well deserves the favor with which he is regarded by the public. The other artists—Mme. Daire, M.M. Vert, Scribot, Walter, and Olivier—merit warm and special mention for the spirited and effective rendering of their respective rôles.

     Commenting upon the entire performance, we would remark that it was perfectly equal in its excellence. It betrayed no weak point. The solos were spiritedly and effectively rendered; the duos and other concerted music a perfect unanimity of thought and careful practice for combined effect, and the ensemble pieces were well studied and dramatically rendered. The audience felt the influence of this equal excellence, and asking for no special, dazzling stars, acknowledged it by hearty applause and frequent recalls of the artists.”

"The first evening in the series of performance announced by the new association had an immense success. Our excellent artists could see that we didn’t deceive them in predicting that the sympathies of the audience would not find them wanting. The manner in which they interpreted La Dame Blanche, that always-popular masterpiece, produced a veritable sensation, and Boieldieu’s opera is a mine that can continue to be exploited with profit.

            What struck us most in the performance the day before yesterday was the excellence of the ensemble. Not one scene was inferior to another, no detail was left to be desired. La Dame Blanche, so often maimed by the German companies, had never been done with such perfection in New York. M. Anthelme, elegant, distinguished and favored with a knack for pleasing, sang and acted the role of George Brown wonderfully well, in spite of a slight cold which has skill hardly permitted to be noticed. The aria in the first act, the cavatina in the second, the duets and trios were transporting. Mlle Naddie was delightful, as always. She is the idol of the public, and never has idolatry been better placed. Mlle Laurentis, in a very different genre, rivals her in grace and popularity. The role of Gaveston suits M. Vert marvelously well; his low notes are beautiful, and he sang with perfect style. M. Scribot, whom we know for his excellent comic artistry, showed himself in a new light in the role of Dickson: a voice of very good quality and technique no less good; as an actor, it goes without saying that M. Scribot is considered a master. Mme Daire knew how to please in the role of old Marguerite, and M. Walter cut a very good figure as the justice of the peace. The orchestra related the overture and the principal selections of the work with irreproachable taste, and we would be at a loss to criticize the chorus. Here’s a handsome debut for the season, and we have felt an unmixed satisfaction in seeing the hall furnished like we’ve not yet seen it—the parquet was full. The audience, enchanted, called the singers back after each act.”

The performance was very well done. Naddie, like Anthelme, was excellent throughout; Anthelme’s powerful voice was strong enough to be easily heard over the chorus and orchestra.