Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1879-03-29
What Manager COlviIle Has to Say About
the History Of the Opera Burlesque
as introduced into this Country
by the Lydia Thompson
Troupe.

information as to the opera ourlesque busl-
ness now being presented in this city by the
Colville opera burlesque company, inter-
viewed Manager Sam Colville, at his rooms
at the Peabody, yesterday. The veteran man
ager was found IN his room engaged In letter
writing, but our commissioner, who had sent
up his card, was received IN a hospltable
manner. While indulging in cigar and
settler lemonade, dashed with port wine, the
conversation between the commissioner and
the manager soon drifted into discussion
on stage business from an opera burlesque
outlook.
~ wish to know something concerning the
history of the burlesque opera business, for
the purpose of instructing our readers,
said the press man, land knowing you to be
the great head and front of the school, | de-
sire to have your experience as to the mat
ter"
Manager Colville, heavy, thick-set, portly,
dark featured man with black, curly hair,
moustache and goatee tlnged with gray,
studied for a few seconds, and then in a
strong, emphatic voice answered.
HISTORY OF BURLEsQUE OPERA.
81 am much obliged to you for your visit,
and l will give you all the information l can.
Prior to the year 1868 this class of entertain
ment was unknown in the United States.
In that year Miss Lydia Thompson and troupe
came to the nlted States, and | became con-
Woods museum, New York, with great sue
cess, and created furore. Prior to that time
we had a school of burlesque extravaganza,
which was presented by actors and actresses
of high order of talent. By Mr.. Joseph JET
ferson, Mrs. John Woods and host of others
who were exceedingly clever people, but they
soon abandoned the burlesque extrava-
CANA for the legitimate walks of the
drama. For several years prior to the
advent OF the Lydia Thompson troupe, bur-
lesque business ceased to exist In this coun-
try. From 1869, when the Lydia Thompson
troupe departed from Woods museum, stHtil
1871, had nothing to with the business, and
in the mea ntime the opera burlesque school
deprecated for want of proper direction. The
country was full of it, number of companies
beng on the road, but it resulted in having
stigma attached to the name of burlesque
opera. In the spring of 1871 | undertook the
management of the Lydia Thompson troupe,
and from that time l found that it was a labor
to restore burlesque to ita proper plane in the
public mind, to the sphere of respectability
l we'll remember that when in this city, in
1871, a prominent newspaper man left his
wife in the hall of the theater while he went
inside in order to see that the entertainment
was TT for lady to attend, and yet at the
time In this city we were patronized extraVa-
gantly. But the character OF the entertain
n,ent was so uncertain IN the public mind
that many feared to take their wives aud
daughters to see the burlesque. AT that time
our burlesque business was excellent AID I'M
questionable, although we did not have as
high an order of music then as we now
have. | exercise the greatest care and
closest observation as 10 yhat Is said
on the stage, and also Ia selecting people
as members of the troupe. They must be
gentlemen and ladies, who in word or actor
never suggest anything Objectionable to su-
diences. The Lydia Thompson troupe won
public fame socially wherever they appeared.
and when Miss Thompson left this country
in 1874, the best hotels in the country were
only too happy to receive the members of the
troupe. This company, under my manage
ment, stood aloof from the general order of
companies. Burlesque ceased to exist here
until Lydia Thompson returned from Eng
land in 1877. It then was reproduced with
greater magnifcence and with greater num-
bers of people, music being made the pronj-
neDt feature OF the organization. When Lydia
Thompson returned to England in December
1877, l reorganized the company, which was
named the Colvllle folly company, but syon l
saw this name did not properly describe the
organization, so | changed it to its present
name, the Colville opera burlesque company
The company was reorgan zed with strong
musical talent, and Mile. Roseau is Il ~
strictly musical feature of the organizat ION
The company now presents all the ele, aents
OF comic opera and bHriesque, an d nv
intention is to strengthen the epaniza-
ton with greater musical tai emf and
gradually drift from the burlesq or into the
comic opera. The public taste is driftino that
way yearly, and hence the sucr ess OF II. nj
S. Pinqfore. l am convinced. that the dav
is past when the theater-goi oo public epiov
''legs" as feast. They Want talent and any
amount of good music"
THE OPERA 30. yFFE RUsIEEss.
Cur reporter, who listened attentiveIy TO
the talk OF the mP. Eager, said:
but; Mr.: Co4ville, you must admit that
public
Light s.nother cigar" answered Mr.. Col
vile, an6 "a the manager became a dim
shadoW ia 3. cloud of smoke, his voice rang
out cieas1y from the cloud: Opera boufe, -
said ne I'VE get from the French school, but
IL aas p lasclvlous tendency, and is filed
with double entenGres, with dirt, which al
ways travels with it from France, even al
thoTgh that DIRT is intIc1uced by the ravish-
H4g music of Otfenbach. Opera bovfe can
be free from judelicate 81 Illusions, from bad
actions, and still be SUE. cessful. Indeed l
claim that the people ar g taking hold of this
matter IN such way that r1less the lighter
opera is free from it it ca1not be success
full. The elevation of the drama of opera
lies with the peopI q. In the management
we must have ahsEit7y composed of education,
experience, taste IL art, continued industry
all governed by oUnscienhousness. Then the
elevation of thE. branch - opera is another
thing to be Co nsidered. There is too much
looseness on tie part of managers in regard
to the morals of their troupes. There is too
much catering to improper tastes. 1t lies
WITH the people to stop that SORT of thing.
That the lighter operas can be successful
without catering to vulgar and depraved
tastes am certain, and | think may point
with some degree of pride to this very troupe,
IN whose whole performance there can be
found nothing Objectionable and whose sue
cess is well known l am obliged to be
scrupulousIy particular in the management
OF uy troupe that nothing of an immoral
nature attaches to its character. OF course |
cannot have CO ntrol of their actions outside
the theater, but | am very strict in my regu-
latlons regarding their actions In and about
the theater and upon the stage. That is the
sum and substan &c OF it.
THE SCHOOLS OF THE FUTURE,
We have come to realize the advancing
musical taste of The public by the wonderful
success of Gilbert and SulliVan's Ps,,afore.
The comic words set to Che beautiful airs of
Mr.. Sullivan capture everybody. This coun-
try ought to be able to produce fine bur-
ieSque operas; 1t is full eff good themes
whlch appear oftens and should be seized
upon py musicians and h5reStO writers. We
want now the sapIe character of mana ge-
ment which lnflueD ced Mitchell, of the Jew
ORR olympic, IN 1850. The growing public
taste for the intr oducton of modern pla VS.
has caused the scho oil of actors to become ex,-
tlnct; we now do lot raise actors competen
20 play Shakespear can roles To be an acto.-
Of the modern school of plays, it is not
necessary to be educated in music or dancing,
winch was absolu tely necessary on the stage
thirty years ago. All that seems now neces-
sary IS to have a. fine suit OF clothes; but the
time will come when we will again have a
race OF stock &C tors. In the burlesque, it is
necessary that an actor should understand
music, sing well, dance with grace; in fact,
to have every stage attribute necessary for
the business. Indeed, they require greater
NUMBER OF accom- plishments for this bur-
!esque business than any other | know of.