The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1880-01-11
THEATRICAL REVIEW.
Historical Sketch Of the Opera
Bouffe. and It's OriginatOrs.

Iu6 UpSFIlC WICK uAb DSHu FuOEb huN
opera bouffe at all events. would not justify al
extended criticism or review. 10 to the pres
ent date the Maurice Gfau French Opera Troupe
have drawn paying houses at the reRu ar prict
OF 50 a sea- but We are still of the opinion that
they cannot continue long to attr act remanera-
tive audiences un Ter the same c)nditions
Friday eve ing and yesterdays m ltinee already
show falling off
At an entrance price OF 81. and fifty cents ad
mission for reserved seats. the management
would eertalaly d, better. We know of q great
many people who would go often to hear such
good troupe. lf the rrice (parttcul rly for the
opera boufft1 was not 80 extravag INT But we
suppose the mtnase-s kuow whas they are
about. and we will certainly not contest their
right even to inere ise their prices. should they
deem flt. The only thing We have asked not as
favor. buJ as right to which the public Ia
entitled, fs that there should be sufficient ligh
to iIlunine the hali la such way that friends
aud acquaiatauoes may REQ ,gnizs each other
aud the loveiest of our women may not be
made to look like scare rows under the horrid
light which disngures them.
These things promised we think that some
small talk about the history OF the opera bouffs
or operette. ds we will call It. will not prove un-
Interesting.
L. Is u pOpuihT DeIibI tU6 DtTtH OF Tue
oper- tito dates from the later part, o. the nins
teenth century and that OFF nbach Is the orig
inator tf this now and extravagaut departure
In music. AS usual. the popular belief Is in
The real father OF the opereite was Giovanni
Pargolesi. an italian composer. disciple OF
Vinci and HaHBs who wrote g. veral oper ties,
called. al the time. co onic interm zzos. amoug
which may be menti ned hs Ssrva ldrona."
which WAS produced at Piris 10 1880. and re-
ceived with great enthusiasm Psrgolesi's
fame however. not ifFpf through thA
eperete, but by hi sacred mpositions among
which bis Salye r. gina and his celebrated
artistic tas te and musical inepirstion.
La or. in 1s4s He,,v... who, was chief of
orch stra at the, Pulais. Royal Theatre.
operete by the production Of bis D N
Qniehotte. which W rk " q enthusiastically v
r-eetv,d and in which the 'Ronde" of Sanoho
Parzd 10 still auoed as q gem. He continued
bis work Of demolition. rs some critic. called it.
by the toreat loo nf Zoe Crevs. Chilperie. Les
Turcs-all oil which We're well received, and es
tablished that new and popuiar manner Of mu-
sic Il extravaRaDzas, By panderiug t. he t,sste
OF the Parisian public f1r delirious fun and un-
b .unded folly 10 sound and Nd &C ion II is there
larly believed. that he French operette owes
the honorrof paternity.
of the Th-atte Praneals his taste and genius
for music had led him t. compose. as PergoesI
had done ,fore. b-autifu symphonies which
had to be played at shs b. gaming of aets, aud
whose effect was. therefore. marred by tbs
noisy entrauee of Spectators at the end of in-
termlseions Dlsgusted wi h this kind OF work.
b. ch was sfroek With Hsrve's g success. a aad I Fis
miud poudtrtd over the Lew theme that dis
closed openings heretofore unseen. He imme-
dia ely set to work found a bretto and CON-
posed IN operette. but Was at q st b.ily re-
oeived by the theatre managers, Having, at
!ast, IN, " 1885. secured thl : pasiexs OF the
his own, he launched forth. to his hearts de-
sire. in all sorts Of theat ica bnffooneries and
music i eccentrteittes. II WAS then that he pro-
duced Tromhel q Ear. Bataclan and other ex-
travaRant musical compositions. His q st
ser tous work of the Kind was Orphee aux
hnfers. aud then the he uies of the operette
were revealed. 1t was indeed q simple thug
to do; sou ethtug Ike the story Of Cnrisrouh. r
Columhnss egg. He took hold OF the gods and
Sodassses Sodonss Of pplympu the heroes an
them the Parisian slauR. covered taem
with 1Idleulsudd took o
sradons 1 aade dwn 70 Us By by the he CLASSICS
made erusty old maids OF such women as Dt
aua. yixel q Juno era Ml,erva, dem. monde
Al txes and Achilles. bon vyapts Of Jupiter and
Priests, fop Of Paris and amorz'nx all ali th At
erenoe aud admire. Hs went further: he
turned In deri Il N the mans from which the
'ragedlans heretofore ba drawn their strongest
plet.ly intervortipg The gNnd. OF m, thoIogy
and the measured and heroic march Of classic
tragedy.
Orphee aux Eafe 8. La Grnnde Dnonease, La
Vie Parisieane, ano,h masterpiece II truth
and VIII; l.. Belle Helene and Barbe Bleus.
Grande Duchesse tn. opsrette acquired an in-
exou Rnable position in the musical world. Gen.
Bum alone has done more perhaps for the
aud MARI att for the navy.
Unhappily new school tfor servile and inept
imitators will always follow wherever talent
do ,ney ,nrfn traa fnt1v ~ So
honest work. of tue true srtists. Whilst the
masters OF this innovation In music who de-
spised not such accessories as the gro
tunes. exaggerated by plays and even almost
unaoer ptabl- puns,, meyer failed 10 place a
serious Idea as the basis Of their, work.
used only the accessortes. mace their
points out Of everything that is Rr ptesque. un
couth and indecent. aud lost sight en- irely of
that which bring. with 1t q moral
and q lesson: Their works lack. therefore.
essentially In idea aud sub taDce. and are only
worthy OF performance In beer saloons aud
variety shows. Among the serions au hofs OF
the 0Derttte we must not omit mentioning
Lecocq. VINO never loses sight OF the master
"a. which fs the foundation of every work be
somtc. pleasant, extravagant or serious. This
composer unites with the happiest innate
genius, remarkable musical kn pwlrd o. These
qualities particularly exem nif1ad In LIE Petit
Due. which Is considered his chef dguurs This
work + full OF original Id a.. fresh G nceptions
ana tDoun1s In hhrmon1ous melodies and
yraeefut Indications
This work was beautifully rendered by The
roupe, as we have already said. and is especial.
y com endabe for the exquisite freshness and
Appropriate tenor Of The co tunes and the
smart and easy way in which Leeocas beau't
III music WAS interpreted By all concerned.
First sut iee g ehoruses and orchestra
La Grabde Duchesse was given Friday even
ng. and. as We have already chranicled. was a
good performance. This is one OF the sprlght-
est works OF OffsnbAeh, full Of genuine mfrth
throughout and gracefully given by the author
10 all IT'S details.
Girof5- Cir fla was played beautifully at the
matinee, to fair audience, but as 1t will be
performed to- nie ht gain we will reserve criti-
BE n or aa eneonium MUM until Monday morning.
and best. attended last night the performanc.
ot La Belle Helene. " bitch is. as we believr the
IDEAL OF the opera houffa, particularly as IL WAS
played lat evening. All the actors were well
up TO their parts. aud Understood the fua W, II
enough TO render it In all rs d tails. 20 t. at
The audience could appr' ci tta the slig hte 81
shade and the N at covered bon mot" L