The morning call., 1890-06-09
LA GRANDE DUCHESSE
The Revival at Les Varieties of
Offenbach's Production.
An Interesting Sketch of Hortense Schneider,
Who Was the Grande Duchease," and
One Of Jeanne Granier.
Special Paris Letter to The CALL.

| PARIS, May II, s90.-Offenbach's oper-
ette, la Grande Duchesse de Gerolstein"
was last night revived at the Varieties Thea
ter, with Jeanne Granier in the title role.
| The revival of the Grande Duchesse" has
| produced a strange impression on Parisians
The boulevardiers weep over the Paris of
1867, when 0tfenbach's music was the fash
ion, when the "Grande Duchesse'' was the
great event of the exposition. Before leav-
ing New York or St. Petersburg travellers
engaged seats by telegraph for the repre-
sentation at the Varieties, and evening
after evening Hortense Schneider sang be-
| fore an audience composed of crowned
heads. There were the Gar of Russia,
the Sultan Abdul-Aziz, the Emperor OF
| Austria, the Kings of Prussia, Holland,
Greece and Sweden, the Prince of Wales,
Bismarck. G0rtschakotf, etc. All Europe
| was represented on the banks Of the Seine,
| and it Will be remembered that the blonde
singer considered herself royal parsonage,
| for one day she drove up to the exposition,
before the door exclusively reserved for
| soVeregns Who are y0u?" said the
guardians. " am the Grande Duchesse
| de GerolStein." proudly replied Schneider
as she passed through the door
| In,"La Grande Duchesse," Schneider was
| veritable sovereign, aud with her will dis
! appear one of the most famous women Of
| the second EN- ,ire At present she lives
outside of Paris, an invalid, with only a
short lease OF life, say her physicians.
Fifty-fye years ago Hortense Schneider
was born at Bordeaux, and although her
! parents were not poor they occupied
| almost the lowest rank in life. Very
early Hortense discovered that her blonde
| beauty might be of great advantage in a
| theatrical career. No attention was paid
| to the expostulations of her mother, none
| to the threats of her father. She made her
| debut at a cafe-chantant, left her disGraced
| family and came to Paris. Introducing her
self to the Partisan world at the Theatre
| des BGutfes she soon had superb resi-
dence in the Champs ElySees, her horses
were the envy OF society stars, her diamonds
worthy of queen. Everything was
Schneider, but as an artist she was very
| caprlclous. If she saw some diStins suished
| foreigner, some member of the jockey club
| in her audience see displayed all her talent,
but unfortunate were her listeners did she
not perceive among them at least one Of
| her more powerful admirers. However
day came when her popularity began to
wane and after the war
SHE RETIRED FROM THE STAGE
And devoted herself to the management Of
| her Immense fortune. Hortense Schneider
| believes the only mistake Of her life was
| her marriage. Anxious to change her the
atrical title Tor one that was genuine, she
| married an Italian Count, but when she
discovered that his castles were in Spain
and his title not more real than hers of
| Grande Duchesse, she sent him to his
friends in Italy and contented herself with
the name by which she is known TO the
! world-Hortense Schneider.
Jeanne Granier is worthy successor of
Schneider. Although the daughter of an
| actress, Jeanne was not destined for the
theater-in fact, was placed in convent
| far away from the rumors OF theaters.
| But Jeanne, at the age of IA, informed
her Mortified mother that she had decided
to be either an actress or singer. Seeing
that the girl was in1exble in her determi-
| nation, the mother said: My child, have
your way, but choose the life of singer :;
it is more desirable than that of an actress"
| Those who saw Jeanne Granier at II
years of age tell me that then she was far
from pretty; that she had the appearance
| of an awkward boy, and was thin to a start
ling degree. But she decided to present
| herself for admission at a conservatory of
music. Jeanne reflected on all the posi-
| blitleS OF defeat, but had remarkable faith
in her own talent. In those days her sight
was very defective-in fact, she was threat
ened with blindness. Unfortunately, she
| could not see when to place her feet on the
| ladder by which she must reach the plat
| form, and after one or two steps, down she
| went. The jury, with Auber at the head,
| were stupefed at the sudden disappearance
! of the future prima donna, and all rushed
to her relief. Whenever candidate, after
| singing lew notes, was considered unfa-
| YOrably some one rang q bell, and he or
| she Immediately ceased singing and re-
tired into obscurity. Jeanne, after begin
| Ling, heard no stroke of the bell and con-
| tinued TO sing, at the same time turning the
| leaves for her accOmpanist, or rather throw
| ing them on the floor, for her defective eye
| sight maze her very, very awkward. But
| when she finished quite c0ntented with her
| performance, she ventured to glance ut the
| jury. Some of the members were so con-
yulsed with laughter that they had fallen
on the floor; others were leaning their
heads on tables and chairs, trying thus to
hide their merriment. Jeanne was not at
all abashed, but Joined in the laugh at her
| own expense. When Auber recovele ed HIM
self sufficiently to speak, he SAID:
II THINK, MY CHILD,
ut would be well to study a little more be-
| fore you sing here"
The four years following this attempt
| were, for Jeanne, years of suffering and de-
spair. The partial blindness became total
| blindness, and during the siege of Paris
she was heard to say: III l cannot be a
singer, let me perish with my brothers,
1 hOWtNGI, 6TdUltT was not
doomed always to mourn for lost sight :;
quickly it went, but as quickly returned,
and then professor was chosen unfor-
tunately very incompetent one After
various extraordinary exercises he sue
ceeded in completely breaking the girls
voice. For weeks was she not only unable
to sing, but her voice in speaking was not
above whisper. Some friends found a
| professor who not only restored Jeanne's
voice, but taught her how to sing.
When fenbach, the benefactor Of so
many young artists, heard of Jeanne Gra-
| nieTS struggles he sent for her and said /:
"The0 plays La JOlie Parfumeuse,' and
should she be i'll there is no one to take
her place. Will you learn her role?'
Jeanne rehearsed two or three times
with the prompter, for no one else seemed
to take much interest in the would-be
actress but she never really believed that
| some day her turn was to come. 1t came,
however. Theo was ill and the kind hearted
| prompter sent for Jeanne. The mother
said. Impossible! You are not prepared. :"
But Jeanne exclaimed, 81 shall take Theo's
place tonight" Jeanne, as | have said,
was very thin. Theo quite the contrary
so an immense number of pins were used in
| adapting Theo's costume to Jeanne's slender
| figure. Parisians who were present at this
| debut forgot their favorite Theo What n
success it was! For Jeannie Granler it
| was the beginning of a remarkable career
| succession OF creations aud reviyals. one
more successful than the other, until to-day
| JEANNE Granier is at the apogee of her
fame.
II Offenbach can see what is passing in
this world he must be satisfied to know that
ms little protege, Jeannie Granier. is worthy