Huguenots

Meyerbeer's Les Huguenots in 19th century Paris

by Clarissa Lablache

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LES HUGUENOTS IN PARIS 1836: SOME EARLY REVIEWS.

The first performance of Les Huguenots on February 29th 1836, was one of the most stunning successes in the whole history of the Paris Opera. Six weeks later, a reviewer for the "Revue des deux Mondes" wrote: "...any criticism would have to fall silent in the face of such an overwhelming success. There was spontaneous approval as well as intense debate concerning Meyerbeer's "point de vue," his esthetic point of view. The realism of the historical settings and local color were praised. It caused the audience to participate, and to be caught up in this horrible event." Later Hector Berlioz stated that Meyerbeer had packed this opera with enough musical riches for 20 successful operas. By April 17, 1836, the box office of the Paris Opera took in 11, 300 francs, a sum never before attained. In the 64-year period between 1836 and 1900, Les Huguenots was the first opera ever to reach the magic number of 1000 performances. Rossini's Guillaume Tell, written in 1829, also clocked up huge successes during that time, reaching its official 500 performance in French at the Opera, on February 10 1868, the same year Rossini died.[ November] These two operas shared the talents of France's leading tenor of the day, Adolphe Nourritt, who not only sang both Arnold and Raoul for the first time, but created Eleazar in "La Juive," by Halévy, and Robert in "Robert le Diable." Historically, he was the greatest singing actor among the dramatic French tenors of his time.

A REVIEW: PUBLISHED 1844:*

When Meyerbeer's Les Huguenots, (libretto by Scribe), was produced at the Academic Royale de Musique, in Paris: "...it was a bold and even hazardous attempt to bring such a subject as the religious disputes between the Catholics and the Huguenots, and the horrors attached to the Massacre of St. Bartholomew, within the range of the lyrical drama. But M. Scribe, with the aid of the " Chronicles of the Time of Charles the Ninth," by Prosper Merimee, has most successfully combated all the apparent difficulties; and Meyerbeer, being of the Jewish religion, has maintained a strict impartiality, and accorded an equal portion of the music to Papists and Lutherans. Adolphe Nourrit (whose premature death, when at the zenith of his professional career,** we have to deplore) was, under the name of "Raoul de Nangis," the symbol of Protestantism; while the beautiful Cornelie Falcon, in the character of 'Valentine,' was the representative of Catholicism.

A strange fatality seems to have attached to the two distinguished artists we have just named: the one was consigned to an early grave at Naples, and the other, from the effects of a severe illness, has been deprived of one of the finest voices that ever emanated from a human being- a loss the more to be deplored, since, not withstanding several fair "debutantes" have successively attempted the character none have attained the "elat" of the lovely original. The opera, however, has continued to maintain its high and merited position in public estimation, and is attended with the most triumphant success whenever it is performed."

*This is from a published review in 1844 from: ("Les Beautés de l'Opéra") Charles Heath.1844. [Lablache Library Collection] The fine illustrations were used in the book and libretto for the LP. Les Huguenots: Stereo London OSA 1437 with Joan Sutherland.

**The famous tenor Nourrit suffered from depression and jumped to his death.

SOME OF THE EARLY CASTS: [Pre.1900]:

Cornelie Falcon, Julie Dorus-Gras, Pauline Viardot, Trellet-Nathan, Destinn, Giulia Grisi,Theresa Seguin, Fanny Marai, Adelina Patti, Teresa Tietjens, Ilma di Murska, Clarice Sinco, Jeanne Castellan, Marietta Alboni, Angela Bosio,Marie Miolan-Carvalho, Marie Battu, Pauline Lucca, Zelia Trebelli, Louisede Meric Lablache, Sofia Scalchi, D'Angeri, Marcella Sembrich, Nordica,Emma Albani, Eva Terazzini, Nellie Melba etc

Mario, Roger, Jean Faure, Antonio Tamburini, Karl Formes, Marini, JosephTagliafico, Polonini, Emilio Naudin, Pietro Mongini. Pol Plancon, ErnestNicolini, Charles Santley, Edward de Reszke, Jean de Reszke, FrancescoTamango, Allessandro Bettini etc.

Clarissa Lablache

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