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Opera Production and Civic Musical Life in 1870s Montreal
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 19 December 2014
Abstract
This article explores the origins and productions of the Société Canadienne d'Opérette et d'Opéra de Montréal, a short-lived opera company active in the late 1870s. Headed by Calixa Lavallée and Frantz Jehin Prume, the Société was established in part as a result of a decree that forbade the use mixed choirs throughout the archdiocese, and consequently made obsolete Lavallée's choir at Saint-Jacques Church. Following the success of their first production, Lavallée and Prume realized that the company might be used as a stepping-stone to the creation of a government-funded music school, modelled on the Paris Conservatoire. This article explores the social and political context in which the Société was created, and details the staging and reception of its productions of Gounod's Jeanne d'Arc and Boieldieu's La Dame blanche. In selecting these works for performance, the organizers responded to demands and constraints of a society accustomed to popular entertainment from the US and under pressure from the conservative and influential Catholic Church. They were works that were feasible to produce and likely to be successful in a city whose population was divided by religion, language and cultural traditions.
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References
1 See Preston, Katherine, Opera on the Road (Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1993)Google Scholar.
2 The Théâtre de Société was established in Montreal in the final years of the eighteenth century. More than half a century later, in 1867, there was a local production of Donizetti's La Fille du régiment at Montreal's Crystal Palace, and the same year the impresario George Holman established a company in Toronto. Both of these companies are discussed in the Encyclopedia of Music in Canada (www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca). See also Kallmann, Helmut, A History of Music in Canada 1534–1914 (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1969)Google Scholar and Schabas, Ezra and Morey, Carl, Opera Viva: Canadian Opera Company: The First Fifty Years (Toronto: Dundurn, 2000)Google Scholar: 8. For a discussion of the Donizetti production, see Barrière, Mireille, ‘La Société Canadienne-française et le théâtre lyrique à Montréal entre 1840 et 1913’ (PhD diss., Université Laval, 1990)Google Scholar: 317–22. Dorith Cooper explores the Holman company in ‘Opera in Montreal and Toronto: A Study of Performance Traditions and Repertoire, 1783–1980’ (PhD diss., University of Toronto, 1984): 196–218.
3 In the US, private music schools had begun springing up in the 1860s, beginning with the Cincinnati Conservatory and the New England Conservatory. Canada was yet to produce anything comparable and the economic depression sparked by Panic of 1873 stock market crash diminished the likelihood of similar successes.
4 Montreal Directory, 1875–76 (Montreal: Lovell, 1876): 33.
5 At the time of the 1870 census, in seven of the ten largest cities more than thirty per cent of the population was foreign-born, a proportion that was down slightly from a decade earlier, when roughly half of the population of five US cities was foreign-born: San Francisco (50.1%), Chicago (50%), New York City (47.2%), New Orleans (46%) and Cincinnati (45.7%). US Census Bureau. Nativity of the Population for the 25 Largest Urban Places and for Selected Counties: 1860. http://www.census.gov/population/www/documentation/twps0029/tab20.html (Accessed 22 August 2010).
6 The main elements of the coat of arms were adapted into the city flag in 1938. See Ville de Montréal, ‘Coat of Arms, Flag and Symbols’, http://ville.montreal.qc.ca/portal/page?_pageid=5977,42249635&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL (accessed 2 June 2014).
7 Several scholars have explored the reformation of French-Canadian identity in the early decades of the nineteenth century. See Breton, Raymond, ‘From Ethnic to Civic Nationalism: English Canada and Québec’, Ethnic and Racial Studies 11/1 (1988): 93–94 CrossRefGoogle Scholar; Cook, Ramsay, Watching Quebec: Selected Essays (Montreal and Kingston: McGill-Queen's University Press, 2005): 68–72 Google Scholar; and Mann, Susan, The Dream of Nation: A Social and Intellectual History of Québec, 2nd edition (Montreal and Kingston: McGill-Queen's University Press, 2002): 48–66 CrossRefGoogle Scholar.
8 There were also a number of more upmarket weekly publications, among them the Canadian Spectator, the Illustrated Canadian News, l'Opinion publique, la Revue Canadienne and le Foyer Canadien.
9 See Thompson, Brian C., ‘Music and the Fight Against Confederation in 1860s Montreal’, Studies in Ethnicity and Nationalism 13/2 (October 2013), 218–235Google Scholar.
10 There were a number of venues scattered through the older parts of the city, among them the Mechanics’ Institute, Nordheimer's Hall and the converted Gosford Street locale variously known as the Opera House or the Palais Musical.
11 In 1878, The Crystal Palace was dismantled and reassembled in Fletcher's Field where it continued to serve as exhibition space and, in winter, a skating rink.
12 ‘Retour de M. de Madame F. Jehin-Prume’, Le Canada musical 2/4 (1 August 1875): 54.
13 Marmette, Joseph, ‘Chronique de Québec’, l'Opinion publique, 18 November 1875, 541 Google Scholar. ‘La voix douce, pure et sympathique de Madame Prume captive, remue, ravit par le charme extrême de sa diction et de sa phrase.’
14 See Édouard-Charles Fabre, Lettre circulaire de Mgr l’évêque de Montréal au clergé de son diocèse, MEM Mandement des évêques de Montréal, IX (28 December 1878): 216–17; Lefebvre, Marie-Thérèse, ‘The Role of the Church in the History of Musical Life in Quebec’, translated by Beverley Diamond, in Canadian Music: Issues of Hegemony and Identity, ed. Beverley Diamond and Robert Winter (Toronto: Canadian Scholars Press, 1994)Google Scholar: 70–71; and Brian Young, ‘Fabre, Édouard-Charles’, Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online.
15 The actress Lia Félix was well received in the title role, but critics dismissed Gounod's music for Jeanne d'Arc as little more than a ‘bundle of reminiscences’. See Harding, James, Gounod (London: George Allen & Unwin, 1973)Google Scholar: 179. See Barbier, Jules and Gounod, Charles, Jeanne d'Arc, drame en cinq actes (Paris: Choudens, 1873)Google Scholar; and ‘Jeanne d'Arc’, L'Illustration, 13 December 1873.
16 Lavallée's biographer Eugène Lapierre claimed that it was Léon Sentenne, parish priest at Saint-Jacques, who proposed staging an opera as a means of maintaining the choir, and recommended Jeanne d'Arc. Lapierre, Eugène, Calixa Lavallée: Musicien national du Canada (Montreal: Fides, 1966): 128–130 Google Scholar.
17 L'Opinion publique published a substantial discussion of the work on 4 December 1873 (see pp. 580–81).
18 ‘“Jeanne d'Arc” at AOM’, Canadian Illustrated News, 7 April 1877, 214.
19 The programme of chamber and vocal works included opera selections from Gounod, Bellini and Felicien David, Weber's Konzertstück, Max Bruch's Violin Concerto No. 1 in G Minor, op. 26, and the Canadian premiere of Schumann's Quintet, op. 44. See ‘Grand Concert’, Montreal Star, 3 March 1877.
20 See ‘Notes Locales’, Le Nouveau monde, 3 March 1877. That this ultramontagne newspaper reported on the event suggests a form of Church approval of the production.
21 ‘“Jeanne d'Arc” at AOM’, Canadian Illustrated News, 7 April 1877, 214.
22 The full cast list that appeared in the libretto provided only surnames of most of the performers. See Barbier, and Gounod, , Jeanne d'Arc, 1877 Google Scholar.
23 ‘Un événement artistique’, Le National, 16 May 1877. ‘La représentation de “Jeanne d'Arc” à l'Académie de Musique est un événement dont la portée ne peut échapper à personne. Cette démonstration artistique marque le commencement d'une ère nouvelle pour nous, et les organisateurs qui l'ont montée, les artistes qui y ont contribué et le public qui l'a encouragée doivent être aujourd'hui aussi fiers que nous du succès immense qu'elle a emporté.’
24 The Protestant Daily Witness was the exception, printing nothing at all about the production.
25 ‘Before the Footlights’, Canadian Illustrated News, 26 May 1877. 326.
26 Lavallée, Calixa and Prume, F. Jehin, ‘Communications’, Le National, 23 May 1877 Google Scholar.
27 Also that week, a theatrical troupe managed by Max Strakosch was performing at the Academy of Music, and a variety company from the US was performing at the Mechanics’ Hall.
28 A little further into the review, the writer claims the audience to have been just 1,500. The critic was as disparaging of the orchestra as he or she was complimentary of the vocalists. ‘Grand Musical Festival in the Skating Rink’, The Daily Witness, 29 May 1877.
29 See ‘Concert’, Le National, 26 June 1877.
30 In November, Lavallée included Prume as co-director in the advertisements for Jeanne d'Arc, perhaps for the promotional value of his name or perhaps in anticipation of his return to Canada. ‘Jeanne d'Arc’, advertisement, Le National, 19 November 1877.
31 ‘Jeanne d'Arc’, La Minerve, 20 November 1877. ‘Le public était anxieux de savoir comment elle s'acquitterait d'un rôle si difficile, écrit dans une langue qui n’était pas la sienne et accepté au dernier moment. Elle est sortie de l’épreuve d'une force victorieuse et sans noms faire complètement oublier Mme. Prume, est parfaite, son intonation riche et variée, sa pose et goût artistique; c'est en un mot une actrice ensorceleuse.’
32 ‘Theatre Royal’, Le National, 20 November 1877.
33 ‘Theatre Royal’, Montreal Star, 20 November 1877.
34 ‘Theatre Royal’, Le National, 26 November 1877.
35 See Robert Rumilly, Histoire de la province de Québec, Vol. II: Le ‘Coup d’État’ (Montreal: Éditions Bernard Valiquette, 1941).
36 A brief list of other potential operas Lavallée might have chosen would include Daniel Auber's Fra Diavolo (1830)Google Scholar and Le Domino noir (1837), Hérold's, Ferdinand Zampa (1831)Google Scholar, Donizetti's, Gaetano La Fille du régiment (1840)Google Scholar, and Thomas's, Ambrose Mignon (1866)Google Scholar.
37 Helmut Kallmann, ‘Antoine Dessane’, Dictionary of Canadian Biography.
38 The essay was extracted from Adam's Derniers souvenirs d'un musicien (Paris: Michel Lévy Frères, 1871): 277–94.
39 See Mitchell, Jerome, The Walter Scott Operas: An Analysis of Operas Based on the Works of Sir Walter Scott (Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press, 1977)Google Scholar and More Scott Operas: Further Analyses of Operas Based on the Works of Sir Walter Scott (Lanham, MD: University Press of America, 1996).
40 In Ottawa, power had shifted between Liberal and Conservative parties, and between two leaders, both born in Scotland: Macdonald and Mackenzie. In Montreal, the world of finance was led by men with names such Allan, Ogilvie, Redpath, Morgan, McTavish and McGill.
41 ‘Amusements’, The Gazette, 17 April 1878.
42 ‘Amusements’, The Gazette, 17 April 1878.
43 See Fiske, Roger, Scotland in Music: A European Enthusiasm, reissue edition (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2008)Google Scholar: 103.
44 See Mitchell, , The Walter Scott Operas, 37 Google Scholar. Fiske identifies the tune as ‘“The White Cockade” imperfectly remembered’ (Scotland in Music, 103). Fiske also identifies the tune with which Dickson's greets George Brown in Act I as ‘The Yellow-Hair'd Laddie’, and George Brown's air from Act II, ‘Viens, gentille dame’, as ‘a crazy version of “Robin Adair”’ (Scotland in Music, 103).
45 See Fiske, , Scotland in Music, 196 Google Scholar.
46 The opera was still in the repertoire when commercial recordings of opera selections were first produced at the start of the twentieth century. One of the earliest was a 1904 German-language version of George Brown's ‘Viens gentille dame’ (‘Komm’, O Holde Dame’) by the Moravian tenor Leo Slezak.
47 See Josué Tinoco's ‘Correio dos theatres’ column in Rio de Janeiro's O Figaro of 26 May and 9 June, 1877 (pages 591 and 607). The Diario do Rio de Janeiro provides more information in Hassani's performances in 1876 and 1877.
48 The engagement of Anna Granger Dow's company at Montreal Academy of Music had begun in December 1877 and continued into the early days of 1878. See La Minerve, 19 December 1877; and ‘Our Musical Column’, The Gazette, 5 January 1878; ‘Amusements’, The Gazette, 5 January 1878.
49 Scribe, Eugène, La Dame blanche (Montreal: Ernest Lavigne, 1878)Google Scholar.
50 The Gazette listed among the arrivals at the Richelieu Hotel, ‘Mad Hassani, Vienne, France; Mr Hassani, do’. ‘Hotel Arrivals’, The Gazette, 12 April 1878.
51 ‘“La Dame blanche,” or “The White Lady”’, The Gazette, 22 April 1878.
52 ‘A Travers la Ville’, Le National, 24 April 1878: ‘On a donc enfin le droit de dire que l'on sait apprécier l'art musical en Canada, ce que tant de gens n'aient encore tout dernièrement. Or il suffisait hier soir de voir ce nombreux public applaudir avec enthousiasme nos artistes, pour se convaincre que le Canadien aime la musique. S'il n'a pas su prouver le fait avant aujourd'hui c'est parce qu'il n'en a pas eu l'avantage. Entre des saltimbanques et de véritables musiciens il saura à l'avenir faire une distinction qui prouvera et son bon goût et son avancement dans les arts.’
53 ‘Amusements’, The Gazette, 24 April 1878.
54 Guillaume Couture, ‘Chronique musicale: La Dame blanche’, La Minerve, 2 May 1878: ‘Sa démarche, son attitude et son geste sont trop solennels, trop graves pour l'opéra-comique. Ces défauts sont sans doute motivés par l'habitude de Mlle. Hassani de ne chanter que grand opéra.’
55 Guillaume Couture, ‘Chronique musical: La Dame blanche’, La Minerve, 2 May 1878: ‘Que manquait-il à l'exécution de la ‘Dame Blanche’, pour être vraiment bien? Un premier ténor. L'oiseau rare; introvable même parfois sur les scènes de premier ordre.’
56 Guillaume Couture, ‘Chronique musical: La Dame blanche’, La Minerve, 2 May 1878: ‘Il conduit son personnel avec une très grande sûriété. Nous ne lui ferons qu'un reproche: c'est d'avoir trop ralenti presque tous les mouvements, dénaturant par là même le caractère de plusieurs morceaux. Possédant très-bien sa partition, pas une entrée ne se fait qu'il n'ait les yeux sur le chanteur et l'instrumentiste; toutes les nuances et les accents sont marqués par son archet. Son geste indique à l'artiste, de la manière la plus discrète, l'erreur qu'il a pu commettre. C'est un véritable chef-d'orchestre. Le premier que nous possédons.’
57 ‘La Dame Blanche’, The Daily Telegraph, 6 May 1878.
58 Marmette called the production a ‘beautiful success’. ‘L'Art Musical au Canada’, l'Opinion publique, 23 May, 1878, 241.
59 ‘“La Dame blanche”’, L’Événement, 8 May 1878: ‘L'accompagnement, un peu trop fort quelquefois, a néanmoins bien marché du commencement à la fin. Et certainement, un étranger, assistant à la représentation d'hier, n'aurait jamais voulu croire que l'orchestre était composé d'amateurs, pour une bonne partie.’
60 ‘Amusements’, The Gazette, 13 May 1878. The column continued: ‘Set to music which is pleasing in itself, the opera is admirably acted, and with Mlle Hassani to sustain the principal role, the other parts in able hands, and a capital chorus and orchestra, it may be expect that the nearest approach to grand opera will be reached that we have yet had in Montreal.’
61 In addition to salaries, there were hall rentals, hotel bills, advertising costs and the production costs mentioned above.
62 ‘Amusements’, The Gazette, 14 May 1878.
63 Couture, Guillaume, ‘Chronique Musicale’, Revue de Montréal, 3 (1879)Google Scholar: 109: ‘Le public – soit apathie ou économie – se montre récalcitrant; il est maintenant difficile de l'attirer dans une salle de concert, même quand il s'agit d'une entreprise patriotique comme les représentations de la “Dame Blanche.’
64 ‘Notes locales’, La Minerve, 1 April 1878.
65 Marmette, ‘L'Art Musical au Canada’, 242: ‘Si les besoins matériels du peuple sont les premiers auxquels les gouvernants doivent songer, encore l'Etat ne doit-il pas négliger de veiller au progrès intellectuel et moral de ses sujets. Or, en contribuant sérieusement à la culture de l'art musical dans un pays naturellement si bien doué que le nôtre, non-seulement on créera une nouvelle carrière à nos virtuoses, mais encore on détournera notre population de ces spectacles avilissants que les saltimbanques américains ne lui viennent que trop souvent offrir.’
66 ‘“La Dame blanche”’, L’Événement, 8 May 1878. A chorus from Philémon et Baucis had been performed by the same choir, under Couture, in December 1876.
67 Simon Couture cites this letter as Calixa Lavallée, [et al.] ‘Petition adressée au lieutenant gouverneur de la province de Québec pour l’établissement d'un conservatoire de musique et de déclamation’, Fonds du Secrétariate provincial, M88/5, registre des lettres reçues, 1878, 971. See Couture, ‘Les Origines du Conservatoire’, 138.
68 See Thompson, Brian, ‘Calixa Lavallée (1842–1891): A Critical Biography’ (PhD diss., The University of Hong Kong, 2001), 175–176 Google Scholar.
69 The institutions that the city and province aspired to in the 1870s, and that now exist, were all established in the twentieth century: the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal (1934), the Conservatoire de musique et d'art dramatique du Québec (1942), and the Opéra de Montréal (1980).