The Théâtre des Bouffes-Parisiens () is a Parisian theatre founded in 1855 by the composer Jacques Offenbach for the performance of opéra bouffe and operetta. The current theatre is located in the 2nd arrondissement at 4 rue Monsigny with an entrance at the back at 65 Passage Choiseul. In the 19th century the theatre was often referred to as the Salle Choiseul. With the decline in popularity of operetta after 1870, the theatre expanded its repertory to include comedies.Bouffes-Parisien website .Lamb, Andrew. "Offenbach, Jacques" in Sadie 1992, vol. 3, pp. 653–658.Levin 2009, pp. 401–402.Galignani 1862, p. 470.Dickens 1882, p. 32. The theatre is still active with regular productions of stage plays.
History Salle Lacaze In February 1855, Offenbach successfully requested a license from the Parisian authorities for the performance of what he described as a "new and original" genre of musical theatre. He justified his proposed endeavour by saying that these works would have mass appeal and would provide opportunities for young French composers.
The company gave its first performances during the summer of 1855 at the Salle Lacaze. This theatre was unusually small with a capacity of only 300 spectators,Lamb ( "Offenbach, Jacques" in Sadie 1992, vol. 3, p. 653) gives the capacity of the Salle Lacaze as 300. Gammond (1980, p. 37) says it held an audience of only 50. but was located on the Carré Marigny, near the crowds attending the Exposition Universelle. The inaugural performance was on 5 July with Offenbach conducting four of his own works: a prologue called Entrez, messieurs, mesdames, a one-act pièce d'occasion written by Joseph Méry and "Jules Servières" (a pen name of Ludovic Halévy, who worked as a government official and needed to protect his reputation); Une nuit blanche, a one-act opéra-comique on a pastoral theme; Arlequin barbier, a pantomime utilizing themes from Rossini's Il barbiere di Siviglia arranged by "Alfred Lange" (Offenbach); and Les deux aveugles, a one-act bouffonerie musicale about two swindling "blind" Parisian beggars. The latter was almost cut, since the invited audience who attended the dress rehearsal failed to laugh, but Offenbach decided to retain it, and it was the hit of the opening night. This little piece soon acquired an international reputation (due to visitors from the Exposition), and Offenbach's admirers soon included Tolstoy and Thackeray. Further performances in the summer of 1855 were primarily of satirical sketches which only included a few musical numbers. The season, however, was so successful that Offenbach was able to resign his position as conductor of the Théâtre Français.Faris 1980, pp. 51–52.
Salle Choiseul
In October Offenbach submitted another petition to the authorities, this time to merge his company with the Théâtre des Jeunes Élèves de Monsieur Comte (Théâtre Comte). This company's theatre, which was not much larger than the Salle Lacaze, was demolished, and the larger Salle Choiseul with a capacity of about 900 was constructed. The new theatre was not only larger, but warmer, more luxurious and more comfortable than the Salle Lacaze. The orchestra was enlarged from sixteen players to thirty.Lamb ( "Offenbach, Jacques" in Sadie 1992, vol. 3, p. 653) gives the capacity of 900; Faris (1980, pp. 52–53) provides an extensive quote from the periodical Le Ménestrel describing the demolition and reconstruction of the theatre and the size of the orchestra. Offenbach's new license permitted performances of one-act comedies, with or without music, but with fewer than five characters. It also specifically excluded sketches and required the performance of at least two works by composers other than Offenbach. The first performance of the merged company was on 29 December 1855 at the Salle Choiseul and included the premiere of Offenbach's Ba-ta-clan, a one-act chinoiserie musicale with a libretto by Halévy. From this time performances were primarily given at the Salle Choiseul during the winter theatre season. The company performed at the Salle Lacaze during the 1856, 1857 and 1859 summer seasons,Yon 2000, pp. 760–762.During the summer of 1858 the company went on tour, and Offenbach sublet the Salle Lacaze to Jean-Charles Deburau (Yon 2000, p. 201). During the summer of 1860 the company performed in Brussels and Lyon. Offenbach himself went to Berlin to supervise the rehearsals and conduct the Berlin premiere of Orphée aux enfers at the Friedrich-Wilhelmstädtisches Theater on 23 June 1860 (Yon 2000, pp. 232–233). however, in March 1861 legislation was enacted which prevented the company from using both theatres, and appearances at the Salle Lacaze were discontinued.Levin 2009, p. 401. In spite of the restrictions of the license, Offenbach began including longer, more substantial works which violated its terms. For instance, his two-act Orphée aux enfers with a cast of 16 received its first performance at the Salle Choiseul on 21 October 1858. Even after Offenbach resigned as the director in January 1862, the company continued at the Salle Choiseul, performing light operas by other composers as well as Offenbach.Lamb, Andrew. "Orphée aux enfers" in Sadie 1992, vol. 3, pp. 774–776.
Upon the departure of Offenbach, the new director tore down the existing hall to erect a larger one with a capacity of 1100 spectators.
Legacy While the Théâtre des Bouffes-Parisiens is indelibly linked to Offenbach, it has also been the venue for a number of other important works. In addition to Offenbach's own operettas, the theatre has seen the premieres of musical works by Hervé, Emmanuel Chabrier and Claude Terrasse, and plays by writers such as Robert de Flers, Albert Willemetz, Sacha Guitry and Henri Bernstein.
From 1986 to 2007, the Théâtre des Bouffes-Parisiens was under the directorship of the actor Jean-Claude Brialy, after whose death in May 2007 his partner Bruno Finck took over.France-Soir, 16 April 2008. Subsequently, Dominique Dumond, director of Polyfolies assumed the leadership in September 2013.Armelle Héliot, « Les théâtres cherchent leur planche de salut », Le Figaro, 9 May 2014.
The theatre is part of the « Théâtres parisiens associés »Les Bouffes-Parisiens on the Théâtres parisiens associés website. and more recently the stage has witnessed straight theatre such as 88 fois l'infini with Niels Arestrup and François Berléand in 2021,88 fois l'infini at the Bouffes-Parisiens page accessed 22 April 2024. La Note with Sophie Marceau and François Berléand in 2023,Page for La Note at the Bouffes-Parisiens, 2023 accessed 22 April 2024. and A Streetcar Named Desire (in French) in 2024.Un tramway nommé désir at the Bouffes-Parisiens, 2024 accessed 22 April 2024.
List of premieres
DateComposerWorkRef 29 December 1855 Jacques Offenbach Ba-ta-clan 29 December 1855 Auguste Pilati Les Statues de l'AlcadeFétis/Pougin (1880). Léo Delibes Dieux vielles gardes 8 April 1857 Charles Lecocq Le docteur miracle 9 April 1857 Georges Bizet Le docteur miracle 21 October 1858 Jacques Offenbach Orphée aux enfers 8 June 1859 Léo Delibes L'omelette à la Follembuche 19 November 1859 Jacques Offenbach Geneviève de Brabant 10 February 1860 Jacques Offenbach Le carnaval des revues 17 November 1866 Hervé Les chevaliers de la table rondeGänzl 2001, pp. 360–362.Lamb, Andrew. "Hervé" in Sadie 1992, vol. 2, p. 708. 11 January 1867 Delphine Ugalde Halte au moulin 16 January 1869 Charles Lecocq GandolfoGänzl 2001, p. 722. 19 November 1871 Charles Lecocq Le barbier de Trouville"Lecocq, [Alexandre] Charles" in Gänzl 2001, pp. 1165–1168. 3 October 1877 Gaston Serpette La petite muetteGänzl 2001, pp. 1602–1603. 28 November 1877 Emmanuel Chabrier L'étoileGänzl 2001, pp. 590–591. 13 November 1879 Edmond Audran Les noces d'OlivetteTraubner 2003, p. 91; Gänzl 2001, pp. 1494–1495. 16 March 1880 Louis Varney Les mousquetaires au couventThe date of the premiere is given as 16 March 1880 by Andrew Lamb "Varney, Louis" in Sadie 1992, vol. 4, p. 901 (see also ), but as 16 May 1880 by Levin 2009, p. 402. 29 December 1880 Edmond Audran La mascotteTraubner 2003, p. 91; Gänzl 2001, pp. 1341–1343. 11 November 1882 Edmond Audran Gillette de NarbonneGänzl 2001, pp. 763–764. 19 April 1884 Joseph O'Kelly La Barbière improviséeKlein, Axel: O'Kelly - An Irish Musical Family in Nineteenth-Century France (Norderstedt 2014). . 20 March 1886 Victor Roger Joséphine vendue par ses sœursGänzl 2001, pp. 1038–1040. 8 October 1887 Raoul Pugno Le sosie"Pugno, [Stéphane] Raoul" in Gänzl 2001, p. 1662. 19 April 1888 Raoul Pugno Le valet de cœur 15 October 1888 Victor Roger Oscarine"Roger, Victor" in Gänzl 2001, pp. 1733–1734. 1 February 1889 Raoul Pugno Le retour d'Ulysse 18 December 1889 André Messager Le mari de la reine"Messager, André" in Gänzl 2001, pp. 1379–1382. 22 April 1892 Paul Vidal ErosCharlton, David. "Vidal, Paul (Antonin)" in Sadie 1992, vol. 4, pp. 987–988. 29 March 1893 Edmond Audran Madame SuzetteGänzl 2001, p. 1297. 3 November 1893 Émile Pessard Mam'zelle CarabinGänzl 2001, p. 1307. 17 October 1894 Edmond Audran L'enlèvement de la ToledadGänzl 2001, pp. 581–582. 6 May 1895 Gaston Serpette La dot de BrigitteGänzl 2001, p. 530. 28 February 1896 Charles Lecocq NinetteGänzl 2001, p. 1490. 16 November 1897 André Messager Les p'tites MichuGänzl 2001, pp. 1660–1662. 10 December 1898 André Messager VéroniqueWagstaff 1992.Gänzl 2001, pp. 2126–2127. 7 March 1901 Claude Terrasse Les travaux d'HerculeCharlton, David. "Terrasse, Claude (Antoine)" in Sadie 1992, vol. 4, p. 700.Gänzl 2001, pp. 2067–2068. 12 November 1918 Henri Christiné Phi-PhiGänzl 2001, pp. 1611–1613. 10 November 1921 Henri Christiné DédéGänzl 2001, pp. 480–482. 31 March 1923 Maurice Yvain Là-HautGänzl 2001, pp. 1139–1140. 22 December 1923 Maurice Yvain La dame en décolletéGänzl 2001, p. 457. 7 March 1924 Raoul Moretti En chemyseGänzl 2001, p. 578. 17 September 1924 Raoul Moretti Troublez-moiGänzl 2001, p. 2079. 21 April 1925 Henri Christiné P.L.M.Gänzl 2001, pp. 1625–1626. 3 December 1925 Raoul Moretti Trois jeunes filles … nuesGänzl 2001, pp. 2077–2078. 22 December 1926 Henri Christiné J'aimeGänzl 2001, pp. 1008–1009. 9 May 1929 Joseph Szulc FlossieGänzl 2001, p. 668. 12 December 1930 Arthur Honegger Les aventures du roi PausoleGänzl 2001, p. 87. 19 September 1934 Moisés Simons Toi c'est moiGänzl 2001, pp. 2056–2057.
List of directors
The Théâtre des Bouffes-Parisiens was founded as a private entrepreneurship.Levin indicates that the company was a private entrepreneurship from its founding in 1855 up until 1885, which is the extent of her coverage of the topic. See Table 16.8. "Chronology and administration of the Théâtre des Bouffes-Parisiens company" in Levin 2009, p. 399.