[Opera] Charpentier, Gustave. (1860–1956) [Garden, Mary. (1874–1967)]

"Louise" Program From the First Production, featuring Mary Garden

Programme Artistique. Théatre Opéra Comique, 11 pp. No date (but 1901-02). The elaborately decorated open central panel listing the cast, including the young soprano Mary Garden, whose career had recently been launched when both the original Louise (Marthe Rioton) and her understudy were ailing and Garden filled in on the 8th performance. Charpentier’s working-class heroine had found her ideal interpreter and it is difficult to say whether Louise made Garden’s reputation or Garden made Louise’s. "Only in Louise was I myself on stage, because she was so like me," Garden said. "She was a daring sort of character. She lived hard. She believed in free love. She enjoyed everything about life." An attractive program from an early performance of the opera which was staged 100 times at the Opéra Comique in its first year alone. A few chips around the edges of the wrappers, central program block toned and separated from the wrappers, else fine. (10390)

Program, unsigned Classical Music