“Pancho”, the beautiful lyrical drama by MM. Rastier and van Cleeff, was represented last Tuesday and Thursday at the Grand Théâtre des Variétés in Marseille, which Mr. Boyer directs with such great activity. He achieved considerable success there.

The Marseille public gave the artists, the excellent conductor Lauweryns, and the authors a warm and enthusiastic welcome. Thanks be given to MM. Ducis, Roques and Cervières, who were kind enough to facilitate these performances, by authorizing the artists of the excellent troupe of the Municipal Casino to travel to the great Phocaean city.

We can therefore appreciate the masterful interpretation of “Pancho”, if we add that at the podium was an artist of high musical value, such as Master Lauweryns, who conducted this work with remarkable authority. , attracting the admiration of all the spectators.

We are happy to be able to provide here the photographs of some performers. Alas! We miss that of Madame Lecouvreur, the exquisite Soledad, so rightly applauded. Here are MM. Baldous, the terrible Pancho and Parmentier, good old Father Diaz. Ms. Nespoulous was an ideal Conchita, portraying with extreme sentimentality the qualities of her role; M. Marny, sublime in Manoël, knew how to combine the tenderness of filial affection with all the ardor of his amorous passion!

In short, orchestra, artists, choirs, everything and everyone contributed to the success of “Pancho”. “Pancho”, a tireless traveler, will soon leave the South for the North, where he is expected in Tourcoing on the 20th of this month. Will he return to Nice before leaving for these distant regions? Let's hope so; whatever happens, Pancho is a child of Nice, and through his successes, he will always remind those who listen to him that it is under our sky that he was born. Nice is his homeland!

In fact, we still remember the brilliant success achieved by the work of MM. Rastier and Ed. van Cleeff, on stage at the Municipal Casino, last year. On the eve of the day when Pancho will leave our enchanting shores, it is a show of gratitude to recall the constant concern, the dedication with which Mr. Hesse, the excellent conductor, knew how to highlight the qualities of the 'artwork. The Marseille press is unanimous in recognizing these dramatic and musical qualities. She devotes long articles full of praise to this work, which has just faced with such great success the terrible test of the artistic judgment of the Marseille public.

We would like to reproduce here some articles from our Marseille colleagues. Alas! lack of space prevents us from doing so.
Speaking of her presentation, Le Petit Marseillais wrote: Mme Nespoulous was a dramatic and passionate Conchita, possessing an organ of perfect purity; Mrs. Lecouvreur, a mother full of tenderness and concern; MM. Marny and Baldous played the fierce roles of the two bitter rivals with great talent, and Mr. Parmentier was an excellent Diaz.

Mr. PARMENTIER

Le Petit Provençal notes that “the score, of real appeal, denotes in its author the soul of a true musician. From the first act, extremely brilliant and vividly colored, the ear is happily charmed and in the two acts that follow, as the action accelerates, the musical interest increases in intensity. » And he rightly adds: “A large part of the success must also be attributed to the orchestra, remarkably conducted by the nervous baton of M. G. Lauweryns”.

In short, the success was complete and a credit to the two young and friendly authors.