Louise (opera) - Performance History

Performance History

Louise premiered on 2 February 1900 at the Opéra-Comique conducted by André Messager in a production by Albert Carré. It was successful, reaching its 100th performance just over a year later; the 500th performance at the Opéra-Comique took place on 17 January 1921, and by the early 1950s it had reached over 950 performances. The opera helped launch the career of the soprano Mary Garden, who sang Louise in Act 3 at the eighth performance. On 30 April 1900 the Opéra-Comique director Albert Carré gave away 400 seats to Paris dressmakers.

The revival of Louise at the Opéra-Comique on 28 February 1950, with scenery after maquettes by Utrillo and Géori Boué in the title role, celebrated the 50th anniversary of its creation and the 90th birthday of its composer. Although it was hoped that Charpentier might conduct the performance, in the end André Cluytens did so, but with the composer conducting the 'Chant de l’apothéose' after the 3rd act.

The success in Paris led to productions in Algiers, Brussels, Budapest and Milan in 1901 and in Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Geneva and Stockholm in 1902, followed by other cities. First seen in New York City at the Manhattan Opera House in 1908, Louise was premiered by the Metropolitan Opera on January 15, 1921 (with Geraldine Farrar in the title role). It was revived at the Met in a new production in 1930, broadcast twice (in 1939 and 1948), after 1949 it disappeared from the Met repertoire.

Louise was staged by English National Opera in 1981, and more recently, at the Paris Opera (2008), Duisberg (2008), the Spoleto Festival (2009), the Opéra National du Rhin in Strasbourg and Mulhouse (2009), and Düsseldorf (2010). There are several recordings, and the opera is still performed today. The third-act aria 'Depuis le jour' is a popular concert piece that has often been recorded.