Kulturkompasset | critics of culture events

FOLIES BERGERE auction at Drouot.


Reduction of a large bas-relief on the facade of the Folies Bergère made by Pico Maurice (1900-1977): THE DANCE, the model Nikolska Lila.

PARIS: The world famouse musichall in Paris FOLIES BERGERE, where “all” the most famouse names in the musichall and cabaret world has been entertaining was on auction at Drouot Auction house Thursday November 8th. – That will say, it was not all the house, but it was some of its 50 Years of history from 1919-1970 which was auctioned away.

Reportage and photos: Henning Høholt

The auction included a lot of documentation material, drawings, photographs, inclusive 5 photos with Joséphine Baker, programs, models, folding signs and orchestrations. Library partial Erte,

Set of various volumes. contracts, layers and a watercolor 38 double-sided cards representatives Josephine Baker.

 

Alfred Jackson girls. original watercolors by Paul Colin showing the orchestra.

Among the photographs also including 8 identical representative Charlie Chaplin, photos of Charles Trenet, photographies of costumes and décor by Freddy Wittop, Erte and Felix Gray.

The Folies Bergère was established in 1869 in Paris, France, is a musi hall which was at the height of its fame and popularity from the 1890s through the 1920s. The institution is still in business.

Since 2006, the Folies Bergère has presented some musical productions with stage entertainment like Cabaret (2006–2008) or Zorro the Musical (2009–2010).

And are these days housting excellent guesting productions from abroad. Lately Les Ballets Trocadero des Monte Carlo, where celebrities was queing up, Shadowland with its very good production Filobolus, and the Harlem Swingers guested with Aint Misbehavin. Folies Bergere is still going strong, and the audience loves it
.

Many famouse names has appeared at the stage of Folies Bergere, among them:

Charlie Chaplin, Cantinflas, Maurice Chevallier, Norma Duval, Fernandel,  W.C.Fields, Ella Fitzgerald, Jean Gabin, the clown Grock, Benny Hill, Zizi Jeanmaire, Elton John, Marcel Marceau, Ginger Rogers, Mistinguett, Yves Montand, Edith Piaf, Régine, Frank Sinatra, Charles Trenet,  Josephine Baker.

Therefore it was understanding that it was completely filled up in the auction room for this exiting auction. As allways at Drouot, the prizes are variable, some thing was very ezpensive, but it wa also possible to find historical interesting details at a reasonable prize. The Orchestrations was some time sold for a too little prize, and that is because, I am not sure if the Theatres and Musichalls, who could have pleasure of these orchestrations, really has noticed it in the information publicated about the sale.

Complete orchestration volumes 1919 – 1992, including: Vertigo Paris, L’Amour en Folie, This is Madness, Folies Folies, La Folie d’Amour, A real Folie Folie Nights, Fairy Folie, Ah! What Folie Folie i adore you, soundtrack music shows produced by Hélène Martini to Pigalle, the International Music Theater in New York for the show Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Draps d´Or.

Gouachés of original of costume designs in the style of Jenny Carre, presenting star captive blondes, pirate, butterfly, bird of paradise, dancers, corset, old doll, centaurs, satyrs, Narcissus.

Folies Bergere 1919-1970 Auction at Drouot, Paris
. Foto: Henning Høholt

Different memories of the theater Folies Bergere, opera binoculars, pins Folies Bergere, car miniatures, fans. Set of books presenting costume, national costumes and fashion history including Journal des Demoiselles and others of the same type
.

Documentation Set for Monsieuer Pompadour by Francoise Dorin. Scenography Painting on fabric. Souvenirs and documentation: The Rasputin, The Sheherazade, The Cloth of Gold. Reproductions of illustrations executed by Erte for Harper’s Bazaar. color lithography has “Pin UP” by Aslan.

Folies Bergere 1919-1970 Auction at Drouot, Paris. Foto: Henning Høholt

Reduction of a large bas-relief on the facade of the Folies Bergère made by Pico Maurice (1900-1977): The dance, after the model Nikolska Lila.

The Folies Bergère inspired the Ziegfield Follies in the United States and other similar shows, including a longstanding revue at the Trpicana Resort & Casino in Las Vegas and the Teatro Follies in Mexico.

The Las Vegas Folies Bergere, which opened in 1959, closed at the end of March 2009, after nearly 50 years in operation. Another recent example is Faceboyz Folliez, a monthly burlesque and variety show at the Bowery Poetry Club in New York.

In 1918, Paul Derval (1880–1966) made his mark on the review
. His reviews were to feature extravagant costumes, sets and effects, and his “small nude women”. Derval’s small nude women would become the hallmark of the Folies. During his 48 years at the Folies, he launched the careers of many French stars including Maurice Chevallier, Mistinguett, Josephine Baker, Fernandel, as mentioned above and many others. In 1926, Josephine Baker, an African-American expatriate singer, dancer, and entertainer, became an overnight sensation at the Folies Bergère when she performed the Danse sauvage, wearing a costume consisting of a skirt made of a string of artificial bananas and little else.

Folies Bergere 1919-1970 Auction at Drouot, Paris. Foto: Henning Høholt

Josephine Bakers erotic dancing and near nude performances were renowned
. The Folies Bergère catered to popular taste. Shows featured elaborate costumes; the women’s were frequently revealing, practically leaving them naked, and shows often contained a good deal of nudity. Shows also played up the “exoticness” of persons and objects from other cultures, obliging the Parisian fascination with the négritude of the 1920s. I still remember her many years later guesting the Tivoli Variety at Tivoli in Copenhagen singing her signature number:  “J´ai deux Amour”.

In 1936, Paul Derval brought Josephine Baker from New York to lead the review En Super Folies. Michel Gyarmathy, a young Hungarian arrived from his home in Balasagyarmath, designed the poster for En Super Folies, a show starring Josephine Baker in 1936. This began a long love story between Michel Gyarmathy, Paris, the Folies Bergère and the public of the whole world which lasted 56 years.

Folies Bergere 1919-1970 Auction at Drouot, Paris. Orchestrations, Foto: Henning Høholt

The funeral of Paul Derval was held on 20 May 1966. He was 86 and had reinged supreme over the most celebrated music hall in the world. His wife Antonia, supported by Michel Gyarmathy, succeeded him. In August 1974, the Folies, Antonia Derval passed on the direction of the business to Hélène Martini, the empress of the night (25 years earlier she had been a showgirl in the revues). This new mistress of the house reunited the qualities proper to maintain the continued existence of the last music hall which remained faithful to the tradition.

 

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