The balls at Théâtre de la Monnaie during the 19th century

What did one dance in Brussels during the 1840? What were the biggest hits? Whoe were the fashionable composers? Which sales pitches were used on the posters for ball? I will try to answer those many question, analysing the case of the balls at La Monnaie.

Being a French native speaker, I write in English as good as I can. Please let me know if you sot any error. thank you!

La Monnaie, the opera house, its balls, its posters

I already introduces the royal theater of La Monnaie in a previous article.

In 1700, the first theatre was built on the site of the Hôtel d’Ostrevent. This hotel had previously housed a mint. This is why the theatre inherited its nickname: ‘la Monnaie’.

Fast forward until the early 1800s, when Napoleon I notices the decrepitude of the building. He suggests to build a new theater behind the old one. That second theater is launched in 1819.

In 1855, a fire destroys the building. Architect Joseph Poelaert re-builds it exactly as it was. You can still see that third theater today on the place de la Monnaie, in the heart of Brussels.

Public balls at the theater?

The reading of the programmes of the Royal theater of La Monnaie teaches us that the institution organises regularly balls, since at least 1813. It is possible that this tradition was even older.

Theater programmes

Before beginning the statistical analysis of the ball programmes, one or two word about the source corpus.

BelgicaPeriodicals, the KBR’s catalog of numerized periodicals, contains La Monnaie’s programmes between 1813 and 1846 (KBR being the Royal Library of Belgium).

That collection is incomplete. For example, in 1816, there is a trace of a first ball on February 25th, and of a third ball on March 3. No poster, no programms mentions the second ball of the year 1816. In all likelihood, that second ball would have occured on February 27th, for Mardi Gras.

The balls at La Monnaie do not always get a dedicated programme (or it was lost). Some balls are only announced at the end of the programme, after the casting of the day’s play, and amongst the announcement for future shows. That is especially true in the beginning of the period, between 1816 and 1830. Those sibyllin texts hold too little information to establish a detailed analysis of the dance repertoire of the time.

Little by little, the ball announcements will grow. More and more practical information are mentionned (access for horse-drawn carriages, cloakroom organisation…). There is even advertisement for the costume designer’s « magasin d’habits et de masques » (clothes and mask shop).

But from 1841, the ball programmes get really interesting for the dance historian. The names of the composers, whose works will enliven the ball, began to appear. And very soon, the names of the dances and melodies that will get the dancers tapping their feet.

This article will consist of two big parts. The first will study the practical organisation of the ball, during the timespan 1813-1846. The second one will analyse in depth the repertoire, the orchestra, the popular tunes… in a word, everything strictly dance-related.

Name of the event

But first, what is organised for Mardi Gras at Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie?

As the years go by, the event adopts different names. Two designation group most of the announcements.

First version

The first is « Grand bal masqué et non masqué » (Great masked and un-masked ball). We find this naming between 1813 and 1839. Once, it is called « Bal de nuit, masqué et non masqué » (Night ball, masked and un-masked – Feb 18,1819). There are several variations, less common but confirmed: « Grand bal paré et masqué » (Great adorned and masked ball – 7 times) and its close neighbour « Grand bal masqué et paré » (3 balls). Twice, the programme states « Grand bal paré et non masqué » (Great adorned and un-masked ball), and once « Grand bal masqué » (Great masked ball – Feb 21,1819).

The formula “masked and un-masked ball” is common at the time: it is used several times at the Royal Theater of Ghent during 1817-1818, or in Paris in the 1812’s Moniteur universel.

Second version

In 1840, no ball announcement or programme was kept. However, this year marks a limit between the « Grand bal masqué et non masqué » and the new formula « Grande fête de nuit, bal paré, masqué et travesti » (Great night party, adorned, masked and fancy ball). That last one is ubiquitous between 1841 and 1846 (the ending of the corpus).

The new formula also offers some variety: « Grand bal » (2 occurrences), « Grand bal paré, masqué et travesti » , « Grande fête de nuit » (1 occurrence chacune).

That formula is not specific to Brussels, we find it at the Royal Theater of Ghent on Feb 17th, 1850… and even much later, in Paris, on a poster by Jules Chéret (1872).

The evolution of the name of the ball follows the zeitgeist. No doubt the novelties offered by one theatre spread from one to the next.

Note two specific ball, taking place in July, that is outside of the Mardi Gras and New Year’s periods: July 23, 1820 and July 20, 1834: the programmes call for a “Grand bal”.

Evolution in the ball announcements

I choose to study this corpus as a series. This study shows some major evolutions in just 33 years. I was particularly struck by the different “selling points” of the posters.

1813-1818 : Short items

Between 1813 and 1818, the ball annoucements are basic. They are simple short items between opera’s titles and casting. They contains the date, and sometimes the hour, 11PM or midnight.

There are up to three balls a year: on Mardi Gras, and on the Sunday before and after that celebration. There are not always 3 balls a year: for 1815, for example, the corpus is complete for that week, and there are only two balls, on both Sundays. The programme for Tuesday 7 February 1815 (Mardi Gras) does not mention any balls.

Finally, let’s note the date of February 16, 1816, as the first source to mention some details. The ball was « orné d’une Bacchanale, ou Fête Bachique divertissement-pantomime à Spectacle, imité d’un tableau du célèbre Rubens » ( decorated with a Bacchanal, or Bacchanalian Feast, an entertainment-pantomime with a Spectacle, imitated from a painting by the famous Rubens). Rubens painted many times Bacchus and its festivals. I don’t know which painting it is, but it’s probably one of the Bacchic canvases preserved in Antwerp.

1819-1824 : Costumes and cloakroom

1819 is a pivotal point: the Theater administration organises two subscription ball at Théâtre Royal du Parc (Royal Theater of the Gardens). This theater was newly bought by the City of Brussels. Both theaters have long shared the same board of directors.

The price is 7 francs for the two balls. The balls are on Thursday 11 & 18. At the time, La Monnaie underwent major renovations in 1819. So I think that the board of directors saw those event as a way to replenish the treasury. Anyways, those balls are not connected to Mardi Gras, who fell only the following week.

The ball on February 18, 1819 is the first to possess a fully dedicated poster. This announcement contains:

• Start time of the ball (11 PM);
• Price: 4 francs;
• Mention of a « bureau de confiance, pour y déposer les cannes, épées, etc. » (A trust office, where canes, swords, etc. can be deposited) – in other words: a cloakroom;
• Address for a fancy dress shop, hold by the costumier of La Monnaie, Mr. Dedecker.

Some more details

Until 1824, the ball posters mention the same element, with sometime more info:

• The room lighting, such as « Le théâtre et la salle seront parfaitement éclairés » (The theatre and the hall will be perfectly lit). This comment no doubt reflects a concern for morality: a well-lit room discourages wandering hands and promiscuity;
• The Decoration: « Le théâtre sera orné d’un Décors entièrement neuf, et analogue aux peintures et ornemens (sic) de la Salle ». (The theatre will be decorated with an entirely new set, similar to the paintings and ornaments in the hall). The lighting allows indeed to have a better look at the decoration;
• The access to the theater for horse-drawn carriage: especially in 1820, following the renovation works at La Monnaie;
• The price for renting a box: by box (3.5 to 4.5 francs) or by person (0.5 francs).

The entrance fee in 3 francs in 1819. Increased to 3.5 francs in 1820, it decreases to 3 francs almost immediately. Subscribers and audience members of the day benefits from a lower price: 1.5 francs.

Let’s note the exceptional organisation of a “grand bal” (great ball) on July 23, 1820 « Pour faire jouir les étrangers qui se trouvent à Bruxelles de la salle de bal de spectacle » (to To make foreigners in Brussels enjoy the show ballroom). This is not a costumed ball.

Finally, we knos more about the spatial organisation of the dancefloor, thanks to the programmes of March 4 and 11, 1821. « Le parterre sera élevé au niveau du Théâtre » (the stalls will be elevated to the Theater level). Meaning that a wood floor is set up on trestle, above the seats of the stalls. There is then a continuous dancefloor from the audience entrance to the back of the scene.

1825-1835 : Back to the short items

During ten years, again, only short items would announce the balls at La Monnaie. They give very few information: mostly the start time between 10:30 PM and 00:15 AM.

Only one poster, for the ball on March 3, 1828, mentions prices. Entrance fee: 1.5 francs (half of the previous balls). One can rent a box, 0.25 francs per person – still the hals of the previous balls.

Should we understand that the ball at La Monnaie is less successful?

That era ends on another non-masked summer ball, on July 20, 1834. The day before the Belgian National Day, the theater organises a special evening. That “panorama dramatique” includes « Manneken-Pis ou la folie à Bruxelles » (Manneken-Pis of the madness in Brussels), « La naissance d’Arlequin » (Harlequin’s birth), la « Brabançonne » (the Belgian National anthem), and that special ball.

An amusing detail is that the Administration has taken new measures to ensure that « la Salle [soit] bien aérée » (the Hall [is] well ventilated), and that spectators are « à l’abri des grandes chaleurs » (protected from the heat). A problem that rarely arises at Carnaval…

1836-1839 : The triumph of leisure

Massive investments

After a period of sobriety (austerity?), the balls from 1836 to 1838 benefit from a genuine marketing campaign. A poster announces the year’s three balls: Mardi Gras and the two Sunday around it. Then, each ball gets its own dedicated poster.

Those posters are overflowing with practical details, that make the archive explorers happy. For the first time, we get an idea of the duration of the ball: from 11:30 PM to 5 AM.

In addition to a substantial investment in advertising, the Theatre’s administration also paid for « un lustre neuf de 42 becs de gaz » (a new chandelier with 42 gas burners) to perfectly light the hall. Renowned theatre decorator Humanité-René Philastre completely repainted the said hall.

Moreover, two (yes, two) orchestras plays during the ball. The first plays country and character dances, while the second plays “walses” (sic) and “harmony pieces”. Note that the orchestra will be “nombreux” (plentiful), to assure that the dancers can hear the music properly.

The corps de ballet propose several costumes interludes: galops, country dances and quadrilles. Finally, an important mention for our article: « Un maître annoncera les figures » (a master will call the figures).

The prices are rocketting: the entrance fee went from 1.5 francs in 1838, to 5 francs in only 8 years. That year, the ladies get a lowered price of 4 francs. The boxes are rented between 4 and 6 francs. That increase reflects the massive investments injected by the organisers.

The heart of the ball

As I said, there are many, many details on those programmes, but one element gains the upper hand on all other. It occupied more than a full page on the two-page programme. The most important part on the ball programme, is of course…

The raffle !

For each entrance bought, one gets a raffle ticket. The programme itemize 25 happy prizes and some of the unfortunate prizes. Amongst the last, « Un Crocodile volant en sucre » (a flying crocodile made of sugar) really piqued my curiosity.

I suspect some of the unfortunate prizes to be jokes or puns. For example « la correction des enfants » (the correcting / beating of the children) must be a smack on the botton. « Un cochon gras qu’on pourra manger en carême » (a fat pig to eat during Lent) is probably not so fat.

1841-1846 : The triumph of dance

No ball poster has made it to us for 1840. That’s quite unfortunate, as from 1841, the programes are totally renewed.

The raffle still takes place occasionnally until 1843, but it no longer occupies the dominant position it did in the 1830s.

The number of ball per year increases: up to six balls in 1846! This year even sees the organisation of a New Year’s Eve ball. The public seems very keen on this type of event.

Indeed, the ball programme for March 18, 1846, states that « cette fête de nuit est irrévocablement la dernière qui sera donnée cette année » (this nightly party is irrevocably the last that will be given this year). And yet, « à la demande générale » (by popular demand), there is one more ball on March 21.

The balls have a new schedule: on Sundays, they begin between 10:30 PM and midmight, after the show of the day. The week balls (on Tuesdays and Thursdays, exceptionally on Wednesdays) begin on 8 PM.

In 1841-1842, the entrance fee is between 4 and 6 francs. Then, that information disappear completely. Same for the box renting, not mentionned after 1841. Information about the room lighting are present between 1841 and 1843.

From 1845, the costume shop is present again. At the same moment, we discover that « un restaurant est établi dans le Foyers, au fond du Théâtre » (A restaurant was set up in the lobby, at the back of the Theatre).

The biggest change is about the repertoire: the new star of the programme, is dancing!

February 1841’s ball poster is openly inspired by Musard and Renaissance balls, two big references of the festive lifestyle in Paris.

The programmes of that era are of special interest for me, as a dance historian.

Analysis of dancing

Before studying which types of dance are contained in the programmes, I make an important remark. There is a HUGE disparity between the programmes. Only one dance is mentionned on February 23, 1841 (the Infernal Galop); agains twenty-four (24!) on February 4, 1845.

So one cannot really analyses the ball programme as you could analyse a dance card (with all dances noted down). What can be done here, is to see which dances, titles, composers get used as marketing arguments on the poster. What gets the people interested?

The steady increase of the number of music titles on the programmes shows that the popular tunes boost the selling of tickets. That’s why they get more and more present on the posters.

Between 1841 and 1846, no fewer than 244 titles appears on the posters. Amongst them, 127 Quadrilles (52%), 49 Galops (20%), 46 Waltzes (18%) and 22 Polkas (9%). The math brains readers will have noticed that the total is 99%. I rounded up the numbers 😊

Which composers?

The music composers that help to sell are, logically, the big names of the dance music of the time.

Major composers of the 1820s to 1840s

The programmes quote several time “Strauss”, Johann Strauss I (1804-1849). Does the composer of the “Radetzky March” still need an introduction?

The other composers of the list are less famous.

Jean-Baptiste-Joseph Tolbecque (1797-1869) is the most famous composer of the 1820s. Little national pride: he was born in Hanzinne, Belgium. One of his most famous work is Le Galop des Tambours (the Drum galop). An orchestra of 100 musicians and 30 drums performs several time this galop at La Monnaie’s balls between 1842 and 1846. That is still ten drums fewer than at the ball in Théâtre de la Renaissance, in Paris, where the piece was created.

Tolbecque’s success fade a bit after 1830, and the arrival in Paris of…

Philippe Musard (1792 – 1859), nicknamed “the Napoleon of quadrille“. During his life, he was as famous as mocked. In 1837, he founded the “Bal Musard”, that clearly inspired the direction of Royal Theater of La Monnaie for the organisation of balls.

Less famous characters

The last two composers are the most mysterious.

First, some “Defresne“. I couldn’t find any information about that composer. Maybe it is a typo in the name of Alfred Dufresne (1821-1863). Alfred mostly composed songs and operettas, so I am not totally sold.

And finally, L.-J. Sacré, director for the (Belgian) court balls since 1832, and at least until 1845. In addition to his official activities, he composed dance music, taught dance and piano, and conducted a ball orchestra. Finally, he made his mark on Brussels’ festive life by organising balls at the Waux-Hall in Brussels. This information comes from a quick scan of the newspaper L’indépendance between 1830 and 1845.

Eight programmes quote at least one composer. Tolbecque and Musard appear the eight times. Strauss and Sacré are quoted three times each. Defresne only make it to one programme in 1841.

Orchestra and direction

In 1836, two orchestra performed at the ball in La Monnaie. « Un orchestre nombreux exécutera les contredanses et les danses de caractère ; il y aura en outre un second orchestre qui exécutera des walses et des morceaux d’harmonie ». (A plentiful orchestra will perform the country and character dances; there will ba also a second orchestra that will perform waltzes and harmony pieces).

The announce points out that the orchestra will be plentiful, probably to assure the dancers that they will hear the music everywhere on the dance floor, no matter the noisy conversations and dance steps.

In 1841, Camus conducts an orchestra of 60 musicians. The Infernal Galop, will be performed by 100 musicians and 40 devils. And there’s more! « Entre les quadrilles, une musique invisible exécutera des marches militaires ». (Between the quadrilles, an invisible music [ensemble] will perform some military marches). So there is still a second orchestra. The latter has probably 40 musicians, that join the main orchestra for the much talked about Infernal Galop.

Two years later, both orchestra are now only one, with 100 musicians.

In 1844, M. Degreef conducts the orchestra. The number of musicians is not told. We learn however that « Un second orchestre d’harmonie exécutera entre les valses et contredanses des marches militaires. » (A second wind section will perform military marches in between the waltzes and country dances). Back to the 1836 formula, then.

That second orchestra get mentionned a last time for the ball on January 30, 1845. Then, we lose it trace. That doesn’t mean that the second orchestra doesn’t play anymore: it just mean that it is no more considered as a selling point to mention on the programme.

The biggest hits

Over sixty individual music titles appear on the detailed programmes. It is impossible to go over them with a fine-tooth comb. So I decided to have a look at the titles that appear four times or more on the programmes.

Le galop infernal (Infernal Galop)

On Tuesday February 23, 1841, “for the first time and on several occasions”, the orchestra played the Infernal galop.

If you are like me, you thought of Offenbach, reading that title. But Jacques Offenbach composed his Infernal Galop in 1858, long after the end of our corpus. Then which Infernal Galop was played at La Monnaie between 1841 and 1846?

Philippe Musard is usually credited for the invention of the first Infernal Galop. And indeed, he gets named frequently in the ball programmes of La Monnaie (though never linked to the Infernal galop).

The link with Offenbach is not totally wrong thoug: Offenbach was hoping for Musard to perform his first compositions.

What does the Infernal galop looks like? Théophile Gautier tells about « un de ces galops pressés et haletant près de qui la ronde du sabbat est une danse tranquille » (one of those hurried and panting galop, by which the Sabbath round is a quiet dance (in La Presse, December 29 1845).

Le galop du chemin de fer (the railroad galop)

Fourteen. The Railroad galop was programmed fourteen times between 1843 and 1846. This is just huge.

If you had to remember only one “hit” of the 1840s in La Monnaie, it’d be that one. By the way, the programme for March 1, 1846 says that this title was “in demand”. Proof is that its success continues unabated!

The music piece in question was surprisingly hard to identify. Philippe Musard composed a country dance “Le chemin de fer” in 1845. Too late to be our galop. “Le galop du chemin de fer de Copenhague”, by Hans Christian Lumbye is even later (1847).

The source itself doen’t help at all. On February 22, 1843, the piece is said to be “by Loghuer”. That name and its variations do not give any plausible results in any database. It is a deadend.

By dint of research and cross-checking, I think I have correctly identified the musical work in question. It is by Louis Waldteufel (1801-1884), father of the famous Emile Waldteufel (1837-1915), author of the waltz Amour et printemps. Published in 1840, its full name is Grand galop du chemin de fer (Great galop of the railroad). How did Waldteufal become Loghuer, I have no idea.

Masagran, galop

The programmes announce the galop Masagran seven times between 1843 and 1843. It is sometimes spelled Mazagran. That tune become more and more popular as the time goes by. From only one mention on February 22 1843, to 4 times during Spring 1846.

This tune is an extract from Mazagran, bulletin de l’armée d’Afrique, by Ferdinand-Laloué et Ch. Desnoyer, created in Paris on April 14th, 1840. Surprising, considering that the Royal Theater never performed that play.

The title references the siege of Mazagran (February 3-6, 1840), during the conquest of Algeria by France. The event quickly became an issue of remembrance, with the erection of a commemorative monument, the naming of a Mazagran street in Paris, and several paintings.

La Chevaleresque, quadrille (the Chivalrous)

Another dance that became more and more popular as the time goes by: La Chevaleresque. Eight mentions for that quadrille between 1843 and 1846.

It is sometimes written Le chevaleresque (masculine form). I am sure that it is the same dance all the time. Indeed, only the first two occurences are masculine, while all the following ones are feminine. It is probably a typo that was corrected.

Chivalry inspired many composers in the 1840s (it is the romantic era, after all). I found no less than three quadrilles bearing this name! The only one that matches the corpus dates, however, is one by Storno de Bolognini, Bataille. Quadrille chevaleresque, published in 1843.

Les Mille et une Nuit(s), quadrille (One thousand and One nights)

I was speaking about a typo for the previous tune. Here, there is a very annoying spelling mistake: Les Mille et une Nuit (sic). We have to wait two years, before the typo is finally corrected un 1846. A torture.

With eleven mentions, Les Mille et une Nuit (sic) is one of the favourites of La Monnaie ball.

I think the quadrille is by Crispianino Bosisio (c.1807 – 1858): Les mille et une nuits. Quadrille chinois, published in 1844. By reading the subtitle (Quadrille chinois – Chinese quadrille), we get that Bosisio was betting on exotism more than on geography to sell his work.

Les mystères de Paris, quadrille (The mysteries of Paris)

Crispiano Bosisio scores a second title in the list of hits at La Monnaie ball. His quadrille Les mystères de Paris. Quadrille, published in 1844, get mentionned eight times in 1845 and 1846.

This tune is inspired by the serialized novel of the same name by Eugène Sue, 1843.

Le galop du Juif errant (Wandering Jew galop)

Le galop du Juif errant is another of those confusing titles. It brings to mind Halévy’s opera Le Juif errant (The Wandering Jew), which was first performed in 1852, well after the balls we are talking about (1845-1846).

Eugène Sue published a serialized novel of the same name in 1844-1845. It gets closer to the date of the balls, but obviously the orchestra cannot perform a novel!

Rummaging the dark nooks of Gallica, I found an ad for a « Quadrille et galop du Juif errant pour le piano, exécutés au concert Lafitte, arrangés pour piano par CONSTANTIN – chez l’auteur, rue Bourbon Villeneuve, n°8 » (Le Courrier, February 1835).

So Le galop du Juif errant would be much older than the novel. Maybe the success of the novel gave the dance tune a second youth.

Les pilules du Diable, quadrille (The Devil’s pills)

With 5 occurences between 1845 and 1846, this quadrille is a staple of La Monnaie’s balls.

1843’s Bibliographie de la France mentions a quadrille of that name, arranged for piano by Nep. Redler. Yes, Nep., as in Népomucène.

This quadrille music probably contains some motives from the magical extravaganza in 3 acts Les pilules du diable, composed by Ferdinand Laloue, Anicet-Bourgeois et Laurent in 1839.

Other hits

For the sake of completeness, here are three dances that I haven’t been able to identify (yet). Please let me know in the comments if you have any more information about them!

• Lichtenstein is a waltz, played eight times in 1845 and 1846;
• Edimburg is also a waltz, played on the same dates;
• Le Champagne is a quadrille performed twelve times between 1844 and 1846. From January 1845 to March 1846, it was called Le Champagne mousseux. It returned to its original name on 31 December 1846.

The case of polka

From January 23, 1845, the ball that marks the arrival of the dance in La Monnaie, the polka is mentionned on each and every programme. We measure the dazzling success of that dance, that was still unheard of a year before.

The success came so swiftly, that the music composers are slow to produce other polka tunes. Or maybe, the theater of La Monnaie is late to buy the needed music sheets. That’d explain why the orchestra systematically plays the same two polka, on every ball, from that date. Those are Reddowa and Polka nationale.

From 1846, we also find Les étudians de Paris (the Students from Paris). This tune was already present on previous programmes, as a “galop”, so I suspect some “recycling” of the tune to meet audience expectations (‘Me want polka!’).

Conclusions

What can we learn from the ball programmes of the Théâtre royal de la Monnaie between 1813 and 1846?

The way in which balls were promoted changed considerably over 33 years. Only a few sentences at the end of the programme announced the oldest balls. Little by little, the programmes were filled out with practical details: prices, cloakrooms, costume hire… all the things we take for granted today.

The decade between 1825 and 1835 marked a period of decline. Once again, a few succinct sentences announce the event. The years 1836-1839 saw the return of the ball in force, with a massive investment on the part of the organisers: decorations, illuminations, a large orchestra… and above all the tombola!

Finally, between 1841 and 1846, posters featured well-known composers and hit tunes to attract dancers. This was the period when the corpus proved to be the most valuable for dance historians.

The composers list includes the great names of the time: Strauss senior, Tolbecque and Musard. But there are also lesser-known composers such as Defresne, and typically Brussels composers such as Sacré.

The following may come as a surprise. The works of these composers are not often mentioned on the posters. Indeed, the composer’s name alone is enough to get the crowds going.

If you’re interested in quadrille music, Yves from the blog Antécédanses has reconstructed some of the pieces mentioned in this article. Happy listening!

What did you like about this article? Let me know in the comments!