Historic Opera

Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie

These postcards were produced for the 1900-1901 season at the Monnaie in Brussels, Belgium. Each black and white card has an individually designed nouveau-styled frame surrounding a featured performer from that season. These cards are very seldom seen.

Augusta Doria (Charleston, MA: 17 Jun 1873 - ). Augusta Doria is the stage name of Augusta Klous, from Charleston, Massachusetts (her parents were born in Prussia). After various small appearances in America, she traveled to Berlin in 1894. Eventually, she wound up as a pupil of Madame Marchesi in Paris. Although engaged for the Opera Comique, she never sang there. Instead, she appeared at the Monnaie on 20 Nov 1900 as Brangaene in Tristan und Isolde. She married a Belgian and became Madame Doria. Later, she was back in America (1908) to sing with the Manhattan Opera House.

E. Gottrand. Performed in the role of Noémie with Louise Homer on a 3 Nov 1899 Cendrillon, and Freia in Das Rheingold on 31 Oct 1898.

French soprano Marie Thiéry (1875-1918) made her first appearance at the Monnaie during the 1900-01 season as Mimi in La Bohème. Her career was established at the Opéra-Comique where she had great success. She made her debut there in Gounod's Mireille (1898). She was involved in several world premieres, among them the title role in Missa's Muguette (1903), Bruneau's L'Enfant Roi as Georget (1905), and Silver's Le Clos as Genevieve (1906). She was well known for her Micaëla (Carmen), Rosina (Barbiere di Siviglia), Marie (La Fille du régiment), Sophie (Werther), and the title roles of Lakmé and Manon.

Postcards identified in the 1900-1901 Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie set so far:

• Doria
• Duval-Melchissedec
• Gottrand
• Maubourg
• Mondaud
• Thiéry
• Vallier