Reprinted
in part from "SHOWBIZ, PIONEERS, BEST SINGERS, ENTERTAINERS AND MUSICIANS
FROM 1606 TO THE PRESENT", Volume IV of the WORLD WHO'S WHO IN JAZZ,
CABARET, MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT", published by TimesSquarePress and the
Federation of American Musicians, Singers and Performing Artists (FAMSPA).
Pages 1920-1940. Author of the book: Maximillien de Lafayette
Photo: Aristide Bruant, pioneer of the French cabaret
The flamboyant Aristide Bruant: Le Chat Noir was mystified and imbibed by the character and personality of his co-founder, the legendary Aristide Bruant who is considered as the Father of Modern Cabaret. To all its customers, Le Chat Noir was Aristide Bruant in persona and in motion. This landmark cabaret opened its doors in 1881 in Montmartre, Paris, France. And with its opening night, the first chapter of cabaret was written. Among its illustrious clients were Guy de Maupassant and Debussy. The founders of Le Chat Noir were Aristide Bruant (1851-1925), Rodolphe Salis (1852-1897) and our famous Emile Goudeau (1849-1906), the daring tric-trac character we met before! Aristide Bruant was an intellectual bohemian, a flamboyant bon-viveur and a master of sarcasm. When la haute societé (High society) and the Parisian bourgeoisie came to his cabaret, he used to address them as “Cochons” (Pigs) and sarcastically asked them to save their money and spend it in his joint. Yet, he was generous to a fault. He loved life, adventures and celebrated the anarchists, the rebels, the free-spirited, the liberals, the outlaws and the prostitutes. He was perfect for the cabaret business at that time and place in history. He was the champion of the underdog, the poor, the working class and the persecuted. He made fun of the famous and the rich and ridiculed the fashionable Parisian women. He made a fortune and a fortune he spent on his friends and the needy. A few years later, he retired from the cabaret scene and devoted himself to farming, writing books and publishing novels. In 1924, at 73, he made a brief comeback at the Parisian theater “Theatre Empire”.
Now look at this!! Photo: Two French cabarets side by side in Montmartre, Paris. On the left is Cabaret le ciel (Cabaret of heaven). Bumper to bumper and sharing the same wall (On the right side) with Cabaret l’enfer (Cabaret of hell). Just figure it out! Are French crazy or what? They are crazy, alright! Those cabarets were created by two Frenchmen who hated each other. The one who owned “Cabaret of hell” was an ex-clergyman. The other guy who owned “cabaret of heaven” was an ex-convict and known in the neighborhood as morally bankrupt. Both were hand-made for cabaret!
Early songwriters of the French cabaret: The songwriters (Les chansonniers) of Le Chat Noir were: Gaston Couté (1880-1911), Jules Jouy (1857-1898), Maurice Rollinat (1846-1903), Léon Durocher (1862-1918), Jean Goudezki (1866- ?), Vincent Hyspa ((1868-1914), Maurice Mac-Nab (1856-1889), René Ponsard (1830-1894), and Léon Xanrof (1867-1953).
Early composers of the French cabaret: The composers (Les compositeurs) of Le Chat Noir were: Marie Krysinska (1864-1908), Erik Satie (1866-1925), Léopold Dauphin (1847-?), Gaston Couté (1880-1911), Jules Jouy (1857-1898), Maurice Rollinat (1846-1903), Léon Durocher (1862-1918), Jean Goudezki (1866- ?), Vincent Hyspa ((1868-1914), Maurice Mac-Nab (1856-1889), René Ponsard (1830-1894), and Léon Xanrof (1867-1953).
The bizarre cabarets of Paris: Aristide Bruant’s cabaret was not the only novelty and most bizarre place in Paris. Some cabarets or so-called cabarets were very strange and bizarissimo! The three most notable ones were: Cabaret du neant (Cabaret of the Nothingness or Void), Cabaret de l’enfer (Cabaret of Hell), Cabaret du ciel (Cabaret of Heaven). I will not elaborate further on those places, instead, I will give you illustrative and most expressive photos of their appearances. They are self-explanatory! Continues Next