The Grand Duchess - 1894

The Grand Duchess, or The Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, by Jules Offenbach, is a French operetta that was often presented in the late 19th and early 20th century. In 1894 Lillian Russell starred in a revival of the popular piece, which was costumed by Caroline Siedle. 

Russell was the foremost operetta star in America for many years, and was known for her voice, beauty and stage presence. She was an early supporter of Siedle’s costume work, and starred in various vehicles outfitted by the designer. She appeared regularly at Weber & Field’s Music Hall, as well as the Casino theater; both were frequent clients of Caroline Siedle. In an 1895 interview Siedle is quoted;

"...I'll tell you one thing that always is pleasing: It is to have opera stars follow every item of a design made for them. Miss Russell is such a conscientious person in that way that it is a delight to design for her. In "The Princess Nicotine" she adhered to the sketch, even to the rose she wore. Yes the Princess Nicotine hat, which has been the rage here in New York, was part of the design."

Indeed, the Princess Nicotine hat was a popular fashion for a time, as seen in this 1894 advertisement.

The Grand Duchess was a favorite piece for the actress, who starred in several productions of the operetta over a five year period. According to the New York Evening World, November 15th, 1894, this particular presentation came about due to the failure of The Queen of Brilliants, another Russell vehicle.

The photo on the left, from the New York Public Library, shows Russell's first entrance in the operetta, in a sleigh. In the newspaper interview published in 1895, Siedle is busy painting cherubs on a sleigh for a production of The Grand Duchess. Presumably this was the sleigh!

This design is for the character General Boum, spelled “Boom” by Siedle. The costume is elaborate, and the drawing features gold paint to highlight the various braids and trims. The oversized hat, sash and elaborate boots help to indicate the self-importance of the character. Siedle's signature in this early design is a little different than her familiar style. Her signature seems to have changed somewhere in the 1895/96 period.

Notations on the back of the board indicate that the role was to be played by a Mr. Sanzelle; this is confirmed by a blurb in The World, November 17th, 1894, claiming that Mr Sanzelle had been engaged prior to the opening of the show. But the name has been crossed out and changed to Mostyn. This is explained by the role being played by Hallen Mostyn when the production opened on December 4th. He continued in the role, touring the country with the production.

Further notes show that the character had only this one costume, which was supplemented in the first act with a military coat, muffler and mittens. Also, the epaulets had to be detachable!