Blue Beard became Turkish

Mavi Boncuk
Blue Beard, based on the fairy tale of a famous nobleman and his over-curious wife, contained a march that achieved great popularity. The original story was written by Charles Perrault and first published in 1698, and it was turned into an opera by Grétry called Barbe Bleue. Michael Kelly saw a production in Paris in 1790 and paid Colman to make a libretto out of it in which the villain became Turkish rather than French. When Blue Beard, or Female Curiosity was staged in 1801 at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, reviews were mixed but it proved popular with audiences. Kelly himself acted in the play and told this amusing story:

At the end of the piece, when Blue Beard is slain by Selim, a most ludicrous scene took place. Where Blue Beard sinks under the stage, a skeleton rises, which when seen by the audience was to sink down again; but not one inch would the said skeleton move. I, who had just been killing Blue Beard, totally forgetting where I was, ran up with my drawn sabre, and pummelled the poor skeleton’s head with all my might, vociferating, until he disappeared, loud enough to be heard by the whole house, “(Damn) you, why don’t you go down?” The audience were in roars of laughter at this ridiculous scene, but good-naturedly appeared to enter into the feelings of an infuriated composer. (quoted in the New York Times Sept., 23, 1877)
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