Marie Cico
Encyclopedia
Marie Cico, born in Paris in 1843 and died Neuilly-sur-Seine
on 11 September 1875 was a French singer of opéra-comique
and operetta
.
She made her debut at the Palais-Royal, where she was noticed by Jacques Offenbach, who took her into his company. At the Bouffes-Parisiens she created the roles of Minerve in Orphée aux enfers (1858), Lahire and Clé-de-Sol in Geneviève de Brabant
(1859) and Calisto in Daphnis et Chloé (1860).
After winning prizes at the Paris Conservatoire
, she made her debut at the Opéra-Comique
on 30 September 1861 in Les mousquetaires de la reine. Cico then created the title role in Lalla-Roukh by Félicien David (1862), Le voyage en Chine (1865) by François Bazin, Robinson Crusoé
(1867), La pénitent (1868) and Vert-Vert (1869). In 1874 Cico was engaged at the Théâtre de la Gaîté
in preparation for a revival of Orphée aux enfers.
At the Opéra-Comique she also sang in Zampa
(Camille) in 1863 and Le domino noir
in 1864. Cico took part in the new production of Le Pré aux clercs
in 1865 (Isabelle), and in the 1,000th performance of the piece on 7 December 1871.
She made her debut in Fra Diavolo
(Pamela) on 10 March 1870, and on 24 February 1872 took part as Suzanne in the Opéra-Comique premiere of The Marriage of Figaro
.
Her sister Pauline was also an actress who performed at the Vaudeville, Palais-Royal, and Ambigu theatres.
Neuilly-sur-Seine
Neuilly-sur-Seine is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.Although Neuilly is technically a suburb of Paris, it is immediately adjacent to the city and directly extends it. The area is composed of mostly wealthy, select residential...
on 11 September 1875 was a French singer of opéra-comique
Opéra-Comique
The Opéra-Comique is a Parisian opera company, which was founded around 1714 by some of the popular theatres of the Parisian fairs. In 1762 the company was merged with, and for a time took the name of its chief rival the Comédie-Italienne at the Hôtel de Bourgogne, and was also called the...
and operetta
Operetta
Operetta is a genre of light opera, light in terms both of music and subject matter. It is also closely related, in English-language works, to forms of musical theatre.-Origins:...
.
She made her debut at the Palais-Royal, where she was noticed by Jacques Offenbach, who took her into his company. At the Bouffes-Parisiens she created the roles of Minerve in Orphée aux enfers (1858), Lahire and Clé-de-Sol in Geneviève de Brabant
Geneviève de Brabant
Geneviève de Brabant is an opéra bouffe, or operetta, by Jacques Offenbach, first performed in Paris in 1859. The plot is based on the medieval legend of Genevieve of Brabant....
(1859) and Calisto in Daphnis et Chloé (1860).
After winning prizes at the Paris Conservatoire
Conservatoire de Paris
The Conservatoire de Paris is a college of music and dance founded in 1795, now situated in the avenue Jean Jaurès in the 19th arrondissement of Paris, France...
, she made her debut at the Opéra-Comique
Opéra-Comique
The Opéra-Comique is a Parisian opera company, which was founded around 1714 by some of the popular theatres of the Parisian fairs. In 1762 the company was merged with, and for a time took the name of its chief rival the Comédie-Italienne at the Hôtel de Bourgogne, and was also called the...
on 30 September 1861 in Les mousquetaires de la reine. Cico then created the title role in Lalla-Roukh by Félicien David (1862), Le voyage en Chine (1865) by François Bazin, Robinson Crusoé
Robinson Crusoé
Robinson Crusoé is an opéra comique, or operetta, by Jacques Offenbach.The French libretto was written by Eugène Cormon and Hector-Jonathan Crémieux, which was loosely adapted from the novel Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe, though the work owes more to British pantomime than to the book...
(1867), La pénitent (1868) and Vert-Vert (1869). In 1874 Cico was engaged at the Théâtre de la Gaîté
Théâtre de la Gaîté (rue Papin)
In 1862 during Haussmann's modernization of Paris the Théâtre de la Gaîté of the boulevard du Temple was relocated to the rue Papin across from the Square des Arts et Métiers....
in preparation for a revival of Orphée aux enfers.
At the Opéra-Comique she also sang in Zampa
Zampa
Zampa, ou La fiancée de marbre is an opéra comique in three acts by French composer Louis Joseph Ferdinand Hérold...
(Camille) in 1863 and Le domino noir
Le domino noir
Le domino noir is an opéra comique by the French composer Daniel Auber, first performed on 2 December 1837 by the Opéra-Comique at the Salle de la Bourse in Paris. The libretto to the three-act piece is by Auber's usual collaborator, Eugène Scribe. It was one of Auber's most successful works,...
in 1864. Cico took part in the new production of Le Pré aux clercs
Le Pré aux clercs
Le pré aux clercs is an opéra comique in three acts by Ferdinand Hérold with a libretto by François-Antoine-Eugène de Planard based on Prosper Mérimée's Chronique du temps de Charles IX of 1829.-Performance history:...
in 1865 (Isabelle), and in the 1,000th performance of the piece on 7 December 1871.
She made her debut in Fra Diavolo
Fra Diavolo
Fra Diavolo , is the popular name given to Michele Pezza, a famous Neapolitan guerrilla leader who resisted the French occupation of Naples, proving an “inspirational practicioner of popular insurrection”. Pezza figures prominently in folk lore and fiction...
(Pamela) on 10 March 1870, and on 24 February 1872 took part as Suzanne in the Opéra-Comique premiere of The Marriage of Figaro
The Marriage of Figaro
Le nozze di Figaro, ossia la folle giornata , K. 492, is an opera buffa composed in 1786 in four acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, with Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte, based on a stage comedy by Pierre Beaumarchais, La folle journée, ou le Mariage de Figaro .Although the play by...
.
Her sister Pauline was also an actress who performed at the Vaudeville, Palais-Royal, and Ambigu theatres.