Document - Mac-Nab / H. Gerbault et autres - Chansons du Chat Noir - 1890

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"Chansons du Chat Noir" by Mac-Nab
"Chansons du Chat Noir" is a collection of songs written by Maurice Mac-Nab (1856-1889), a French poet and songwriter, famed for his humorous and satirical texts. The work is linked to the Parisian cabaret Le Chat Noir, founded in 1881 by Rodolphe Salis in Montmartre, which was a major hub of artistic and literary life in the Belle Époque.

Historical context:
Le Chat Noir was a cabaret where poets, musicians and humorists performed. Mac-Nab presented his songs there, often accompanied by illustrations and staging. This collection brings together several of his texts performed in this iconic venue.

Cover illustration:
The cover you show is richly illustrated, with elements typical of the Chat Noir imagery: a feminine figure, a black cat, and mills evoking Montmartre. It reflects the fin-de-siècle aesthetic and the bohemian spirit of the cabaret.
Two bound works in one volume with a magnificent binding signed Toffier, if I read correctly.
Posthumous publication of these Mac Nab works for the cabaret of the Chat Noir
Illustrations by Henri Gerbault

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"Chantons Jeunesse" – Collection of songs
"Chantons Jeunesse" is a collection of French songs compiled by Marie-Rose Chauveau, probably published toward the end of the 1940s. This type of book was often used in schools, holiday camps, or youth movements to learn and sing together.

Main features:
Author: Marie-Rose Chauveau
Title: Chantons Jeunesse
Publisher: Le Chant du Monde (French music publisher)
Period: around 1947-1948
Content: popular, traditional and educational songs aimed at young people.
This type of publication was part of an educational tradition where collective singing was a tool for cultural and social education.

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Vincent Scotto – Popular French composer
Vincent Scotto (1874-1952) was a composer, lyricist and music publisher from Marseille. He authored more than 4,000 songs and many film scores and operettas. Very active in the first half of the 20th century, he marked French song with titles that became classics.

Career and musical style
Scotto collaborated with numerous artists of his time and composed for theater, cinema and popular song. His style mixed lively melodies with accessible lyrics, often inspired by daily life and Mediterranean culture.

Notable works
Among his best-known songs are Sous les ponts de Paris, Marinella, and J’ai deux amours. He also wrote for revues and shows, such as the one mentioned on the poster "Les Baisers", presented at Gaîté Rochechouart.

Legacy
Vincent Scotto remains a symbolic figure of French popular music, and his compositions continue to be performed and recorded.

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Mistinguett – Icon of Parisian Music-Hall
Mistinguett (born Jeanne Florentine Bourgeois, 1875-1956) was one of the greatest stars of French music-hall in the early 20th century. She is particularly associated with the Moulin Rouge, where she presented numerous spectacular revues, often staged by Jacques-Charles.

Career and success
Mistinguett was famous for her charisma, humor and extravagant style. She popularized many songs, some of which are mentioned on the poster you shared, such as "Valencia", "Le Fado", and "California Rose". She also left an impression with lavish costumes and choreographed numbers.

The presented poster
The image shows an advertisement for a Mistinguett Revue at the Moulin Rouge, listing the works of Mistinguett, Randall and Dréan. This type of document served to promote shows and the associated musical scores, published by Francis Salabert.

In summary, Mistinguett remains an iconic figure of the Parisian stage, emblematic of the golden age of music-hall and French elegance

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« Merci et malheurs du Teatro Real » by Gaspar Gómez de la Serna
« Gracias y desgracias del Teatro Real » is a play written by Gaspar Gómez de la Serna that recounts, in a tone that is partly historical and anecdotal, the most remarkable and also the most problematic moments of Madrid’s Teatro Real, one of Spain’s most important lyric opera houses.

In this book, the author collects curious episodes, anecdotes from artists, memorable premieres, as well as incidents and difficulties that marked the theater’s history. The work combines historical documentation with an engaging narrative style, making it an interesting reference for those who wish to discover Madrid’s cultural and lyric life.

The image you present, with the score of Gaetano Donizetti’s La Favorita and other old documents, indeed evokes the historical and artistic environment described by Gómez de la Serna: a world of operas, performers, scores and memories of the splendor and vicissitudes of the Teatro Real.