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, renowned for his humorous and satirical verses. The work is linked to the Paris cabaret Le Chat Noir, founded in 1881 by Rodolphe Salis in Montmartre, which was a high point 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 Le Chat Noir imagery: a female figure, a black cat, and mills reminiscent of Montmartre. It reflects the fin-de-siècle aesthetic and the bohemian spirit of the cabaret.
Two works bound into 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" – Songbook
"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, youth 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 for young people.
This kind of work 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 France, originally from Marseille. He authored over 4,000 songs and many film scores and operettas. Very active in the first half of the 20th century, he left a mark on French song with titles that became classics.

Career and musical style
Scotto collaborated with many artists of his era and wrote for theater, cinema, and popular song. His style blended catchy 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 performances, such as the one mentioned on the poster "Les Baisers", presented at Gaîté Rochechouart.

Legacy
Vincent Scotto remains an iconic 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 at the beginning of the 20th century. She is especially 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 a lasting impression with sumptuous costumes and choreographed numbers.

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

In short, Mistinguett remains an emblematic figure of the Parisian stage, a symbol 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 tells, in a tone between historical and anecdotal, the most significant and also the most problematic moments of Madrid’s Teatro Real, one of Spain’s most important lyric venues.

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

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