Marie Jansen
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Marie Jansen (born Harriet Mary Johnson;"Made $500,000, Marie Jansen Went Through It All", ''
Lowell Sun ''The Sun'', also known as ''The Lowell Sun'', is a daily newspaper based in Lowell, Massachusetts, United States, serving towns in Massachusetts around the Greater Lowell area and beyond. As of 2011, its average daily circulation was about 42,9 ...
'', Lowell, Massachusetts, June 2, 1904, p. 11
November 18, 1857 – March 20, 1914At her death, ''The New York Times'' reported that Jansen was 65 years old: "Marie Jansen Dies at 65", ''The New York Times'', March 21, 1914, p. 13. However, in the 1870 census, Hattie Johnson, age 12, is listed as the daughter of Benjamin and Harriet Johnson, Boston, Massachusetts, which puts the year of Jansen's birth as 1857. In her US Passport application, May 5, 1891, Jansen listed her date of birth as November 18, 1863, so we identify her birth month and day as November 18.) was an American musical theatre actress best known for her roles at the end of the 19th century. She starred in a number of successful
comic operas Comic opera, sometimes known as light opera, is a sung dramatic work of a light or comic nature, usually with a happy ending and often including spoken dialogue. Forms of comic opera first developed in late 17th-century Italy. By the 1730s, a ne ...
,
Edwardian musical comedies Edwardian musical comedy was a form of British musical theatre that extended beyond the reign of King Edward VII in both directions, beginning in the early 1890s, when the Gilbert and Sullivan operas' dominance had ended, until the rise of the Ame ...
, and comic plays in New York, Boston, Philadelphia and London during the 1880s and 1890s. After gaining notice for her role in the American production of '' Olivette'' (1880), she became known for her performances in the title role of the original American production of '' Iolanthe'' (1882), in the long-running comic opera '' Erminie'' (1886), the title roles in ''Featherbrain'' (1884) and ''Nadjy'' (1888), and her role in '' The Oolah'' (1889). Later in her career, she performed in
vaudeville Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment born in France at the end of the 19th century. A vaudeville was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a dramatic composition ...
and formed her own touring theatre company. Jansen ran into financial difficulties, by the late 1890s, partly due to losses as a producer, that left her in reduced circumstances for the remainder of her life.


Early life and career

Jansen was born in
Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
, Massachusetts, where she was adopted as an infant by Benjamin and Harriet Johnson and named Harriet "Hattie" Mary Johnson. Her father was a merchant with the means to send his daughter to the
New England Conservatory of Music The New England Conservatory of Music (NEC) is a private music school in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the oldest independent music conservatory in the United States and among the most prestigious in the world. The conservatory is located on H ...
. While there, she appeared in music hall concerts and caught the eye of the British-American orchestra conductor and composer
John Braham John Braham may refer to: * John Braham (MP) (1417), MP for Suffolk *John Braham (tenor) John Braham ( – 17 February 1856) was an English tenor opera singer born in London. His long career led him to become one of Europe's leading opera stars. ...
, who felt that she had stage presence and later helped her secure a position with the Comley-Barton Opera Company.Dale, Allen
''Queens of the Stage''
1892, pp. 205–223. Retrieved December 30, 2012
Jansen made her professional stage debut at the Park Theatre in Boston on September 13, 1880 in B. E. Woolf's musical comedy, ''Lawn Tennis''. The play made its New York debut a few weeks later at the Bijou Theatre and ran until Christmas Eve. ''Olivette'', the English adaption of ''
Les noces d'Olivette ''Les noces d'Olivette'' is an opéra comique in three acts composed by Edmond Audran, with a libretto by Alfred Duru and Henri Charles Chivot. The farcical romance story concerns Olivette, who loves Valentine (who is also loved by a Countess) ...
'', a
comic opera Comic opera, sometimes known as light opera, is a sung dramatic work of a light or comic nature, usually with a happy ending and often including spoken dialogue. Forms of comic opera first developed in late 17th-century Italy. By the 1730s, a ne ...
with music by
Edmond Audran Achille Edmond Audran (12 April 184017 August 1901) was a French composer best known for several internationally successful comic operas and operettas. After beginning his career in Marseille as an organist, Audran composed religious music and ...
, debuted at the Bijou on Christmas Day with Jansen as the Waiting Maid to the Countess. In May 1881 ''Olivette'' opened at the
Boston Globe ''The Boston Globe'' is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes, and has a total circulation of close to 300,000 print and digital subscribers. ''The Boston Glob ...
, with Jansen assuming the role of the Countess, with great success. She next played in '' The Vicar of Bray'' and '' Billee Taylor''.Stone, David
"Marie Jansen"
, ''Who Was Who in the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company'', August 27, 2001
Jansen was married in 1881, while starring in ''Olivette'', to James Barton (1854–1910), an actor, theater manager and singer who was a co-founder of the Comley–Barton Opera Company. He was a son of
Philip Barton Key II Philip Barton Key II (April 5, 1818 – February 27, 1859)Richardson, Hester Dorsey. ''Side-Lights on Maryland History: With Sketches of Early Maryland Families.'' Baltimore, Md.: Williams and Wilkins company, 1913. was an American lawyer who ser ...
and grandson of Francis Scott Key."Ought Actresses Wed? Marie Jansen", ''The Chicago Daily Tribune'', October 21, 1888, p. 27 They divorced, she said, by the time she introduced the song "Ohé, Mamma" in 1883. From November 1882 to February 1883, she appeared at the Standard Theatre in the title role in the original American production of the Gilbert and Sullivan comic opera '' Iolanthe'', followed by the title role in an unauthorized production of ''
Patience (or forbearance) is the ability to endure difficult circumstances. Patience may involve perseverance in the face of delay; tolerance of provocation without responding in disrespect/anger; or forbearance when under strain, especially when face ...
'' at the Standard. She transferred to the
Fifth Avenue Theatre Fifth Avenue Theatre was a Broadway theatre in New York City in the United States located at 31 West 28th Street and Broadway (1185 Broadway). It was demolished in 1939. Built in 1868, it was managed by Augustin Daly in the mid-1870s. In 1877, ...
in March 1883, reprising her role in an unauthorized production of ''Iolanthe''. With the McCaull Comic Opera Company in November 1883, she appeared at Haverley's Theatre, Philadelphia, in the title role of the
Johann Strauss Johann Baptist Strauss II (25 October 1825 – 3 June 1899), also known as Johann Strauss Jr., the Younger or the Son (german: links=no, Sohn), was an Austrian composer of light music, particularly dance music and operettas. He composed ove ...
operetta '' Prinz Methusalem''.


Peak years

In December 1883, also at Haverley's, she scored a hit in the English version of the
Carl Millöcker Carl (or Karl) Joseph Millöcker ( – ), was an Austrian composer of operettas and a conductor. __NOTOC__ He was born in Vienna, where he studied the flute at the Vienna Conservatory. While holding various conducting posts in the city, h ...
operetta ''
Der Bettelstudent ''Der Bettelstudent'' (''The Beggar Student'') is an operetta in three acts by Carl Millöcker with a German libretto by Camillo Walzel (under the pseudonym of F. Zell) and Richard Genée, based on ''Les noces de Fernande'' by Victorien Sardou a ...
'' (''The Beggar Student''). This led to Rudolph Aronson choosing her, early in 1884, to sing at New York's Casino Theatre. In the spring of 1884 Charles Wyndham signed Jansen to create, at London's
Criterion Theatre The Criterion Theatre is a West End theatre at Piccadilly Circus in the City of Westminster, and is a Grade II* listed building. It has a seating capacity of 588. Building the theatre In 1870, the caterers Spiers and Pond began developmen ...
, the lead role, Mrs. Coney, in ''Featherbrain'', from the French play ''La Téte de Linotte'' by
Théodore Barrière Théodore Barrière (1823 – 16 October 1877), French playwright, was born in Paris. He belonged to a family of map engravers which had long been connected with the war department, and spent nine years in that service himself. The success o ...
and
Edmond Gondinet Edmond Gondinet (7 March 1828 – 19 November 1888) was a French playwright and librettist. This author, nearly forgotten today, produced forty plays of which several were successful. He collaborated with Alphonse Daudet and Eugène Labiche, ...
. ''Featherbrain'' had a successful run of eight months. Jansen played the title role in a four-month run at the Boston Museum of the comic opera ''Fantine'', by Firmin Bernicat and
André Messager André Charles Prosper Messager (; 30 December 1853 – 24 February 1929) was a French composer, organist, pianist and conductor. His compositions include eight ballets and thirty opéra comique, opéras comiques, opérettes and other stage wo ...
that was adapted by B. E. Woolf and R. M. Field (manager of the Boston Museum), with additional music supplied by Woolf. She next sang the role of Phyllis in '' Iolanthe''. In May 1885, with the McCaull Comic Opera Company, Jansen played Rosetta in Sydney Rosenfeld's adaptation of the Millöcker comic opera ''Der schwarze Husar'' (''The Black Hussars''). A year later at the Casino Theatre, she played Javotte in '' Erminie'', the hit comic opera composed by
Edward Jakobowski Edward Jakobowski (17 April 1856 – 29 April 1929) was an English composer, especially of musical theatre, best known for writing the hit comic opera '' Erminie''. Life and career Jakobowski was born in Islington, London, the only son of Isr ...
. When she joined the cast of ''Erminie'', Aronson added a song for her, ''Sunday after Three, My Sweetheart Comes to Me'', that he adapted from an old German tune. In May 1888, again at the Casino, Jansen created for the American stage the title role in ''Nadjy'', adapted by Alfred Murray from the
Francis Chassaigne Francis Chassaigne (also known as Francisque Chassaigne) (30 October 1847 – 21 December 1922) was a Belgian-born French composer of operettas, songs, and numerous pieces of dance music for piano. The English-language versions of his operettas, ...
operetta, ''Les noces improvises''. Jansen performed the role after only five days rehearsal following
Sadie Martinot Sarah Frances Marie Martinot (August 19, 1861 – May 7, 1923) was an American actress and soprano singer who performed on stage in dramas, musical comedy and comic opera. Her career began at the age fifteen as Cupid in ''Ixion; or, the Man at ...
's last minute departure over a creative dispute. ''Nadjy'' went on to have a run of 256 performances. In May 1889 Jansen played Tourouloupi, the wife of Cadi, in ''The Oolah'', the first of three successful comic operas she performed in with Francis Wilson's Opera Company at the old
Broadway Theatre Broadway theatre,Although ''theater'' is generally the spelling for this common noun in the United States (see American and British English spelling differences), 130 of the 144 extant and extinct Broadway venues use (used) the spelling ''Th ...
on 41st Street, New York. ''The Oolah'', by Sydney Aronson and
Charles Lecocq Alexandre Charles Lecocq (3 June 183224 October 1918) was a French composer, known for his opérettes and opéras comiques. He became the most prominent successor to Jacques Offenbach in this sphere, and enjoyed considerable success in the 1870 ...
, was memorable in part for Jansen's rendition of the song, "Be Good", which some considered too suggestive. She was Tessa in Wilson's 1890 Philadelphia production of ''
The Gondoliers ''The Gondoliers; or, The King of Barataria'' is a Savoy Opera, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It premiered at the Savoy Theatre on 7 December 1889 and ran for a very successful 554 performances (at that time the ...
''. In August 1890 she was Lazuli, a traveling perfume peddler, to Wilson's King Anso, in ''
The Merry Monarch The Merry Monarch (1842 – after 1859) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a career that lasted from July 1844 to May 1846 he ran four times and won only one race. That race, however, was the 1845 Epsom Derby, in which he reco ...
'', by J. Cheever Goodwin and composers Woolson Morse and Emmanuel Chabrier, adapted from '' L'étoile'' by Chabrier. Jansen next played Angelina, a circus equestrian, opposite Wilson, in ''The Lion Tamer'', opening in December 1891, with book and lyrics by Goodwin, music by Richard Stahl and orchestrations by
John Philip Sousa John Philip Sousa ( ; November 6, 1854 – March 6, 1932) was an American composer and conductor of the late Romantic era known primarily for American military marches. He is known as "The March King" or the "American March King", to dis ...
. In 1892, she left Wilson's company and appeared in ''Rosedale'', by
Lester Wallack John Johnstone Wallack (January 1, 1820, New York City – September 6, 1888, Stamford, Connecticut), was an American actor-manager and son of James William Wallack and Susan Johnstone. He used the stage name John Lester until October 5, 1858, w ...
, in Boston."Fleeting Fame"
''The Junior Munsey'', Volume 11, October 1901 to March 1902, p. 877.
In 1893 Jansen began a several-years-long tour at Boston's
Howard Athenaeum The Howard Athenæum (1845–1953), also known as Old Howard Theatre, in Boston, Massachusetts, was one of the most famous theaters in Boston history. Founded in 1845, it remained an institution of culture and learning for most of its years, fina ...
as Trixie Hazelmere the Queen of the Vaudevilles in ''Delmonico's at Six'', a comic play written specifically for her by
Glen MacDonough Glen MacDonough (1870 – March 30, 1924) was an American writer, lyricist and librettist. He was the son of theater manager Thomas B. MacDonough and actress/author Laura Don. Glen MacDonough married Margaret Jefferson in 1896 in Buzzard's Bay, ...
. Over the season of 1897–98 she played Pearl Dodo in a musical farce by Frank Tannehill, Jr., entitled ''The Nancy Hanks'', a success in which she and Tannehill "succeeded in bringing down the house on several occasions."


Later years

A subsequent venture into
vaudeville Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment born in France at the end of the 19th century. A vaudeville was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a dramatic composition ...
with her own company failed due to Jansen's unsophisticated approach towards finances, and by 1904 Jansen was forced into bankruptcy. Jansen was thought to have earned over her career an estimated $500,000, but by the time of her bankruptcy she was unable to pay a $7 a-week bill for lodging while working as seamstress and occasionally appearing on stage in minor roles. Reportedly because of her drinking, Jansen's relationship with her twice widowed father and Lulu, his third wife, soured around 1901. As a result, after Benjamin Johnson's death in January 1906, Jansen received only $500 from his $30,000 estate, with the bulk of the funds going to his widow. Jansen sued but eventually failed to convince a Boston court that her stepmother had an undue influence over her father in drafting his final will. Jansen's last known stage appearance came in the fall of 1908 at New York's Olympic Theatre as a principal performer in comedian Edmond "The Wise Guy" Hayes' vaudeville show, ''Mardi Gras Beauties''."Vaudeville", ''The New York Times'', October 11, 1908, p. X2 She died in March 1914 at
Winthrop, Massachusetts Winthrop is a town in Suffolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 19,316 at the 2020 census. Winthrop is an ocean-side suburban community in Greater Boston situated at the north entrance to Boston Harbor, close to Logan Int ...
, aged 56.


References


External links

*
Profile and photos of JansenPhotographs of Jansen Portrait and short bio
Wayback Machine) {{DEFAULTSORT:Jansen, Marie 1857 births 1914 deaths 19th-century American actresses 20th-century American actresses Vaudeville performers American stage actresses American opera singers Actresses from Boston