French Grand Opera. an Art and a Business

A Brief History of the Claque

“…Directing the whole business, of course, were the chefs de claque, many of whom have left records of their careers ( 26 And in the 1830's one reads of Auguste, protector of musicians and dancers at the Ope"ra, holding conferences with the director of that house to determine plans of battle on the eves of new productions. 27 For the most part these chefs were rather cynical individuals who nonetheless took their work seriously and were anxious to give satisfaction to their employers. There is, for example, a letter from one of them to the great Rachel, written in answer to a complaint of hers that she had received less applause on the second performance of a play than on the first: I cannot remain under the obloquy of a reproach from lips such as yours.…”