Bizarreries

Paris, Berlioz, and The Trojans

This cartoon was one in a series by Alfred Grévin published in the weekly magazine La Vie Parisienne on November 21, 1863, shortly after the abridged premiere of Hector Berlioz’ massive five-act opera Les Troyens (The Trojans) at the Théâtre de la Ville in Paris.

Grévin’s caricature features four sketches reflecting the general confusion that greeted th…