Press Illustration of Act 1 of the Premiere of Jacques Offenbach's Operetta La Grande-duchesse De Gérolstein at the Théâtre Des Variétés in Paris on 12 April 1867 from L'univers Illlustré (27 April 1867) 1867

This 1867 wood engraving by Édouard Riou captures a scene from Act 1 of Jacques Offenbach's operetta *La Grande-duchesse de Gérolstein*, which premiered in Paris on April 12, 1867. The image depicts a grand outdoor setting, likely a royal encampment, with numerous tents and a crowd of figures. It appeared in the French illustrated magazine *L'Univers Illustré* on April 27, 1867, documenting the event for contemporary audiences. Riou's detail-oriented style, typical of his journalistic engravings, brings the operetta's spectacle to life. *La Grande-duchesse de Gérolstein* was a popular and successful operetta, lauded for its witty humor and catchy melodies.