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Page: of 8
4 The Nevada County Nugget Wed., June 25, 1975
(Lola Montez’ life has provided much material for biographers and
novelists but what the press had to say about her has long been
hidden in musty files. Author Doris Foley diligently searched early
day California newspaper files, reading every:issue published between 1853 and 1861, to document what they said about the divine
_ _ bol.aand then for contrast included Lola's autobiography in this
=~ work.) =
Chapter Seventeen
LOLA AND THE BAVARIANS~To Lola, her greatest contribution to the theater and to the
American public was the play, ‘‘Lola Montez in Bavaria.” It was
ene
"° produced as Lola’s own work. In the play she exposed the tyranny
of the Bavarian King’s court and his government. She enacted the
part of a dignified, calm and resolute woman in the revolution of
1848, bringing an awareness and a subtle message to American
audiences of despotism.
It was not until her return from Australia, when the play again
was presented in San Francisco, that a full newspaper account of it
a was given. What Americans thought of this serious performance is
expressed by the following review in the Daily Evening Bulletin for
August 12, 1856:
‘There is a broad distinction between fame and notoriety. The
possessor of either may render one a historical personage.
Madame Lola Montez presents’ herself again to the California
ss audience in the capacities of authoress, actress, apostle of
3 republicanism, and a notoriety, and to add to the interest attaching
to her appearance in such characters, performs a part in a farce,
A LEIPZIG poster of Lola Montez in which Lola portrays the dancing girl, whip in hand, with the eyes of
the Bavarian King (center) focused upon her. Govern‘ment documents and funds lay at her feet while
Jesuit Priests cringe in the background. Even the
scenic effect hints at the magnetic and tenacious hold
Lola maintained over King Ludwig . of Bavaria.
(Photo courtesy of the Harvard College Library,
Theatre Collection).
= written by Charles Ware of New York, assisted by the Countess but —
_a = Sesmelicls
Th e Divin C.
which she states is a true representation of real scenes in which she
herself was the heroine, just as she is exhibited on the stage. It is
entitled ‘Lola in Bavaria’ and Madame Lola Montez plays ‘Lola
Montez!’ This piece she told her audience the other evening had, she
was happy to say, been very favorably received in Australia and its
frequent representation there had done very much towards
dissemination of liberal principles. She had a something in her, she
said, which told her that, some of these days, California would be a
great country, and, as the people of Australia were now well
prepared for the establishment of republican institutions, the day
was not far distant when Sydney would be a fair mate and companion for the golden Eureka State of this side of the Pacific! When
this great result was accomplished, it would afford her (Marie
Montez) satisfaction sufficient for the rest of her life, to know that
her efforts in thus exhibiting some of the scenes of her life, and the
“itterance of some of the sentiments of ‘her heart in this play, had
contributed to bring it about.“The characters in the piece are all intended for types of different classes of society. The King is represented as an old fogy
gentleman, grown grey under the cares of government without
ever finding out that his ministers misrepresented matters to him.
His sympathies, it appears, were for the people, and it only needed
a dancing girl to set him in operation. The piece opens somewhat
mysteriously. The audience is left in doubt as to why the King sends
for her. When they once get acquainted, however, Lola tells him,
‘She ain’t afraid of a king,’ and soon gets to calling him ‘Louis!
Louis!’ and pats his cheeks. Tapping him on the forehead playfully,
she tells him she will never be able to beat any sense into it. Louis is
so charmed with her mental powers and goodness of heart that he
A COMMAND portrait for Lu
of the new palace (Schonh
many) King Ludwig . , who. w
beauty, had set apart a hall
European beauties. At the
portrait of Lola Montez, de
ture there. Even the reign
pretty woman, was given a .
the gallery. The old king e
promise that this picture she
least while he lived.’ — Rep
1853.
Bancroft Library, University
wants her to take up residence witl
overstep the bounds of strictest pr
him to fit up a palace specially for h
her every day.
“One of the lady characters is .
She pretends not to sympathize wit
she is surrounded, who don’t appea
the morals of ‘the dear old Louis’
special p of this old lad
committed by the King. This old m
has a great horror of scandal, and v
but certainly very earnest in taki
opinion of her and becomes her w
“The King’s prime minister <
Jesuit, so, as he don’t like her,
treachery in deceiving the King and
the reforms, she has him turned ou
send her to Austria and make a pri
King is listening behind a cu
presumable) and makes a scornfu
eavesdropping behind the same c
versing with his counsellor. ,
“Madame Montez’s type of the
says ‘Lola gave him 20 gilders for a
if she paid that much for a picture