Late 19th century - Les Saltimbanques – Operetta Sheet Music by Louis Ganne – Théâtre de la Gaîté (c.1899)

Original antique French sheet music from the operetta “Les Saltimbanques”, an opéra-comique in three acts with music by Louis Ganne (1862–1923) and lyrics by Maurice Ordonneau. This edition, published by Choudens, Paris, dates from around 1899, the year the work premiered at the Théâtre de la Gaîté in Paris.

The operetta tells the story of young circus performers (saltimbanques) and their romantic adventures — a blend of humor, tenderness, and popular music of the Belle Époque. Ganne’s score was widely admired for its melodic charm and light orchestration, and the operetta quickly became one of his greatest successes.

The cover features a charming lithographed illustration