Zulma Bouffar

French actress and soprano singer, associated with the opéra-bouffe of Paris in the second half of the 19th century who enjoyed a successful career around Europe.

Aged only six, Bouffar appeared in "La fille bien gardée" in Marseille, and followed this with successful performances in Lyon. Her father then toured with her around western Europe and Scandinavia. After her father’s death in 1854 she continued travelling, bringing into her repertoire some of the contemporary songs of Offenbach, who heard her sing in Hamburg in 1864. The same year Bouffar appeared at Bad Ems in Offenbach's "Lischen et Fritzchen," and repeated her success in Paris.

From this time for about 12 years Bouffar was probably Offenbach's mistress – his longest extra-marital liaison. She created Nani in "Les géorgiennes," Jeannet in "Les bergers," Gabrielle in "La vie Parisienne," Drogan in "Geneviève de Brabant," Toto in "Le château à Toto," Fragoletto in "Les Brigands," Robin Luron in "Le Roi Carotte," Ginetta in "Les braconniers," Moschetta in "Il signor Fagotto" and Prince Caprice in "Le voyage dans la lune" – a range of men's and women's roles.

From 1891-93 Bouffar became the manager of the Théâtre de l'Ambigu-Comique. In the latter part of her stage career, Bouffar appeared in operettas by Lecocq and Strauss, and sang around Europe. She announced her retirement from the stage in 1902, and she died on 20 January 1909.