[GOUNOD Charles]. BARBIER Jules (1825-1901).

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[GOUNOD Charles]. BARBIER Jules (1825-1901).
89 L.A.S. "P.J. Barbier" to Charles GOUNOD, 1860-1881, plus 12 L.A.S. or P.A.S. from GOUNOD, and a few documents attached: about 300 pages in various sizes (one letter is slightly missing) Important correspondence from the librettist to the musician. [Jules Barbier was, in collaboration with Michel Carré, the preferred librettist of Gounod, from Faust to Polyeucte. Some of Barbier's letters are annotated by Gounod. We can only give here a too quick overview of this fascinating correspondence]. 24 April 1860. About Philémon and Baucis, its publication in two or three acts, and the rights that Choudens must pay to the librettists. 22 February 1865. He is writing the libretto of Romeo and Juliet: "I am swimming in the middle of Shakespeare and I am trying to impregnate the humble verses that you will warm up with the sounds of your music"... He mocks Gounod about Legouvé, an "old mastodon" and a "fossil"... 1868. 19 June. About the bankruptcy of Carvalho at the Théâtre Lyrique, which releases them from their commitment. But the treaty binds them to the Renaissance for Romeo and Faust; on the back, l.a.s. from Gounod (to Perrin, director of the Opéra?): " I have no treaty with Carvalho "... - 6 July. Gounod to Barbier about Faust and Roméo after Carvalho's bankruptcy, and about his negotiations with Perrin; copy by Gounod of their treaty with Carvalho for Roméo et Juliette. [1869]. Barbier about his mother, aged 84, "with a whole quarter moon in her head," who invites herself to dinner at Gounod's house. 1871. 27 February. Barbier reproaches Gounod for soaring to the heights; he expresses his rage against "the wretches who have made this war on us of redskins, and even of filoux", "brute beasts"; Carré does not care much about them.... March 25. He is waiting for Gounod's music to his poem on Alsace. His house in Aulnay has been ransacked by the Prussians. He mocks the "patriotic breath" of the Swiss Choudens!... June 20. After the "execrable reign of the Commune", he found his house in the rue Pergolèse, plundered by his servant.... 19 July. Leuwen and Du Locle want to hire Mme Carvalho at the Opéra-Comique to sing Juliette, who would thus leave the Opéra, totally disorganized. Ambroise Thomas would like to see Gounod accept a chair at the Conservatoire. 25 July. Martinet would like to play Le Médecin malgré lui, but he needs Gounod's permission. 14 September. He learns from Choudens that Gounod preferred to do himself the translation of Gallia: " you could have advised me yourself ". Then on the negotiations concerning Romeo and Mme Carvalho: " it is not Juliette who should follow Romeo, but Romeo who should follow Juliette "... Plus copies of 2 letters from Gounod of 20 September to Barbier and to Mme Carvalho. 1872. 7 January. Du Locle has abandoned their project for Ruth... 19 January. On his family worries, his concern about Gounod's state of mind and health: " you are inevitably born for the theatre, [...] it is to the theatre that you will come back with masterpieces that the first ray of sunlight will make germinate in your brain. [...] While waiting for your resurrection, you will do well to use your lethargy to complete the preparation of Polyeucte"... January 22nd. Sending of the poem of the Sermon on the Mount. 9 March. Sharp disagreement after Gounod's rejection of Frederick Gye's proposals for Romeo and Juliet at Covent Garden, with royalties of 500 F per performance: " the success in London would open to Romeo all the great cities of Europe. [...] It is perhaps unfortunate that custom has given equal rights to the poem and the music of an opera, but this is no less a given. Allow some people to believe that you could buy a libretto, as one buys pâtés, in order to become the sole and sovereign master again; but in that case you would get your money's worth, and your collaborators would not be called Jules Barbier. .... 12 March. He bows to Gounod's ultimatum, but he regrets "to see England take you away from your friends, your works, your country".... London 12 March. Vigorous answer from GOUNOD, hurt by these insinuations, asking for " a clear and immediate explanation "...14 March. Barbier did not want to intervene in Gounod's private life, but he deplores the "unjustifiable influence which has come to set itself up as judge of your affairs, your works, your collaborations, your life, your duties, and, to say the least, of your very conscience"... 17 March. He is in tears in front of the letter from Gounod: "I knew well your sadness; I
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