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TRANSCRIPTION
Mon bon St Georges, Page 2 de la Douane no 16 Mille amitiés Ad.[olphe] Adam
Je ne peux me rappeler
TRANSLATION
My Dearest St Georges1,
Yours Truly, Ad.[olphe] Adam I cannot remember Stephen de la
Madeleine’s10
address to invite him NOTES: 1) Marquis de Jules-Henri Vernoy Saint Georges (1799-1875) 2) Possibly a reference to a National Théatre that Adam attempted to establish from November 1847 to February 1848 as a venue for young opera composers in order to have their works heard. This he funded himself, but because of political troubles in France, the Théatre had to be shut down leaving Adam in serious debt. According to Denis Havard de la Montagne, the theater used by Adam for his National Theatre was Le Cirque Olympique du boulevard du Temple. (Source: http://www.musimem.com) 3) An unknown comedy [play?] by Saint George [?] 4) This letter was possibly written the first week of August 1848 since the “next Wednesday” was August 9th. Adam’s ill-fated Opéra-National theatre was opened at his own expense November 15, 1847, but closed February 1848, but the dates do not coincide. Other possible years include 1837, 1843 and 1854. 5) Les Malheurs d’un amant heureux is a play by Eugène Scribe. 6) According to Dr. Alain Lescart, PhD, University of Connecticut French Department, "this is probably "Un bal de grisettes" and is a famous small drama from Charles-Paul de Kock who is the XIX century specialist novelist on grisette' stories. It was presented for the first time in 1838 in The Theater of la Gaité, on December 23." Our thanks to Dr. Lescart. It is the adventures of a happy lover and the grisette ball. A grisette was a young woman from a modest family background that worked in a sewing house and was generous with her favors. Eugène Scibe (see #5 above) also wrote two dramas on grisettes. One of them is Le bal Champêtre, ou les grisettes a la campagne, presented on October 21, 1824, for the first time (cit. Lescart). 7) There were many theaters in this area of Paris in the 19th century. Located at #1- #5 on the Rue de la Douane was the Waux-hall d'été, a huge area created to imitate London's Vauxhall Gardens and filled with gardens, ballrooms and theaters. Fireworks displays were often seen there, too. This area was later destroyed when the Boulevard Magenta was opened around 1841, though there exists a daguerreotype dated "winter 1842" showing the original Château d'Eau frozen. A new Vauxhall was constructed on Rue de la Douane, but at #12, #14, and #16. A new theater built by the time of this letter was named the Tivoli-Vauxhall and fits the description given by Adam in this letter: ..."a small theatre that was lent to me 16, rue de la Douane, behind the Château d'Eau." This is more than likely the theater to which Adam refers. (See more at footnote #9 below.) (Thanks to D.B., Paris) Source: Dictionnaire historique des rues de Paris by Jacques Hillairet. 8) The Rue de la Douane (or "Customs Street") refers to the location of the Customs House. The Rue de la Douane is now called "Rue Léon Jouhaux" [N.B. Jouhaux (1879-1954) was a Trade Union leader.] (Thanks to D.B., Paris) Source: Dictionnaire historique des rues de Paris by Jacques Hillairet. 9) The Chateau d'Eau was a huge fountain located on the Place du Chateau d'eau which is now called the Place de la République. There is a Rue de Château d'Eau in the 9th arrondissment that runs between the Chateau d'Eau Metro station and the Place de la République. Two other fountains decorated the square in the 19th century. The first was built in 1811 called "fontaine aux lions de Nubie." The next, also called "fontaine aux lions," was built around 1875. The present statue representing the Republic was constructed in 1884. (Thanks to D.B., Paris.) 10) Étienne-Jean-Baptiste-Nicolas Madelaine, known as Stephen de la Madeleine was the author of some novels and other works in the years 1830-1850.
ABOUT THE COMPOSER
Adolphe Charles Adam was born in Paris in 1803. His father was Jean Louis Adam (1758-1848), a pianist, composer, and professor of piano at the Paris Conservatory from 1797 until 1843. Jean-Louis did not encourage his son to become a musician. Despite his father’s wishes, Adolphe entered the Paris Conservatory in 1817. Four years later, in 1821, Adolphe began studying composition with François Boïeldieu. During his studies with Boïeldieu, Adolphe found himself a niche as a composer of opéra-comique [French opera with spoken dialogue—not necessarily comic or humorous], a medium in which he would find much success. In 1844, Adam was elected Member of the Institut and in 1849 was made a professor of composition at the Paris Conservatory. He attempted to establish a National Théatre as a venue for young opera composers in order to have their works heard. This he funded himself, but because of political troubles in France, the Théatre had to be shut down leaving Adam in serious debt. Overall, Adam’s reputation today rests on two creations: the ballet Giselle and the Christmas song O, Holy Night (Cantique de Noël) [1850]. He wrote two books published posthumously: Souvenirs d’un Musicien (1857) and Derniers souvenirs d’un Musicien (1859). Adam died suddenly in Paris in 1859, four days after the premiere of Les Pantins de Violette. Important Operas Pierre et Catherine (1829) [Libretto by Saint-Georges, addressee of this document]Danilowa (1830) Le Châlet (1834) Le Postillon du Longjumeau (1836) Le Fidèle Berger (1838) Le Brasseur de Preston (1838) Régine, ou Les Deux Nuits (1839) La Reine d’un jour (1839) [Libretto by Saint-Georges, addressee of this document] La Rose de Péronne (1841) Lambert Simnel (1843) Cagliastro (1844) [Libretto by Saint-Georges, addressee of this document] Richard en Palestine (1844) Le Roi d’Yvetot (1842) Le Toréador, ou L’Accord parfait (1849) Giralda, ou La Nouvelle Psyché (1850) La Poupée de Nuremberg (1852) Le Farfadet (1852) Si j’étais roi (1852) Le Sourd, ou L’Auberge pleine (1852) Le Roi des Halles (1853) Le Bijou perdu (1853) La Muletier de Toléde (1854) Falstaff (1856) Les Pantins de Violette (1856) Ballets Faust (1832)
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