- 195
Donizetti, Gaetano
Estimate
1,500 - 2,000 GBP
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Description
- Donizetti, Gaetano
- Autograph letter signed (“Donizetti”) in French, about his opera Les martyrs
- paper
to the management of the Paris Opéra, complaining bitterly that he was unable to rehearse his opera that morning, because the soprano Julie Dorus-Gras had been allowed to absent herself and none of the other singers except the [second tenor] François Wartel had turned up either; he urgently demands greater punctuality and commitment by the artists if they are to stage it in February (“...Ce matin 7 Xbre je n'ai pas fait de répetition, et je vais vous dire pourquoi. Me Dorus ne vient pas, car la Direction lui a permis de s'absenter; Les autres (excepté Mr Vartel), a 11 heures et 3 quart[es] n'etaient pas encore arrives; Il faut raccomander l'exactitude, et ne pas trop permettre de manquer aux répetitions...”)
2 pages, small 4to (20.4 x 15.4cm), crown watermark, addressed by Donizetti: “Bureau de l'Administration”, [Paris], 7 December [1839], some creasing
2 pages, small 4to (20.4 x 15.4cm), crown watermark, addressed by Donizetti: “Bureau de l'Administration”, [Paris], 7 December [1839], some creasing
Condition
Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
Catalogue Note
Donizetti shows his determination to maintain standards at the Paris Opéra and to fight against intrigues against him by the French establishment. He had been in Paris since October 1838, seeking to stage Poliuto (which had just been banned by the King of Naples), in a French version, as Les martyrs. Donizetti was due to begin rehearsals in October 1839, but he had to contend with intrigues against him among the management, including the conductor Habeneck, resentful attacks in the press from Berlioz and the indisposition of several singers (see W. Ashbrook, Donizetti, 1982, pp.144-148). Les martyrs was staged on 10 April 1840, with Dorus-Gras as Pauline, Duprez as Polyeucte and Wartel as Néarque.