J. Offenbach. Autograph sketchleaf for "La Belle Hélène", c.1864

Jacques Offenbach

Autograph sketchleaf for La Belle Hélène

a draft in short score for the allegro conclusion to the Act 1 finale, setting the words "Va pars pour la Crète...Gagne Menelas le pays lointain où te mène helas la voix du destin! Allez partez", the words entered by the composer throughout, without indications of characters' names, notated in brown ink on up to three systems of varying length per page, with, at the end, a 13-bar sketch on a single two-stave system, comprising 65 bars, with a few corrections and deletions

 2 pages, oblong folio (27 x 35.5cm), 24-stave paper, no place or date [c.1864], a few small tears to lower margin, expertly repaired

A SKETCHLEAF FOR ONE OF OFFENBACH'S GREATEST WORKS.

La Belle Hélène received its premiere at the Théâtre des Variétés on 17 December 1864. It was arguably the greatest success of Offenbach's career, and remains one of his most important opéras bouffes.

The present leaf contains an early composition draft for the finale of Act 1, corresponding to the section on pp.95-101 of the contemporary vocal score published by Géraud. This is the moment in the opera immediately after the Oracle (at the bidding of Hélène and Pâris) has told Ménélas that he must pass a month in the mountains of Crete. In the sketch the composer has set the lines of the libretto in a different order from either of the versions prepared for Paris in 1864 and Vienna in 1865.

PROVENANCE

Sale in these rooms, 28 May 1993 (lot 142)