Belgian operatic soprano (1834-1907). Autograph letter signed. n. p. 8vo. 1 p.
250 €
(78204)
To „Mon cher Delvoux“. wegen einer Matinée. - Marie Constance Sasse was a Belgian operatic soprano. "Her voice was powerful, flexible, and appealing", and she was one of the leading sopranos at the Paris Opéra from 1860 to 1870. She created the roles of Elisabeth in the Paris premiere of Wagner's Tannhäuser, Sélika in the world premiere of Meyerbeer's L'Africaine, and Elisabeth de Valois in the world premiere of Verdi's Don Carlos.
belgische Opernsängerin (1834-1907). Eigenh. Brief mit U. O. O. 23.04.1862. 2 SS. auf gefalt. Doppelblatt. 8vo.
180 €
(939448/BN939448)
"Je ne suis pas encore certaine de ne pas jouer […] dimanche, si je ne joue pas j'arriverai samedi, si en contraire je joue je serai à Bruxelles Lundi soir, dans tous les cas vendredi, je vous enverrai une enveloppe […]". - Auf Briefpapier mit gedr. Monogramm.
verkauft
5 autograph letters signed.
Autograph ist nicht mehr verfügbar
Charming collection of letters, comprising two important letters from the time of Marie Sasse's engagement at La Scala in 1870 that culminated in the premiere of of Antonio Carlos Gomes's opera "Il Guarany". - On 4 January 1870, Sasse writes from Milan to the theatre administrator and stage director at the Opéra de Paris Alexis Colleuille (ca. 1791-1872). Sasse first apologizes for having sent cards with New Year's wishes that had to be paid for by the recipients due to a mistake of her maid. Concerning her engagement in Milan, Sasse relates that she has just debuted at La Scala with Poniatowski's opera "Pierre de Medicis", following successful performances in Florence. She describes the premiere as a "succès d'estime", praising the bass Paolo Medini, while the tenor Giovanni Zacometti and the baritone Enrico Storti "almost compromised everything". In general, she suspects that Poniatowski's opera was too old-fashioned for the audience in Milan, which is "essentially the musicality of the future", and only certain parts of the piece appealed to the audience: "Mais ce qui a eu surtout un immense succès, c'est ma romance du dernier tableau (esprit céleste) j'ai placé dans le point d'orgue un trille sur mi fa, qui a soulevé la salle entière et m'a valu 5 à 6 salves d'applaudissements". Judging by her role and what she "had heard from the partition", Sasse was confident that the premiere of "Il Guarany", "written expressly" for her, would be a success. Another role that she would sing at La Scala was Marguerite in Gounod's "Faust". - Three days after the premiere of "Il Guarany" on 19 March 1870, Sasse gives an enthusiastic account of the event to the composer Ernest Reyer. She relates that her friend Victor Maurel, who created the bass role of an Indian chief, had been called back to the stage four times together with the composer, and she herself more than 30 times: "Quand à moi mon cher ami je ne m'étendrai pas dans de grands détails, les triomphes que je viens de remporter sont impossibles à décrire; j'ai été rappellée plus de 30 fois". She praises the Brazilian composer, asserting that her role highlights all her vocal qualities in a way that had yet to be heard in Paris: "Mr. Gomez m'a fait un rôle dans lequel il a fait ressortir toutes mes qualités vocales, et que l'on ne connaît pas encore à Paris; Je vous assure que je suis bien heureuse et fière de mon succès ici; Je vous raconterai bien des détails de ce fanatisme [...]". In closing, Sasse expresses her hope that she will "receive good news concerning my Sigurd" when she returns to Paris. Although completed in draft by 1867, Reyer's opera "Sigurd", based on the Nibelungenlied, only premiered at La Monnaie in Brussels on 7 January 1884. The letter suggests that Reyer originally wrote the soprano role of Brunehild for Sasse. Ultimately, her student Rose Caron created the role in the belated but successful premiere, four years after Sasse's farewell from the stage. - The second part of the collection is connected to Marie Sasse's work as a voice instructor. On 12 October 1883 she informs an impresario named Simonneau that she has "3 or 4 good singers" among her students whom she can recommend for his concerts. In a short postscript, she asks Simmonneau: "What do you say about the great success of my student M.me Caron in Brussels?" In a similar letter to Simonneau or another impresario dated 6 February 1887, Sasse recommends a student of hers for a concert: "Une de mes élèves M.elle Berthe de Lafertrille va débuter à l'opéra cette semaine je pense dans Valentine des Huguenots; J'espère un succès; C'est elle que je pourrai vous recommander pour votre concert, [...]". - The final letter in the collection, dated "Mardi", is an invitation for lunch to an unnamed friend: "Il y aurait une chose plus simple mon cher ami, c'est que vous veniez déjeuner avec moi à 11h ½ ou midi, et entre la côtelette et le fromage je vous dira ce que j'ai vous à dire!". - The letters from Milan with printed letterheads and monograms. The lunch invitation with embossed monogram. The letter to Simonneau with stamped letterhead of Sasse's "École de chant". Verly slight browning; ink somewhat smudged in the later letters.