Puteaux, 2-4 settembre 1835
2 Sett:e 35: Puteaux
Mio caro Florimo – Ieri, che xxx/ tutto ciò lo ha detto a Rossini jeri, e questi me l’ha rapportato. In questo caso non mi resta altro a fare che tentare presso il ministro, senza collera, di fare quasi imporgli di scritturarmi con un prime; e perciò vado a parlare con un’amico intrinseco di questi,
Basta, mi servirà d’esempio, e se non fosse pei suoi innocenti figli vorrei rovinarlo – Di già Rossini, a cui io l’avea raccomandato, e vuol dire vuol dire che
Addio – Ricevi i miei abb:ci –
Il tuo affsmo
Bellini
Deux Siciles
Monsieur
Monsieur François Florimo
Naples
t.p. paris bureau| 4 sept 1835 - na‹poli› | 19 set | 1835
511
48.
Puteaux, 2-4 September 1835
Vincenzo Bellini to Francesco Florimo. Letter.
Aut. I-Nc, Rari 4.3.6 (57). Two bifolia, eight sides plus address on the verso of the second bifolio.
Ed. Florimo 1882, pp. 510-512 (partial transcription); Cambi 1943, pp. 589-592; Neri 2005, pp. 442-444.
2 September 35 Puteaux
My dear Florimo - Yesterday Rossini met with the new Director of the Opéra, who will not consent to [giving me] any compensation beyond author's rights — not so much for the amount of money itself, which he finds trifling, but for the bad example it would set for the other composers. However, it's nothing but a flimsy excuse, and I'll tell you why. When this individual was aspiring to the position he now holds, he had an associate come to me with all sorts of attractive promises so that I would remain in Paris and write for no other theatre but his, and so that, seeing how I am on good terms with the Minister of the Interior, I would speak well rather than badly of him personally. Now that the position is his, he's become well aware of my great desire to compose for the Opéra more than elsewhere, and he pretends with no fear of losing me that I bow to the theatre's general rules and forgo any engagement fee. He said all this yesterday to Rossini, who then reported it to me. Given this situation, I have no alternative but to quietly seek the minister's intervention to all but force him to engage me with a fee, so I'm going to speak with a close friend of [the minister] to determine whether he thinks such a move would be inappropriate or unsuccessful. I'm resolved [in any case] to accept because I can't see myself going on much longer with nothing to do, which means that if it does come through, instead of 60 or 70 thousand francs I will earn 10 or 12 [thousand] less — but if the premiere goes as well as I hope, perhaps I'll then be able to dictate my own terms. Say nothing of this to anyone, however, making it generally known instead that my contract with the [Grand] Opéra is more advantageous than what the Opéra Comique offered me but the conditions remain confidential, so that other composers don't presume they can impose similar demands etc. etc. The opera will be in three acts and roughly as long as La vestale, so you see it won't take much work, but we can still cling to some small hope that he's reduced to offering me some sort of fee. I'll keep you informed of whatever happens, and who knows but that I might even have news for you later in this same letter if I don't post it on Friday. - Regarding I puritani, we've discovered that that maestro Pugni, whom I hired as an act of charity to copy the score for Naples and elsewhere, may have extracted a pirate copy for Milan. He claims he only sent them four pieces he reorchestrated from the printed piano reductions; but as soon as you're informed that the Society has I puritani, demand to see the score so that you can compare it with my original to determine whether it's legitimate, and then you can send the copy immediately to Palermo. Still, I don't think anyone has managed to get hold of a genuine authorized copy, because I continue to hope Pugni didn't steal it outright but went ahead and orchestrated those pieces from the piano reductions, waiting for the publication of the entire vocal score to finish his orchestration. Keep an eye out, and if they've done it, too bad: it means the world has grown so wicked that one is obliged to avoid helping anyone for fear of being so poorly rewarded for the effort, because I can say I've maintained this Pugni for a year, keeping him clothed, paying his rent, asking women to cull their wardrobes for items to give his wife and six children, the family having fled from creditors in Milan — and to see now how I've been repaid!!!!!
Enough, I've learned my lesson, and if it weren't for his innocent children I'd sooner ruin him. - Already Rossini, who received him with my recommendation, and Severini will have nothing more to do with him, and there's no future for him at the Théâtre Italien, where he had planned to have an opera performed. That'll be the day, the rascal - Severini wanted to give him a sound thrashing! I'll stop here, since I want to add an update on my business about the opera before I send the letter in another post. - Farewell for now. - (4 September) I spoke to a person who has my interests at heart and is good friends with the Minister of the Interior: this individual will present him with my situation and the promises I received from this Director of the Opéra, but he doubts anything will come of it because what could the Minister possibly say to the Director? There's no forcing him to capitulate, since the Director would then call in the favor when he needs something from the Minister after having done this for me. Nevertheless, even though the aforesaid person, who is extremely capable and diplomatic, explained these difficulties to me, he's decided to speak to the Minister as if it were his own idea and not mine, hopefully persuading the Minister to tell the Director: "I would like you to reach an understanding with Bellini, because I very much want to keep this talent in Paris" etc. etc. without going into detail regarding contracts and conditions — that way, it seems to me that even if I don't get any engagement fee, at least the Director will invest more care in the actual production of the opera etc. etc. We'll wait for a few days now to learn what the Minister will do, and then I hope no matter what to put this idle life behind me and get back to work by accepting what I'm offered. It could well be that the Opéra's current circumstances seriously prevent [the Director] from granting me special contractual advantages because he's already commissioned four operas and consequently has enough for two or three years before needing me etc., allowing him to say "I'll wait to commission Bellini with his steep demands until I need him", which would be too long even if [the Minister] talks to him — so since Rossini, you, and others tell me I should write for the Grand Opéra at any cost, I am resolved to accept. Be careful to keep the terms to yourself, whatever they will be (I'll do the same in Paris), that way everyone can believe my fee is undisclosed so that other composers are prevented from demanding any kind of similar treatment from the Director. - I've learned that with the death of the counterpoint teacher in Milan his position is now open, and that Donizetti and Mercadante have applied to replace him. How is it then that Donizetti isn't satisfied with remaining in Naples? I believe he'll be selected as the most respected candidate, plus he has greater seniority because he already teaches in Naples etc. etc. We'll see what the government decides. - I've been slightly under the weather for three days with diarrhea, but I'm feeling better now and I think it's over, though it's left me with a mild headache. - There's nothing else new to add. Pacini assures me that the music has left Marseille but he doesn't know on which boat, only that it's to be consigned to Ruggiero. Do you really believe I have correspondents in Marseille? Think again, my dear. Pacini always preferred sending it to Marseille and not [...] plaster casts, he thinks there's been some sort of theft, because they haven't arrived: it means he's gathering information, and in the event they've been lost I'll let you know and you can tell me if I should repeat the order. My busts will be coming from Palermo, because one of my friends kindly included them in a crate he had to ship there, along with others for my family etc.
Farewell - With a warm embrace -
Yours most fondly
Bellini
Deux Siciles
Monsieur
Monsieur François Florimo
Naples
postmark paris bureau| 4 sept 1835 - na‹poli› | 19 set | 1835