Letters from Lady Granville to her brother, the Duke of Devonshire, 11 and 20 November 1836

urn:iso:std:iso:639:ed-3:eng

217–218

text excerpt

[11 November 1836]

‘Esmeralda’ comes out to-night, opera instead of ballet. Mlle. Falcon singing instead of Mlle. Taglioni dancing it. Words Victor Hugo arranged himself, music by Madame Bertin, niece of Bertin de Vaux, the great man of the ‘Journal des Débats.’ Mlle. Schivoni, the new Jane Seymour, beautiful, a fine voice and promise of excellence; Grisi reconciled to her husband, and singing and acting divinely.

[20 November 1836]

Well, I went to the ‘Esmeralda;' the finest mise en scène, dresses and processions beauteous and gorgeous. But oh! the music! The tune the old cow died of throughout, grunts and groans of instruments and voices without a soupçon of harmony.

Poney* sat, her eyes, sometimes filled with tears, fixed on my face instead of the piece. ‘Oh! ma chère, I’horreur, mais fi donc!’ The priest in love all the time, the constant church music and the regular solemn Mass must have been misery to her, and so shameful, I think.

*[Editor's fn:] Madame Appony

excerpt from 'Letters from Lady Granville to her brother, the Duke of Devonshire, 11 and 20 November 1836' pp. 217–218 (166 words)

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