Emmanuel CHABRIER. L.A.S. "Emmanuel Ch", La Membrolle July 1 - Lot 66

Emmanuel CHABRIER. L.A.S. "Emmanuel Ch", La Membrolle July 14, 1890, [to Henry Verdhurt]; 4 pages in-8. 2 small L.A.S. enclosed, Paris 1885-1888, to Mlle Marthe Petitdemange Concerning the Théâtre Lyrique's plan to revive the play at the Eden-Théâtre under Verdhurt's direction; Chabrier hoped that Gwendoline would be performed there. "Well, my dear friend, and these lawyers, and these solicitors, and these notaries, [...] and the casing! - And the signatures! Where is it all? [...] It can't be easy, at the moment, to put together a troupe, a choir, an orchestra; everything that dances, sings and plays is scattered and romping about in casinos and other absolutely delightful places". Chabrier recommends Thibault, who could play 1st violin and serve as 2nd or 3rd conductor. "He's a man who missed the boat that leads to the big theaters, but he has qualities of vigor, he's resourceful, a little fat but with a grip. I believe that, with the addition of the solid music played at the Conservatoire, he could easily strip away the operetta conductor, and that in the presence of a modern score he wouldn't look too bad. In any case, he's very ardent, he's practical, I could say he's practical, and in genre th... even pennies, quarter genres, I've always found him superior to his sombre mission. [...] he has the serious gifts of an orchestra leader. [...] He's an arm, more of a jack-of-all-trades than a jack-of-all-trades [...] He's a man of the moment, he has all the audacity and doesn't mind breaking his neck; it's not bad sometimes to have on hand audacities that fortune doesn't always juvenileize"... 2 small L.A.S., Paris 1885-1888, to Mlle Marthe Petitdemange, talking about his wife's health... Plus a set of 14 letters, mostly L.A.S., addressed to Robert Brussel concerning Chabrier: Henri Barbusse (l.s.), Camille Bellaigue, Maximilien Bouvet, Pierre de Bréville, Alfred Bruneau (2), P.A. Cheramy, Arthur de Gabriac (2), Adolphe Jullien, Louis Labat (l.s. as Edmond Rostand's secretary), Felix Mottl, Jean Richepin, Ernest Van Dyck (long account of his early career as a Wagnerian singer, his friendship with Chabrier, Felix Mottl's career and death).