#edmond rostand's

[postcard-from-the-past]

Sarah Bernhardt playing the lead role in Edmond Rostand's play of l'Aiglon, about the life of Napoleon II. Rostand had written L'Aiglon specifically for Bernhardt, and it became one of her signature roles.

French vintage postcard

[gwydpolls]

Time Travel Question 67: Assorted Performances VI

These Questions are the result of suggestions from the previous iteration.

This category may include suggestions made too late to fall into the correct grouping.

Please add new suggestions below if you have them for future consideration.

[lepetitdragonvert]

La princesse Mélissinde et le chevalier Bertrand / Princess Melisande and Bertrand

Artist : Auguste François Gorguet (1862-1927)

[schweizercomics]

Swashtober 12: Cyrano de Bergerac!

From the play by Edmond Rostand, based on the life of the historically big-nosed 17th century writer and wit who *actually* fought like a hundred fellers on his own at the Porte de Nesle (he also really chased off that actor, and wrote great love letters, many of which were published and subsequently cribbed by Rostand for the play).

[mudwerks]

Jean Coquelin as the farmyard dog Patou in Chantecler

French postcard by ELD / GPL. Photo: Bert. Jean Coquelin as the farmyard dog Patou in 'Chantecler', a play by Edmond Rostand.

[specificpollsaboutbooks]

Plays

Round 1

A Doll's House :

Cyrano de Bergerac :

Oh my how do I explain ? I guess I could say this play has panache

Well you have an English translation here to start with - as far as I've seen it's okay-

It's a -by the looks of it, heavily- fictionalised version of the life of the real Cyrano

Cyrano's a great duelist and a good poet but he's very self-conscious about his nose (even if ladies reportedly don't mind).

For starters, Cyrano isn't older than Roxane and Christian – he's supposed to be about 21 at the start of the play and not middle aged as in many adaptations. He's in love with his cousin Roxane, who's in love with Christian, another man in Cyrano's company. Roxane is an intellectual and Christian isn't good with words, so he seduces her with the help of Cyrano, who writes his letters to Roxane – and prompts Christian discreetly when he talks to her

[lesespoirsgrands]

[ninadove]

“Oh!” The cardinal went on, “aren’t you supposed to be Gascon, my friend?”

“I am only Gascon when I succeed, Your Eminence.”

THIS

THIS IS WHAT I’VE BEEN SAYING

I’ve been joking that Cyrano and D’Artagnan are to the Gascon archetype what the jedi and the sith are to the Force: two sides of the same coin, with one using their powers for evil. Which has never been more apparent than in this simple sentence!

D’Artagnan has always been a sly fox, who is ready to abandon or at the very least reforge his convictions to serve his own interests. What makes him such a fascinating protagonist is that he is the exact opposite of what you would expect from a swashbuckling hero, and this is illustrated by his willingness to give up his entire identity at the drop of a hat.

Cyrano, on the other hand, refuses compromise to the point it ends up killing him (as he himself proclaims at the very end of the play):

“Ah! I recognise all my old enemies! // Lies — [His sword slashes through the void] — Haha! Compromise, Prejudice, Cowardice! [He strikes again] You’d like me to surrender, wouldn’t you? // Never, never!”

While he is very proud of his Gascon origins, it is never clearer than in situations where he is made or voluntarily makes himself vulnerable: remembering childhood memories with Roxane, delaying De Guiche while the rest of his almost polycule gets married, trying to console the troops at Arras. Cyrano will hang on to this version of himself he tediously crafted no matter what, and the thing is, it is also a form of falsehood and lies, but for different purposes! This man has so many issues!!!

[notsodumbww2captain]

Every time I read Cyrano, I’ve always wondered one thing : what the hell the Gascons thought Cyrano did with Christian ?

Like Le Bret knows he loves Roxane and would do anything to make her happy but the others ?

They are watching this man killing everyone mocking his nose for the last fifteen years but when an abnormally handsome dude do the same he hugs him and they start hanging out 24/7, he even delivers his mail during a WAR, what did the Gascons thought about that ?

Brissaille : Do you think Bergerac is …*bends his sword*

Cuigy : Oh definitely.

[bunniesandbeheadings]

Does anyone know if there’s a way to watch a full performance of Edmond Rostund’s L’aiglon opera?

I feel like tagging @margridarnauds is my best bet but if anyone else could help that would also be amazing!

[postcard-from-the-past]

Edmond Rostand on a vintage postcard

[thebusylilbee]

Edmond (2019)

[ballumville]

'After all, what is a kiss? A vow made at closer range, a more precise promise, a confession that contains its own proof, a seal placed on a pact that has already been signed; it's a secret told to the mouth rather than to the ear.'

Such pretty lips... such pretty boys...💋💖🥰

[bright-thehawksflight]

Chirstian and Roxane are married. The cadets leave Paris at daybreak. In-between is one long night, which someone will spend writing a letter that he never plans to send...

Aka guess who was so unbelievably bored at work today that she wrote an angsty Cyrano fic? Hoping the link works, here it is, enjoy! 

[lerry-hazel]

The Count's Scarf

Strangely enough, one more thing I find fascinating about real original Rostand’s «Cyrano » is de Guiche.

I'm not saying I like de Guiche – he's a dick all right: but he is not the antagonist.

We’ve established previously that Cyrano’s true enemy is The Evils Of The World. De Guiche does nasty things to Roxane and Lignière: but his only direct confrontation with Cyrano is the one about the white scarf. Where de Guiche is not the Evil to Cyrano’s Good; he’s the Ordinary to Cyrano’s Extraordinary. And, by defeatedly admitting Cyrano’s superiority, – de Guiche technically wins

[e-ste-tica]

“Orsù che dovrei fare? Cercarmi un protettore, eleggermi un signore, e come l’edera, che dell’olmo tutore accarezza il gran tronco e ne lecca la scorza, arrampicarmi, invece di salire per forza? No, grazie!

[…] Sudar per farsi un nome su di un picciol sonetto anziché scriverne altri? Scoprire ingegno eletto agl’incapaci, ai grulli; alle talpe dare ali, lasciarsi sbigottire dal rumor dei giornali? E sempre sospirare, pregare a mani tese: Pur che il mio nome appaia nel Mercurio francese? No, grazie!

Calcolare, tremar tutta la vita, far più tosto una visita che una strofa tornita, scriver suppliche, farsi qua e là presentare? Grazie, no! Grazie, no! Grazie, no!

Ma....cantare, sognar sereno e gaio, libero, indipendente, aver l'occhio sicuro e la voce possente, mettersi quando piaccia il feltro di traverso, per un sì, per un no, battersi o fare un verso! Lavorar, senza cura di gloria o di fortuna, a qual sia più gradito viaggio, nella luna!

Nulla che sia farina d'altri scrivere, e poi modestamente dirsi: ragazzo mio, tu puoi tenerti pago al frutto, pago al fiore, alla foglia purché nel tuo giardino, nel tuo, tu li raccolga! Poi se venga il trionfo, per fortuna o per arte, non dover darne a Cesare la più piccola parte, aver tutta la palma della meta compita, e, disdegnando d'essere l'edera parassita, pur non la quercia essendo, o il gran tiglio fronzuto salir anche non in alto, ma salir senza aiuto!„