#pierre augustin caron de beaumarchais

[plaques-memoire]

Plaque en hommage à : Beaumarchais

Type : Commémoration

Adresse : Hôtel Caron de Beaumarchais, 12 rue Vieille du Temple, 75004 Paris, France

Date de pose : Inconnue

Texte : Cet hôtel rend hommage à Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais, (1732-1799). Plus célèbre sous le nom de Beaumarchais, l'écrivain vécut au 47 de la rue Vieille-du-Temple, dans l'Hôtel Amelot de Bisseuil. Il y écrivit en 1778 «Le Mariage de Figaro»

Quelques précisions : Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais (1732-1799), le plus souvent connu sous le simple nom de Beaumarchais, est un écrivain français, principalement connu en France comme étant l'auteur du Barbier de Séville et du Mariage de Figaro, une comédie dont les thématiques préfigurent les revendications de la Révolution française et qui a donné lieu à la célèbre citation "Sans la liberté de blâmer, il n'est point d'éloge flatteur". Ses activités ne se limitent toutefois pas à la littérature : entré au service de la royauté, il mène différentes missions d'espionnage et d'assistance diplomatique, prenant par exemple part à la guerre d'indépendance américaine dans les années 1770. Bien qu'adhérant aux idéaux révolutionnaires, il connaît la tourmente en raison de ses richesses et de ses activités économiques, et est forcé de quitter la France pour préparer sa réhabilitation.

[lolochaponnay]

[balletthebestphotographs]

Viktoriya Popova and Anatoly Soya

Viktoriya Popova Виктория Попова and Anatoly Soya Анатолий Соя, “Figaro Фигаро”, libretto by Andrey Petrov Андрей Петров based on the comedy duology “La Folle Journée, ou Le Mariage de Figaro” (1784) by Pierre Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais, music by Wolfgand Amadeus Mozart and Gioachino Rossini, choreo, direction and musical adaption by Andrey Petrov Андрей Петров, scene design by Grigory Belov Григорий Белов, costume design by Olga Polyanskaya Ольга Полянская, Kremlin Ballet Кремлевский балет, Great Hall of the State Kremlin Palace Большой зал Государственного Кремлёвского Дворца, Moscow, Russia.

Source and more info at: Photographer Andrey Ponomarenko on Facebook Photographer Andrey Ponomarenko on Instagram

via: Kremlin Ballet on You Tube (fan page) Kremlin Ballet on Facebook (fan page) Kremlin Ballet on Instagram (fan page) Kremlin Ballet on VKontakte (fan page)

Note I: This blog is open to receiving and considering any suggestions, contributions, and/or criticisms that may help correct mistakes or improve its content. Comments are available to any visitor.

Note II: Original quality of photographs might be affected by compression algorithm of the website where they are hosted.

Note III: Some links leading to the English version do not work or contain incomplete information. For this reason, they are published in their original version. You always have the option to translate the page using the right-click on your mouse.

[wsancho]

What culture or region is Figaro?

In trying to define the culture of the nation of Figaro, I’ve decided to bring up the clues I got and try to put them together into something cohesive enough to resemble a culture/region of our world. The FF6 devs took inspiration from our world but doesn’t seem like they tried to make definitive references to the real world, other than some version of Imperial Japan (Doma) that didn’t ally with Nazi Germany (Vector).

As thorough as Soraya Saga was with her characters’ backstories, Figaro as a nation is not easy to pin down, but she did leave some clues, so I took that shit and ran with it 😌

The Figaro name

I’ve seen the fandom making the twins to be Italian. I don’t know if it’s solely because of the opera by Rossini (composed by an Italian based on a play by a French about a character from Spain).

I may have overlooked the Italian stereotypes that others found, but Japan gives its own spin to stereotypes, and their Italian stereotype is different. Based on the dynamic the countries had in times of war, the Japanese tend to stereotype Italians as Americans stereotype the French (it ain’t flattering). Go check Hetalia for the flawless, irrefutable wisdom on that 🧐

Searching the name “Figaro”, the Internet threw up a few hypothetical origins:

According to venere, “Figaro” emerges from the Latin “ficus” meaning “fig tree”.

According to houseofnames, it’s Spanish for “fig tree” (no, it ain’t 🤨) and it was first found in Galicia, Spain.

The most widely spread theories say it’s of literary origin:

According to babynamesbase, Italian playwright Carlo Goldoni based his Harlequin character, from The Servant of Two Masters, on a real-life barber named Figaro (I didn’t find any other sources supporting this idea, plus the origin here would not be literary, but it says the play is believed to have made the name popular, even though the name is not in the play 🤨).

According to behindthename, French playwright Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais named the hero of his trilogy “Figaro” based on the French phrase “fils Caron” meaning “son of Caron”. Later the word “figaro” would acquire the meaning “barber” based on the character's profession (The character is The Barber of Seville, so I infer that the name was supposed to be Spanish).

In order of relevance of these questionable theories, the name “Figaro” could be Spanish, French or Italian. The word means “barber” in all three modern languages.

Blond, blue-eyed desert dwellers

In Soraya Saga’s doujin, The Marriage of Figaro (homonym to Caron’s second play of the Figaro trilogy), she included side-characters with French, Italian, Anglo and Germanic names. The naming conventions are all over the place, as in the rest of FF6 🥲

I saw a couple of pages of the doujin that a generous soul shared on twitter, but they’re no longer available. I remember seeing the twins in European-looking gowns and hanging out in a European-looking palace.

The nation of Figaro originates in the desert (South Figaro is created later) and may be comparable to desert regions in our world that were heavily influenced by their European neighbors. The Sahara, as Figaro, is the largest hot desert in the world; plus it received influence from the Italian, French and Spanish. Works for me 😌

Some fanarts make Figaro castle resemble the architecture and aesthetics of Morocco and Algeria, so I looked to see if I could shoehorn in find a connection. The next easy thing I wanted to find was blond hair and blue eyes. These features are easy to find in Spain, France and Italy (not the majority, but fairly common), but I thought they’d be difficult to find in the Sahara, especially because blond hair and blue eyes are recessive.

Searching for that specific look led me to the Berbers (derogatory term) or Amazigh(singular) / Imazighen(plural), as they identify themselves. They are indigenous of North Africa since before the Sahara became known by that name (before arabization). Many Imazighen are white and blond and have blue eyes, and they are not late settlers as I first thought; their origin is ancient and still unresolved, but they are believed to be proto-Celts. Anyway, this checks out 👌🏼

Today, they mostly concentrate in Morocco and Algeria. The history of this region is a beyond deep rabbit hole that was not preserved in written form 🥲 They’ve been besieged, subdued, and culturally obliterated. Currently they still fight to affirm their culture despite –or adjacent to– the ongoing arabization and the hijacking of their traditions by national governments.

Figaro architecture

Given that Figaro has technological advancement deeply rooted in its culture, I wanted to check if the Imazighen pioneered technology at some point.

They had periods of growth, expansion and dominance; particularly flourishing in medieval Spain. The Spanish called them “Moors”, again using the term very loosely to refer to all peoples of Northwest Africa, so I went to check on that. Here the history gets very muddy with kingdoms, alliances, intermarriages and subjugation. The generalizations of the Moors couldn’t be more subjective depicting them as whites, browns, blacks, Muslim, Christian, Pagan, warriors, or pacifists; depending on who’s giving the account (the article in Spanish is way more complicated 😩). Many of the conquerors known as “Moors” were arabized Imazighen (blond, blue-eyed Muslims from Northwest Africa), but as time and influences passed, the term was applied to pretty much anyone and everyone who invaded Spain.

There are a bunch of notable Moors with different intellectual achievements, but I’m particularly drawn to their architecture.

The kingdom of Figaro is most notable for its moving castle, so I searched for some castles 🤩 All very beautiful, magnificent and ingeniously designed. But check out the Alcázar of Segovia 👀

Tower where the Figaro twins decided their fate with a coin toss of John II of Castile.

Throne room where the twins reminisced of the night when their father died.

Royal Chamber where the High Priestess reminisces about Sabin.

In the official website they have Edgar’s autocrossbow the crossbow of Charles V.

Figaro culture

Soraya Saga specified traditions and cultural aspects of Figaro that I don’t expect to find in any particular region of our world. But the Amazigh culture has a few aspects that I find fitting for the Figaro twins.

The Amazigh ethnic flag represents the culture. The colors blue, green and yellow represent the sea, the mountains, and the desert, respectively; and the red symbol means freedom.

Blue and yellow are sacred colors in Figaro, representing water and sand. I can’t overlook the coincidence of mountain and freedom being such sacred things to Sabin, and by extension, to Edgar… And the colors of the Figaro guards 👀

Lastly, I had to go back to meaning of the name.

I take for granted that Saga took inspiration from The Barber of Seville, so the name means clever, cunning and resourceful; very Edgar 😌By coincidence I found that it also means “fig tree” and it just so happens that Buddha meditated under one of those until achieving enlightenment; very Sabin ☺️🙏🏼

To summarize, I hc Figaro desert to be the Sahara, the Figaro brothers to be Imazighen, ancient Figaroan language to be Tamazight, and South Figaro could very well be Spain 🙃

[perpassareiltempo]

In fatto d'amore, troppo è ancora troppo poco.

Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais

[amadea-nachtmusik]

Mozart, Prague and the Marriage of Figaro

One of Mozart’s best-known works, Le nozze di Figaro ranks among the most frequently performed operas of all time. Splendidly portraying characters and superbly depicting the relationships between the protagonists, who often find themselves in thorny situations, it provides a more accurate account of late 18th-century morality and immorality than many a history book.

Although Le nozze di Figaro is today one of the most frequently staged operas, its genesis was hindered by numerous problems and obstacles. The work gave rise to heated emotions from the very beginning of its creation. The libretto is based on the French dramatist Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais’s comedy La Folle Journée, ou Le Mariage de Figaro, a witty satire dealing with explosive social subjects, which was banned by Louis XVI, as well as, later on, by Joseph II, the new Holy Roman Emperor. Yet the censors did not prohibit the play’s adaptation as a libretto, and hence Mozart and Lorenzo da Ponte could use it for an opera. Le nozze di Figaro premiered in Vienna on 1 May 1786, with Mozart only completing the prelude two days previously.The first two performances were conducted by the composer himself, seated at and playing the harpsichord. Six months later, the opera was staged in Prague, where it was a resounding success, with the audience responding with enormous ovations. In the wake of this triumph, Mozart accepted from Prague a commission for a new opera, which would become the famous Don Giovanni (premiered in 1787 at the Estates Theatre).

Magdalena Švecová is the very first woman in the history of the National Theatre in Prague to stage Le nozze di Figaro, thus presenting a female view of the forms and transformations of love, infidelity and jealousy.

It is not easy to convey an adequate conception of the enthusiasm of the Bohemians for Mozart's music. The pieces which were admired least of all in other countries were regarded by those people as things divine; and, more wonderful still, the great beauties which other nations discovered in the music of that rare genius only after many, many performances, were perfectly appreciated by the Bohemians on the very first evening.

It’s hard to walk around Prague without seeing images of composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. He’s most closely associated with conducting the premiere of “Don Giovanni” on Oct. 29, 1787, but that wasn’t his first time in the Golden City, or even on the conductor’s podium at what is now the Estates Theatre.

On Jan. 20, 1787, he held the baton for a performance of “The Marriage of Figaro.” This event is less well-known because that opera was already almost a year old, having premiered in Vienna in May. This Prague staging had already been in the theater's repertoire for possibly over a month.

The Prague staging was already a success before Mozart came. A German-language newspaper in Prague called Oberpostamtzeitung stated: "No piece (so everyone here asserts) has ever caused such a sensation as the Italian opera 'The Marriage of Figaro,' which has already been given several times here with unlimited applause."

The opera's success led a group of Mozart's fans to raise money for the Maestro to come in person. While in Prague, Mozart attended several receptions and for a few weeks was the toast of the town.

He attended a performance of “The Marriage of Figaro.” on Jan. 17, and two days later he conducted the premiere of “The Prague Symphony” at a benefit concert, where he was able to keep most of the admission fees. He then conducted “Figaro” the day after that.

The symphony was likely finished on Dec. 11, 1786. Some scholars speculate it was composed with Prague in mind, as the city was known for its skilled wind instrument players and the piece has some notable wind passages. Another theory, though, is that he wrote it for an Advent concert in Vienna, and held it back so he would have something new for his Prague debut, without having to rush together another piece.

The Maestro arrived in Prague on Jan. 11, 1787, and stayed until mid-February at a palace owned by the noble Thun family. They owned several in Prague, and which palace he stayed at has recently become a matter of dispute. It was long thought be what is now the British Embassy, in Malá Strana on Thunovská Street. A letter thanking his hosts is still in the possession of the embassy, according to one of the former ambassadors.

During this first trip, Mozart went to pubs on Štupartská Street such as the long-gone U Štupartsků and had coffee for the first time somewhere on Templová Street. Reportedly, he liked the beverage. He also frequented the New Inn at Celetná 588, later called U Zlatého anděla, located near the Powder Gate.

He visited the Klementinum several times during this trip and heard students play one of his works there. A marble bust of him, with imperial laurels on his head, is in the entry of the Klementinum's Mirror Chapel.

Prague was late to the Mozart party, compared to Moravia. Smallpox or chickenpox broke out in Vienna in 1786, when Mozart was 11. The Mozart family went to Olomouc, first staying at the inn U Černého orla (At the Black Eagle), now known as Hauenschild Palace.

Wolfgang, though, soon fell ill and was moved to the cathedral deanery. During his recovery, he composed Symphony No. 6 in F major. He was in Olomouc from October to late December 1767.

The family also stopped briefly in Brno, and Wolfgang performed in the Taverna, now called the Reduta theater, on Dec. 30, 1786. After this, the family returned to Vienna.

Mozart’s second trip to Prague is his most famous. This was when he conducted the premiere of his opera “Don Giovanni” at the Estates Theatre on Oct. 29, 1787. A ghostly statue, “Il Commendatore” by Anna Chromý, and a bronze plaque commemorate the event. During this trip, he allegedly said: “My Praguers understand me,” or words to that effect. The quote, though, only comes from second-hand sources.

He stayed from October to November 1787, first living at Uhelný trh 420, then called U Tří lvíčků. A plaque is now on the building. He apparently shot billiards and went drinking on Skořepka Street at a pub called U Šturmů and frequented a pub called U Modrého hroznu, across the street from the Estates Theatre. Both are long gone. Mozart’s librettist, Lorenzo Da Ponte, stayed at Platýz, also on Uhelný trh.

He was possibly invited by the Dušek family to move to Betramka, out in what is now Prague 5, and might have written the aria “Bella mia fiamma addio” there, after being locked in a room until he finished it. He had long promised to write it for Josephine Dušek, a famous singer of the time. The place is now a Mozart museum. As with many tales related to Mozart, this one didn’t emerge until long after the Maestro had died, and there is little solid evidence to confirm it.

He visited Strahov Monastery on Nov. 16, 1787, and improvised on the organ at Church of the Ascension of the Virgin Mary, and also played the organ at the Church of Sts. Simon and Jude, now used as a concert hall, and played the harpsichord at the hospital Na Františku.

On this trip, he wrote six German dances for Jan Josef Pachta, a supporter of the arts. A building owned by the Pachta family, Pachtův Palác, is now part of The Mozart Prague hotel complex. He allegedly lived in the palace as well, but again there is little to support the claim. For him to have lived in all the places he is supposed to have on this trip, he would have been moving quite a lot.

His third visit to Prague was in April 1789, but just for one night on his way to Berlin. He stopped at U Zlatého jednorožce in Malá Strana, near Maltézské náměstí. A plaque on the building mentions Beethoven staying there, but not Mozart as it was so brief. He apparently met his friend, František Xaver Dušek, the owner of Bertramka. Mozart’s fourth visit was on his way back from Berlin.

His fifth and last visit was in August 1791, to conduct a gala opera to mark the coronation of Leopold II. Apparently, much of “La clemenza di Tito,” which premiered Sept. 2, 1791, at the Estates Theater, was composed in the coach ride.

Mozart died Dec. 5, 1791, in Vienna. A memorial mass was celebrated at St. Mikuáš Church in Prague’s Malá Strana on Dec. 14, with Josefina Dušek singing an aria from Rössler’s Requiem. Bells rang across the city.

Mozart is also associated with Prague due to Miloš Forman’s 1984 film “Amadeus.” Locations include the Estates Theatre, streets and palaces near Prague Castle, Invalidovna, the Church of St Giles (Kostel sv. Jiljí), several streets and palaces near Maltézské náměstí, the Wallenstein Gardens, Vyšehrad, and the cemetery in Bohnice.

The Story of Figaro

The Marriage of Figaro is an opera by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart that tells the story of Figaro and Susanna, servants who are trying to get married on their wedding day while outsmarting their philandering employer, Count Almaviva. The story is full of twists and turns, mistaken identities, and commentary on gender and fidelity.

The wedding

Figaro and Susanna are preparing for their wedding in a storeroom at the manor house near Seville.

The count's plans

The count tries to seduce Susanna, re-instating a "feudal right" that allowed a lord to have his way with a servant girl on her wedding night.

The countess's help

The countess works with Figaro and Susanna to manipulate the count and enable them to marry.

Marcelina

Marcellina, the count's former housekeeper, is determined to marry Figaro because he owes her money.

Cherubino

Cherubino, the count's young page, has a crush on the countess.

The switch

The countess and Susanna disguise themselves as each other to entrap the count.

The confession

The count confesses his love to Susanna, who reveals herself to be the countess.

The forgiveness

The count begs for forgiveness and the countess forgives him.

The Marriage of Figaro is considered one of the greatest operas ever written. It's based on La folle journée, ou le Mariage de Figaro by Pierre Beaumarchais.

Brief synopsis of the Figaro plot and arias sung in the concert

Figaro and Susanna, servants of Count & Countess Almaviva, are to be married. Their room is to be between those of the Count and the Countess. Susanna is unhappy because the Count is making it clear already that he intends to enjoy the Droit du Seigneur.

Figaro thinks he can outwit the Count but it’s not entirely straightforward…..

Cherubino, the Count’s sacked page, wants Susanna to intercede with the Count for his reinstatement.

The Countess wants the Count to love her, and her alone.

Marcellina wants Figaro to honour his contract to marry her.

There follows a day of upstairs/ downstairs entanglements, farcical situations, mistaken identities and intrigue. Marcellina turns out to be Figaro’s mother. And most importantly, the Count eventually learns his lesson.

Background to the libretto and censorship of the play!

The opera is based on the stage play by Beaumarchais, first performed in Vienna in 1784 then banned because it attacked the exercise of the rights traditionally enjoyed by the aristocracy.

Banning a stage play can backfire and may have done so here: in a short time most of Austria would have read the text!

Mozart took the play to Da Ponte – a well-known librettist – who succeeded in obtaining official approval for the work to be presented as an opera in Italian. Da Ponte removed the overt political passages: for example he replaced Figaro’s powerful speech against inherited nobility with a passionate aria about unfaithful wives.

So the libretto still remains an attack on inherited rights, but presented differently….

Sources:

https://www.expats.cz/czech-news/article/mozart-first-visited-prague-235-years-ago-to-conduct-the-marriage-of-figaro

https://www.academyofstolaves.org.uk/soloists/mozart-prague-figaro/

[highkingpetermagnificent]

Help my wife! 3, 4, 17 and 19!

End-of-year book asks

3. What were your top five books of the year?

Oooh!!

The Water Outlaws by S.L. Huang. This is a banger and I recommend it to everyone.

Queenship at the Renaissance Courts of Britain: Catherine of Aragon and Margaret Tudor, 1503-1533 by Michelle L. Beer.

Meet Me at the Museum by Ann Youngson.

Object Lessons: The Life of the Woman and the Poet in Our Time by Eavan Boland.

The Barber of Seville/The Marriage of Figaro by Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais, translated by John Wood (Penguin Classics.)

4. Did you discover any new authors that you love this year?

I feel like neither of these completely count, since I've read their shorter works before, but here we are.

I finished reading Fintan O'Toole's We Don't Know Ourselves: A Personal History of Ireland this year, and it makes me want to check out the other books he's written.

I also really enjoyed Michelle L. Beer's book, above. I'm pretty sure I've read articles by her before, but I'd love for her to put out another book.

17. Did any books surprise you with how good they were?

The Water Outlaws, above!! I didn't expect it to be that much of a banger. (I think that is because I am slightly jaded about fiction nowadays.) But it really is!! It's great!!!!!

19. Did you use your library?

I always do! Though not as much as last year, as I've been trying to get through the backlog of books I've bought and haven't read yet. (Somehow that backlog keeps growing. Through mysterious forces.)

[aurevoirmonty]

« Quand le mal a toutes les audaces, le bien doit avoir tous les courages ».

Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais

[somethingwithmoles]

Jean-Marc Nattier, Portrait of Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais, 1755, oil on canvas, 82,3 x 64,5 cm, private collection, London

Source: Wikimedia Commons

[francepittoresque]

18 mai 1799 : mort de Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais ➽ http://bit.ly/Pierre-Caron-Beaumarchais Tour à tour horloger, professeur de musique, homme de cour, diplomate, écrivain, armateur de navires et éditeur, Beaumarchais, qui notamment imposa la reconnaissance du droit d’auteur, eut l’existence la plus agitée et la plus féconde qui soit en péripéties

[villainouswoman]

At last I have what I wanted. Am I happy? Not really. But what's missing? My soul no longer has that piquant activity conferred by desire. ... Oh, we shouldn't delude ourselves — pleasure isn't in the fulfillment, but in the pursuit.

—Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais

[alrederedmixedmedia]

Alredered Remembers Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais, French dramatist who authored 'The Marriage of Figaro,' 'The Barber of Seville'), on his birthday.

"Where love is concerned, too much is not even enough."

-Pierre Beaumarchais

[weirdesplinder]

LA MIA TOP TEN DEI CLASSICI DELLA LETTERATURA FRANCESE

Questa lista è stata molto più dura di quella dedicata ai classici della letteratura americana. decidere chi escludere è stato quasi come tagliarsi via un braccio, perché tra i classici della letteratura francese ho tantissimi preferiti, ma alla fine questa è stata la mia decisione, non vogliatemi male, anche perchè ho aggiunto diverse onorevoli menzioni che andavano fatte per forza.

Inoltre ho scelto di non citare di nuovo autori che avevo già citato nella lista La mia top ten dei classici della letteratura mondiale, che potete leggere qui: https://weirdesplinder.tumblr.com/post/729284916889698304/la-mia-top-ten-dei-classici-della-letteratura

Ma passiamo alla lista odierna:

Il fantasma dell’opera, di Gaston Leroux

Link: https://amzn.to/3ry2cpn

Trama: Gira voce che il teatro dell'opera Palais Garnier sia infestato da un fantasma. Una giovane soprano, Christine Daae, sorprende tutti con la sua esibizione una sera, e il Fantasma dell'Opera diventa ossessionato da lei. I gestori del teatro dell'opera ricevono una lettera, chiedendo che Christine interpreti il ​​ruolo principale nella produzione di Faust. La lettera viene ignorata, con conseguenze orribili. Il Fantasma rapisce Christine e si rivela essere un uomo sfigurato (Erik) che si è costruito una tana nel teatro dell'opera, completa di passaggi nascosti.

2. I tre moschettieri, di Alexandre Dumas

Link: https://amzn.to/3tn6wYR

Trama: Il giovane d'Artagnan va a Parigi in cerca di fortuna. Divenuto amico dei moschettieri Porthos, Athos e Aramis, entra con loro al servizio del re. I quattro devono combattere le trame del cardinale Richelieu e della perfida Milady de Winter. Salveranno l'onore della regina che imprudentemente aveva regalato al duca di Buckingham, come pegno d'amore, una collana di diamanti avuta in dono dal marito Luigi XIII. Giustizieranno Milady, che aveva fatto uccidere il duca e una cameriera amata da d'Artagnan. Questi, riconciliatosi col cardinale, verrà promosso luogotenente, Athos si ritirerà in campagna, Porthos si sposerà e Aramis si farà abate.

3. Il giro del mondo in ottanta giorni, di Jules Verne

Link: https://amzn.to/3PBJOnz

Trama: Londra, 2 ottobre 1872. Il gentleman inglese Phileas Fogg e il suo nuovo aiutante francese Jean Passepartout tentano di circumnavigare il globo in 80 giorni, per vincere la scommessa di 20.000 sterline stipulata con gli altri soci del Reform Club.

4. Le relazioni pericolose, di Laclos

Link: https://amzn.to/3F2vy2o

Trama: Considerato il più grande romanzo epistolare della letteratura francese, Le relazioni pericolose (1782) è ambientato nella Parigi del Settecento, dove la Marchesa de Merteuil, falsa e devota, abbandonata dall'amante, Gercourt, decide di vendicarsi disonorandolo. A questo scopo conquista la complicità del Visconte di Valmont, suo ex amante e noto seduttore senza scrupoli. Valmont accetta la sfida e decide di sedurre la giovane Cécile, promessa sposa di Gercourt. Inizia così lo scambio epistolare (175 lettere) che mette in scena la rete diabolica elaborata da Valmont e dalla Marchesa di Merteuil, tessuta in cinque mesi di progetti, manovre, sotterfugi, confessioni, elaborate ipocrisie, colpi di scena e complicatissimi intrighi.

5. Notre-dame de Paris, di Victor Hugo

Link: https://amzn.to/3PFUfGz

Trama: In una Parigi tardomedioevale si mescolano lo spettrale profilo della basilica di Notre-Dame, abitata dal gobbo Quasimodo, e la notturna Corte dei Miracoli, dove risplende la bellezza di Esmeralda. Come in un grande melodramma, forze del bene e forze del male si scontrano facendo fulcro intorno all'attrazione, alla sensualità, all'innocenza della bella zingara.

6. Il barbiere di Siviglia ovvero La precauzione inutile,  di Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais

Link: https://amzn.to/3LGrsAn

Trama: Commedia teatrale da cui Rossini ricavò poi il libretto per una delle sue opere liriche più famose. La storia segue una struttura tradizionale della commedia dell'arte in veste di satira, col servitore furbo che prova di essere più intelligente dei nobili e degli intellettuali dell'epoca.  La trama coinvolge un conte spagnolo,  che si è innamorato a prima vista di una ragazza di nome Rosina. Per assicurarsi che lei ami davvero lui e non solo i suoi soldi, il Conte si traveste da povero studente universitario di nome Lindoro e cerca di corteggiarla. I suoi piani sono vanificati dal guardiano di Rosina, il dottor Bartolo, che la tiene rinchiusa in casa e sogna di sposarla in futuro. L'incontro fortuito con un suo ex servitore, Figaro, può cambiare il destino della coppia. Figaro lavora come barbiere e quindi ha accesso alla casa del dottore. Dopo aver avuto promesse di denaro e temendo che il Conte cercherà vendetta su di lui se rifiuta, Figaro escogita una varietà di modi in cui il Conte e Rosina possono incontrarsi e parlare, prima come Lindoro, poi come Alonzo, un compagno di studi dello stesso maestro di musica, Basilio. La storia culmina nel matrimonio del Conte con Rosina.

7. L’avaro, di Moliere

Link: https://amzn.to/48DQ1b3

Trama: Commedia teatrale in cinque atti scritta nel 1668. Narra la storia di Arpagone, un vecchio taccagno che pur di tenere per sé i suoi soldi, sceglie di far sposare al figlio una vedova molto ricca e alla figlia un marchese che, ricco com'era, aveva rinunciato alla dote di lei. Per sé vuole invece una ragazza bellissima e con molte virtù, seppure senza dote. Purtroppo quello che vuole il padre non corrisponde ai sentimenti dei figli: infatti Elisa è innamorata del valletto Valerio, che ha perduto la famiglia in mare, mentre Cleante è innamorato di Marianna, la giovane che suo padre vorrebbe sposare.

8. Cyrano de Bergerac di Edmond Rostand

Link: https://amzn.to/3RHDSMg

Trama: L'opera più celebre del drammaturgo francese Edmond Rostand. Portata in scena per la prima volta alla fine del 1897, fu accolto in maniera trionfale dal pubblico e dalla critica: la storia dello spadaccino dal naso lunghissimo, amante della poesia e dei giochi di parole ma incapace di concretizzare il proprio amore nei confronti della bella Rossana, invaghita di un altro uomo.

9. Il medico di campagna, di Honore de Balzac

Link: https://amzn.to/3rGO6Sr

Trama: Nel 1829, il Genestas comandante dell'esercito napoleonico, arriva in un villaggio della Savoia, dove incontra il dottor Benassis medico parigino che, con impegno e dedizione, si applica al miglioramento della vita della comunità, che lo ripaga eleggendolo sindaco. I due diventano amici e il comandante accompagna quotidianamente il medico nel suo giro di visite durante le quali racconta come in dieci anni ha trasformato un paese arretrato in fiorente cittadina. Ma i due protagonisti hanno ciascuno un doloroso segreto che verrà confessato alla fine della storia.

10. Nanon, di George Sand (pseudonimo di Aurore Lucile Dupin)

Link: https://amzn.to/46RJ4ll

Trama: L’eroina, una contadina del Berry che sposerà il marchese Émilien de Franqueville, racconta la sua vita a partire dall’infanzia e dalla giovinezza prima e durante la Rivoluzione francese.  Questa giovane che possedeva soltanto delle grandi qualità e una pecora da allevare giungerà a ottenere la ricchezza grazie al suo lavoro e ad un insieme di circostanze fortunate, ma senza alcuna speculazione. Qui la Rivoluzione francese è evocata attraverso quello che potevano comprendere gli abitanti di una povera regione campestre, lontana dal centro degli avvenimenti rivoluzionari. I protagonisti si trovano a combattere con una vita quotidiana difficile e, a volte pericolosa, ma la affrontano con molta fermezza. Émilien, sequestrato dal tribunale rivoluzionario, viene liberato grazie a Nanon. Si rifugiano insieme in un luogo nascosto e magico di Valcreux, dove aspettano la fine del Terrore, poi il giovane si arruola allora nell’ esercito repubblicano, ma fortunatamente ritornerà dalla guerra seppur ferito sia nel corpo che nello spirito e si riunirà a Nanon.

George Sand è autrice di molti romanzi degni di nota, tra cui vi voglio citare almeno La palude del diavolo e La piccola Fadettte.

Onorevoli menzioni:

Gargantua e Pantagruel, di François Rabelais

La principessa di Clèves, di Madame de La Fayette, il primo romanzo storico francese e uno dei primi romanzi della letteratura moderna

Senza famiglia (Remì) e In famiglia (Perrine), romanzi di formazione di Hector Malot

La monaca, di Denis Diderot

Manon Lescaut, di Antoine-François Prévost

Non cito opere di Voltaire e Jean-Jacques Rousseau, ma andrebbero certamente letti almeno una volta nella vita, anche perchè le loro idee sono alla base delle tematiche di quasi tutti gli scrittori (loro contemporanei o  vissuti dopo di loro)  che invece cito nella lista.

Sicuramente non avrò citato autori di classici della lettaratura francese che molti di voi amano, perciò non esitate a segnalarmi i vostri preferiti nei commenti.

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Viktoriya Baghramyan Popova and Anatoly Soya

Viktoriya Baghramyan Popova Виктория Баграмян Попова and Anatoly Soya Анатолий Соя, “Figaro Фигаро”, libretto by Andrey Petrov Андрей Петров based on the comedy duology “La Folle Journée, ou Le Mariage de Figaro” (1784) by Pierre Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais, music by Wolfgand Amadeus Mozart and Gioachino Rossini, choreo, direction and musical adaption by Andrey Petrov Андрей Петров, scene design by Grigory Belov Григорий Белов, costume design by Olga Polyanskaya Ольга Полянская, Kremlin Ballet Кремлевский балет, Great Hall of the State Kremlin Palace Большой зал Государственного Кремлёвского Дворца, Moscow, Russia.

Source and more info at: Viktoriya Popova on Instagram

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[male-spirit]

« Quand le mal a toutes les audaces, le bien doit avoir tous les courages ».

Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais

[crimerecords-info]

July 14 - Bastille Day

The national holiday of the French Republic is Bastille Day (1789). The Bastille Fortress was built in 1382. It was supposed to serve as a fortification on the approaches to the capital. Soon it began to function as a prison, mainly for political prisoners. For 400 years, there have been many famous personalities among the prisoners of the Bastille - Francois de La Rochefoucauld, Pierre Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais, Voltaire was twice a prisoner of the Bastille.

Painting by Charles Tiveni. "Storming the Bastille (murder of Commandant de Launay)".

The Bastille became for the French a symbol of the suppression of freedom. Therefore, having rebelled, the French first went to take the Bastille. All this resulted in a cruel farce. At the time of the assault, there were only 7 prisoners in the Bastille. The head of the garrison was torn alive. The Bastille was destroyed and it turned into a symbol of freedom.

For more information, see the article "Taking the Bastille".

*Translated using an electronic dictionary. The original text in Russian and much more on the criminal topic can be selected on the main page of the site - http://crimerecords.info/