Description
Autograph Letter Signed, to the director of the theatre, discussing the staging of his most famous opera, Lakmé, referring to the visit of M. Warnots to Paris “pour voir avec moi la partition de Lakmé” [to look over the score of Lakmé with me], confident that both of them desire to stage the work according to the intentions of the author, discussing the time required for this work, where to meet and so on. In French. 4 pp. 6½ x 4½ inches, black borders, in very good condition. Paris, Saturday 12 November [1887]. Leo Delibes (1836-1891), French composer, ends this letter with another reference to Lakmé: “Veuillez me rappeler au bn souvenir de Madame Verheyden, qui a été charmante dans Lakmé.” Lakmé is an opera in three acts by Léo Delibes to a French libretto by Edmond Gondinet and Philippe Gille. The score, written in 1881–1882, was first performed on 14 April 1883 by the Opéra Comique at the Salle Favart in Paris. Set in British India in the mid-19th century, Lakmé is based on Théodore Pavie’s story “Les babouches du Brahamane” and novel Le Mariage de Loti by Pierre Loti. Within the period 1883 to 1891, November 12 fell on a Saturday only in 1887. Lakmé opened later that month at the Opera House in Rouen.