122 To Gaetano Belloni in Paris
[autograph in the possession of M. Etienne Charavay in Paris]
[September 9th, 1854]
My dear Belloni,
Will you do me the kindness to tell Mr. Escudier that on my last visit to H.R.H. the Duke of Gotha I gave Monseigneur the volume on Rossini, and spoke to him at the same [time] of the desire that Mr. Escudier had mentioned to me in his last letter to be admitted into the order of H.R.H., before putting himself at his command? It goes without saying that I warmly recommended Mr. Escudier to the Duke; but nevertheless he seemed to turn a little deaf, at any rate with one ear, to the side of the ribbon. In the course of this month I shall probably see the Duke again, and will speak to him again about it. On your side do not neglect Oppelt [a Belgian writer; translated the Duke’s opera], who frequently corresponds with Gotha, and rest assured that I shall not fail to be agreeable to your friends on this occasion.
Yours ever,
F. Liszt
Nothing new here. The theatrical season will open with “Ernani” on the 16th September at latest; they talk of mounting “Rigoletto” or the “Foscari.” Unfortunately the German translations of Verdi’s operas are not worth a straw, and we are great purists at Weimar. In November the “Huguenots” will also be given, for the first time at Weymar, the late Grand Duke never having permitted the performance of this work on account of his respect for Luther, whom his ancestors had specially protected.
Hartel is going to engrave several of my scores. Four or five of them will appear in the course of the winter (“Tasso”—the “Preludes”—“Orphee”—“Mazeppa” will be printed first) under the title of “Poemes Symphoniques.”
I won’t write to Escudiers—it will be enough if you let them know of my good intentions in regard to them. You know that I am overdone with correspondence, and, unless it is absolutely necessary for me to write, I abstain from it, so as not to interrupt my work of composition, which is my first raison d’etre.