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Honoré de BALZAC

Lettre autographe signée adressée à Jean-Baptiste Violet d'Epagny, directeur du théâtre de l'Odéon, à propos des Ressources de Quinola

s.l. [Passy] « mardi matin » [28 décembre 1841], 13,5x21,6cm, une page sur un double feuillet, enveloppe jointe.

"My dear director, under the terms of our agreements, I am ready to read, I have chosen tomorrow, Wednesday, and I have told your stage manager the names of the actors to whom I entrust our play. I've done a bit of your job, I've conquered Madame Dorval who will make you rich, I'll bring her myself. Find here, my dear d'Épagny, a thousand regards, I have given you proof of our old acquaintance by choosing you for Les Ressources de Quinola, I shall expect a return in our relations and I am entitled to a great deal of zeal."

Les Ressources de Quinola, is both in the spirit Les Fourberies de Scapin and Les Noces de Figaro. From the 1840s until his death, Balzac's ambition was to achieve a reputation comparable to his illustrious predecessors Molière and Beaumarchais. Although this proved to be a hope as vain as it was determined, Balzac never doubted, failure after failure, that his success was imminent.
“On July 15, 1841, d'Épagny was appointed director of the Odéon [...] as any theater director would have done in his place, [he] spent summer vacations organizing his winter programme. He asked Balzac for a play, and Balzac complied, choosing Les Ressources de Quinola. [...] We all know what a fuss was made about Balzac's play, and how childishly naive the author was in filling the room with the highest Parisian society and foreign elite, in order to make snobs want to join such a brilliant assembly. [...] Madame Dorval, more astute than the author, refused the role intended for her as soon as Balzac read [...]. She did well, for one never saw a more complete failure" (L'Amateur d'autographes, mai 1911)
Interesting letter revealing the beginnings of the creation of Les Ressources de Quinola and the author's habit of reading his play for the actors, who then voted to accept or reject it.
Provenance: Arthur Meyer collection, then "AGR" (stamp on letter and envelope).
 

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