Ivan Turgenev
Paris, France, October 31, 1862
Ivan Turgenev ALS With Great Musical Content, Dated 6 Months After "Fathers and Sons" Was Published
ALS

A 3pp autograph letter in French signed by Russian writer Ivan Turgenev (1818-1883) as "I. Tourgu?neff" at the bottom of the third page. October 31, 1862. At Turgenev's apartment at 210, Rue de Rivoli in Paris, France, where the writer lived between 1860-1864. On laid bifold stationery with the blind-embossed initials "JT" in the upper left corner of the first page. Numbered "29" in ink and "35" in light blue colored pencil in the upper left and upper right corners of the first page. Expected wear including flattened transmittal folds and a few extra wrinkles. Isolated foxing, minor ink bleed-through, and a partially rusted paper clip impression affecting all four pages of the letter. Else near fine. 5.25" x 8.125." Comes with a full translation. Provenance: Ex-Stargardt, ex-Christie's.

Turgenev 's letter addressed to a young opera singer named Julienne Orvil (1839-1889) has great musical content! Subjects include his correspondent's duty to continue to share her musical talent with the public, if not her friends, even after her impending marriage; the recent opening of the new location of the Th??tre Lyrique in Paris; and French mezzo-soprano Pauline Viardot's performance of the title role of Orpheus in Hector Berlioz's rearrangement of Christoph Willibald Gluck's 1762 opera "Orfeo ed Euridice," known under its 1859 French revival title of "Orph?e."

Turgenev's correspondent Julienne Orvil (sometimes spelled Opravil, and known as Julienne Flinsch-Orwil after her 1866 marriage to Alexander Flinsch) was born in present-day Maribor, Slovenia, then part of the German Empire. Julienne studied under the tutelage of Pauline Viardot (1821-1910), the celebrated French opera singer, and Ivan Turgenev's longtime lover. Fluent in six languages, with an incredible vocal range and an arresting stage presence, Viardot captivated audiences from her professional debut in the late 1830s up through her retirement in April 1863. From 1843-1846, Viardot was attached to the Saint Petersburg Opera. Turgenev was evidently so enamored with Viardot--who was married to French critic Louis Viardot and had four children--that Turgenev left Russia to follow her and installed himself in her household.

Turgenev wrote, translated in full:

"Paris
31 October 1862.
rue de Rivoli, 210.

Well! dear Mademoiselle Julienne - you see that I am not such a poor prophet! You have found the happiness that you so well deserve - and we will see each other soon - because I hope that you will come spend at least a part of your honeymoon in Paris. - You don't doubt, I am sure, the joy which this good news brought me - and you will believe in the cordial sincerity of the congratulations that I address to you and of my [good] wishes for your future.

Now that the thing is done, I shall tell you that I don't much regret that you did not go to [St.] Petersburg: the climate can be punishing (?) to your health, which is not made of bronze - and then the air of the courts, taken even in small quantities - always has something harmful. - The [alternative] is much better - isn't it? All the more that you will not abandon music - and if the public, who gave you such a warm welcome, will no longer enjoy your talents, your friends would lose nothing of them - because your future husband doesn't have the exclusive monopoly - what do you say? - It would be too cruel for us others, the former ones.

I have been here for five days - and all the Viardot Family has just arrived. Yesterday the inauguration of the Th??tre Lyrique took place - and Mme Viardot sang the fourth act of Orpheus - admirably well. The hall is very beautiful but - I fear it is - a little muffled ["sourd" or "deaf."]

On my return here I found Paulinette [possibly Turgenev's illegitimate daughter] rather plumper - and delighted with her trip. She wants to tell you a thousand things. Louise [possibly Pauline Viardot's oldest daughter] is very well? Ontis - has - I believe - disappeared from the horizon. I am not otherwise angry about that. - I have the intention of throwing splendid balls this year ? there must be weddings - everywhere? and especially at my house.

Adieu, dear Mademoiselle Julienne - or rather au revoir. Recommend me to your tutor, who I would be very happy to know - and receive the expression of my most devoted sentiments.

I. Tourgu?neff."

Pauline Viardot played Orpheus, the Greek poet who enters Hades to retrieve his dead wife Eurydice, in the 1859 revival of Gluck's opera about the myth. French composer Hector Berlioz had reworked multiple versions of Gluck's original 1762 opera in order to create one more suited to modern French tastes. The result was the 1859 revival "Orph?e," in which Pauline Viardot, a mezzo-soprano, sang the title role originally written for an alto castrato, and dressed in men's clothing. The Th??tre Lyrique, one of four French opera houses in Paris, opened in 1847. It had relocated to a new location near the Place du Ch?telet in October 1862, which is almost certainly "the inauguration" which Turgenev refers to in his letter. "Orph?e" ran for 138 performances at the Th??tre Lyrique after its original November 1859 opening. Pauline Viardot's performance as Orpheus was widely acclaimed. In fact, she chose Orpheus as her last official opera role before her retirement the following year.

Turgenev's seminal novel "Fathers and Sons" was published six months earlier, in February 1862. Considered one of the best novels in Russian literature, "Fathers and Sons" explores as its central theme the glaring intellectual, social, and political differences found between generations in mid-nineteenth-century Russian society. In the novel, Turgenev describes some of the relationship challenges facing Nikolay Kirsanov, a prosperous land-owner, and his university-aged son, Arkady Kirsanov.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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5.25" x 8.125"
Provenance: Ex-Stargardt, 21/22 November 2006, lot 325; Ex-Christie's, 1 December 2021, lot 191.