BECKETT (Samuel) Irish writer, poet and playwright... - Lot 1 - Goxe - Belaisch - Hôtel des ventes d'Enghien

BECKETT (Samuel) Irish writer, poet and playwright (1906-1989) Correspondence of 26 signed letters or autograph cards addressed to the French composer Marcel Mihalovici (1898-1985) From 1960 to 1983. About 30 p. of various sizes. Suzanne and Samuel Beckett formed a deep and lasting friendship with the Mihalovici couple. This correspondence is the true testimony of this friendship and does not deny this true harmony. A project would bring the two men together for a production, a revelation in which Mihalovici would convince his friend Beckett, not to write an original libretto, but to adapt his 1959 play, Krapp's Last Tape, published that year by Editions de minuit under the title La Dernière Bande , thus linking writing and music. The composer's wife was the pianist Monique Haas. The work published for this opera is attached. Publisher Heugel et Cie ; Au Ménestrel. Cover illustrated by Jacques Dupont. 1961. February 16, 1960. Dear Chip, this is how he will address the composer, happy to have seen him again the day before, hoping that their collaboration will take a good beginning, and that it will go like that. Paris, January 24, 1961. He has received his letter from Bielefeld (in Germany) where the composer was. Beckett, who has just moved to Paris on Boulevard St. Jacques, urges him to call him, despite a hundred thousand worries, pointing out that he has not yet taken care of the extract from his criminal record (?), so that we can meet again and have a drink together soon. Paris, February 7, 1961. He sends her the little text produced by Tophoven [Elmar Tophoven, literary translator (1923-1989) was in charge of the German translation for this opera], I gave him the text of the program today. I will translate it today and send it to you... . Beckett will go to Bielefeld this February for the first performance of this opera. Paris, April 25, 1961. He tells her that he has not yet been able to reach Planchon [Roger Planchon, director] despite Serreau's intervention [Jean-Marie Serreau, also director] without results. And now with what is happening.... it is in the water ... We rehearse we do what we can. Raimbourg [the actor Lucien Raimbourg] arrived, rehearsed twice, then disappeared again (like a scene with Fernandel on the side of Aix) We had all the trump cards in hand (including the price) We will painfully arrive at the approximate rigor... . Ussy, May 12, 1961. He has just learned the sudden death of the father of the composer by Suzanne. It is the old useless word that I send you, but it comes from the heart. I think of you both very respectfully. Paris, September 12, 1961. A long letter in which Beckett, back from a stay in England with his cousin, informs her that his nephew [Edward] is preparing for the conservatory with Crunelle. [Gaston Crunelle, professor of flute at the Paris Conservatory] It seems that he has very good chances. I would like you to hear him play next Monday. He will play Enesco's Nocturne and Allegro Scherzando and something by Gaubert... . [Beckett certainly confused the Nocturne and Allegro Scherzando, which is by Philippe Gaubert and not by Enesco, with probably Enesco's Cantabile and Presto for flute and piano, works that his nephew Edward Beckett, a flautist, was to present at the Conservatory.] He tells her that he has no news of his piece Glückliche Tage , [Oh les beaux jours, Happy days] which is to be performed in New York on September 29. He talks about Suzanne's trip to Narbonne, and came back covered in Romanesque art, then their 3-day stay in Etretat, where he played golf, on the cliff, in the storm. He is delighted for Stuttgart and has the right perspective on the BBC side. And Leibenson (president of Columbia) has talked about it to I don't know who in America. I should lock myself up somewhere and finally finish translating Texts for Nothing and How It Is... . Paris, October 16, 1961. He thanks him for the check he received, saying that it is too much and I don't need it. I accept it because you want it. I will repay you when we meet again under the bridge. In the meantime, a big thank you. He declines Mihalovici's proposal to do something new. But frankly, at the moment, it doesn't look good - I'm so empty, tired and overwhelmed by my self-translation bullshit. Anyway, I'll do the old impossible... . Ussy, February 26, 1962, on the back of a flyer announcing the recital of the mezzo-soprano Bettina Jonic, at the Salle Gaveau of that same year. He would like them to come to this recital, ...and to talk about it a little around you. She is the wife of my publisher Calder. She is very good, and tells him that Dutilleux wrote him a very nice letter. Paris, September 23, 1962. A long and important letter. Bravo and bravo for Lu