Letter 2680a

Tchaikovsky Research
Date 8/20 April 1885
Addressed to Lucien Guitry
Where written Moscow
Language French
Autograph Location unknown [1]
Publication Tschaikowsky-Gesellschaft Mitteilungen (2010), p. 12–13 (abridged English translation)
Tchaikovsky Research Bulletin No. 1 (February 2011), p. 41-42 (with English translation, p. 42)
Чайковский. Новые материалы к творческой биографии (2013), p. 341-342 (with Russian translation, p. 342-343)

Text and Translation

French text
(original)
English translation
By Luis Sundkvist
8 Avril 1885
Moscou

Mon cher ami!

Vous m'aviez dit à notre dernière entrevue à la gâre que V[ou]s aviez l'intention de venir dans le courant de ce mois à Moscou. Est-ce de la presomption de ma part de s'ètre immaginé que c'est un peu exprès pour moi que V[ou]s vouliez venir? Ou bien me l'avez V[ou]s dit? Dans la hâte du départ ai-je mal entendu?... Je ne sais, mais ce qui est certain c'est que j'aurais été infinimment heureux de pouvoir V[ou]s faire les honneurs de notre deuxième capitale, mais à mon très grand regret je suis forcé de m'en aller un de ces jours au midi de la Russie. On doit donner mon opera Mazeppa à Odessa et il faut absolument qu'avant d'y aller pour surveiller les répétitions, je fasse encore une excursion dans le gouvernement de Kieff, où des raisons de famille m'appellent impérieusement.

J'ai crû de mon devoir, cher ami, <de V[ou]s avertir>, que dans le cas que V[ou]s viendriez à Moscou tout de mème — je ne serai pas la pour serrer Votre main.

J'en suis désolé, — V[ous] n'en doutez pas, je l'espère.

Ne m'oubliez pas, pensez à ce que j'ai eu la hardiesse de V[ou]s conseiller à Petersbourg, comptez sur ma promesse et croyez fermement à l'inèbranlable amitié et à mon admiration pour Votre grand et beau talent.

Mille choses aimable de ma part à M[ada]me Guitry.

Votre bien devoué ami,

P. Tschaïkovsky

8 April 1885
Moscow

My dear friend!

You told me at our last meeting at the station that you intended to come to Moscow in the course of this month. Is it presumption on my part to have imagined that it is to some extent expressly on my account that you want to come here? Or did you actually tell me so? In the haste of my departure did I mishear something?... I don't know, but what is certain is that I would have been infinitely happy to show you around our second capital; to my very great regret, however, I am compelled to travel to central Russia one of these days. My opera Mazepa is to be produced in Odessa [2], and before going there to supervise the rehearsals it is absolutely necessary for me to make another trip — namely to Kiev province, where I am emphatically summoned by family reasons.

I felt it was my duty, dear friend, to warn you that in the event that you should come to Moscow all the same, I won't be there to shake your hand.

This makes me ever so sad — I trust you do not doubt this.

Do not forget me, think about what I was so bold as to advise you in Petersburg [3], count on my promise, and believe firmly in my unshakeable friendship and my admiration for your great and beautiful talent.

Give M[ada]me Guitry a thousand kind regards from me.

Your very devoted friend,

P. Tchaikovsky

Notes and References

  1. The autograph was sold in May 2009 by R. R. Auction, Amherst (New Hampshire).
  2. As Tchaikovsky's Letter 2680 to his brother Modest that same day shows, there were indeed plans to stage Mazepa (1884) in Odessa in the summer of 1885, but it is not clear whether this production actually took place. It is not mentioned in the chronological list drawn up by N. N. Yolkina which details performances of Tchaikovsky's operas in Russia and Western Europe from 1869 to 1893 — see Испопнение опер П. И. Чайковского в России и западной европе 1869-1893. Хронологический перечень (2003).
  3. i.e. that for his next benefit performance Guitry should choose a Shakespeare tragedy, either Hamlet or Romeo and Juliet. See Letter 2677a to Guitry, 1/13 April 1885.