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Updated: June 8, 2025
TALMA is now reduced to those of the old stock. The characters he at present represents are Cinna in the tragedy of that name by CORNEILLE, Oreste in the Andromaque of RACINE, Neron in the Britannicus of the same, OEdipe in the tragedy of that name by VOLTAIRE, and Faiel in Gabrielle du Vergy by DU BELLOY, Oreste in Iphigenie en Tauride by GUIMOND DE LA TOUCHE, and AEgisthe in the Agamemnon of LE MERCIER. TALMA also plays many other parts, but, in these, he makes no great figure.
The players were at that time rehearsing the tragedy of OEdipe, which was played on the 18th of November, 1718, with great success. The daring flights of philosophy introduced by the poet into this profoundly and terribly religious subject excited the enthusiasm of the roues; Voltaire was well received by the Regent, who granted him an honorarium.
He had some months before said to Mdlle. du Pare, who was an actress in Moliere's company, which had come to Rouen, and who was, from her grand airs, nicknamed by the others the Marchioness, Corneille reappeared upon the boards with a tragedy called OEdipe, more admired by his contemporaries than by posterity.
On October fourth the "Oedipe" of Voltaire was given at the playhouse before the assembled courts. At the words, "A great man's friendship is a boon from the gods," Alexander rose, and, grasping Napoleon's hand, stood for a moment in an attitude that typified a renewed alliance. The house thundered with applause.
The Prince de Conti, who, a month or two before, had written an ode in which he placed the author of Oedipe side by side with the authors of Le Cid and Phèdre, now remarked, with a shrug of the shoulders, that 'ces coups de bâtons étaient bien reçus et mal donnés. 'Nous serions bien malheureux, said another well-bred personage, as he took a pinch of snuff, 'si les poètes n'avaient pas des épaules. Such friends as remained faithful were helpless.
'Ah, you should have been here a few days ago! one bystander said to us; 'you might then have seen the "OEdipe Roi" of Corneille given in this amphitheatre, by the troupe of the Comedie Francaise. Never before was a fete so brilliant seen at Orange! People flocked hither from fifty miles and farther round!
Voltaire Tragedies on Greek Subjects: Oedipe, Merope, Oreste Tragedies on Roman Subjects: Brute, Mort de Cesar, Catiline, Le Triumvirat Earlier Pieces: Zaire, Alzire, Mahomet, Semiramis, and Tancred.
The flimsiness of the poem was the cause; for the music, I am assured, is the finest that GLUCK ever composed, and several pieces of it have been repeatedly performed in the Parisian concerts. The Didon of PICCINI and the OEdipe a Colonne of SACCHINI have had no less success than the operas of GLUCK. They are very frequently represented.
But if people here are not very difficult as to the style of the language, they require at least an action well conducted and interesting. When the piece is of itself cold, it is not in the power of the finest music to give it warmth. The OEdipe a Colonne of SACCHINI is reckoned by many persons the chef-d'oeuvre of operas.
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