"The phantom of the Opera" was...
...Gioachino Cocchi aka le comte de Saint Germain, C.W. Gluck, F.M.Grimm, Chastellux and J.J.Rousseau.
"They" -alltogether-will certainly "haunt" opera to eternity, there is however specific evidence as well: "Don Juan triumphant" points to Gluck's "Don Giovanni"-defined presently as a "ballet"-produced in Vienna 1761, ie early in Gluck's reformation period (1761-67), ie Leroux expresses a wish for his triumphant return . The phantom's persian companion-guard points furthermore to the "Gullistan" (Persia) history of the family, including our hero's Nikita "K" ancestor, himself as well as his grandson (Stroganov) who spent sometime in Persia.
see http://www.online-literature.com/for...ad.php?t=39455
XXIV. Barrels!...Barrels!...Any Barrels to Sell?"
On the evening of Friday, June 8, 1781, the Académie royale de musique presented a performance of Glück's famous Orfeo ed Euridice and an act from M.M. Rey's, Apollon et Coronis. Around eight thirty in the evening, after all the spectators had left the theatre, Dauvergne, the director, noticed that part of the stage curtain had caught fire. Not looking very serious, he first called for water, but there was none. He then tried to cut the cords from which the curtain was hung, but that only resulted in igniting other parts of the curtain. By the time the firemen arrived, it was too late and the Opéra was engulfed in flames (C. Gabillot, ``L'Incendie de L'Opéra en 1781", Gazette des Beaux-Arts, 1913, pp. 26-36). Robert, who was living nearby in rooms in the Louvre, captured this spectacular and terrifying disaster in a number of eye-witness paintings and drawings. From the Académie de peinture, Robert was able to open up windows onto this horrifying scene and sketch the event as he saw it unfold. One can imagine him furiously sketching and capturing the view of the building engulfed in flames. The next day, while the ruins were still smoldering, Robert sketched the remains and possibly conceived the idea for another view of the ruined interior of the building itself. Robert exhibited two such views in the Salon of 1781
also see http://www.bridgemanartondemand.com/...-Royal_in_1781
The phantom's mask and how it is maintained!
http://www.online-literature.com/for...786#post770786
In the process, three more of the phantom's musical identities have been discovered: "Count Giacomo Durazzo", from Genova , "Joseph Myslivecek" and "Anton Roessler" (or Antonio Rossetti), czechs!
Check!
The Opera phantom and Mozart!
Mozart in Paris (Timeline 1777-1779)
(To examine and interpret bearing in mind that “Augustin Henri Cochin, Louis Claude Dupin de Franceuil , Marquis de Girardin, Melchior Grimm, Christoph Willibald Gluck, Rousseau, Claude Louis comte de Saint Germain, Myslivecek, Pierre Michel Hennin, Alexandre Strogonoff, Nicolas Bricaire de La Dixmerie, Chevalier La Luzerne, Marquis de Chastellux, abbe Galiani, abbe Raynal ”, "Baron de Bache" or "Bagge" etc etc are all aliases of Gioachino Cocchi ie "the phantom" and that “Conrad Alexandre Gérard de Rayneval” was, most propably, a blood relative of his-See other relevant threads in this site).
Part 1: 1777.
(October 1776 Necker is made director-general of the finances . Oct 9th Minister comte Saint Germain thrashes a vineyard watchman who caught him stealing grapes from the royal vines near Epinay sur Orge . Oct 15th Augustin Henry Cochin baptises a child at his parish).
January 1777 Two registrations at Epinay regarding domestic help of Cochin without his presence.
Marie Aurore de Saxe,Demoiselle de Venieres….Married (2) January 1777 London Louis Claude Dupin de Franceuil, son of Claude…. (http://artemis.austincollege.edu/aca...home/dupin.htm)
15th Jan Gluck to Kruthoffer: "I beg you to give me reliable information as to why, at whose call and for what purpose Piccinni has been called to Paris and what salary he receives*; and on the 3ist: *Do write much news to me, for theatrical affairs must be teeming at this time. . .” (GLUCK by ALFRED EINSTEIN London J. M. Dent and Sons Ltd. , 1936. "Gluck"-who has called Picinnini to supplement for him in Paris-is carefully covering his trail later on.)
Early 1777 Ch.Nic.Cochin draws Benjamin Franklin’s fur cup portrait.
20th February -19th May 1777 The Scottish Philosophy rite abolishes nobility priviliges to its members while in France the Grand Orient approves «St. Charles of Triumph and Perfect Harmony of St. Alexander of Scotland” (“Contrat sociale”)
“De la Composition des paysages, ou, des moyens d'embellir la nature autour des habitations, en y joignant l'agreable a l'utile”,published Geneva, 1777, by the Marquis de Girardin. It was translated into English and published London, 1783 as “Essay on the means of improving and embellishing the country round our habitations”.
Gluck: In May he once more set out for Paris, in the company of his wifefor the fourth time, He arrived on the 2pth and *sa demeure est rue des Fossoyeurs,* as the Journal ie P&m piquandy announced, all Paris being aware that this was the domicile of Mile Levasseur, who had in the meantime become the mistress of Count Mercy Argenteau. Early in July the rehearsals began. (Note: as per previous.)
4th Jul :Grimm writes to Princess Golitsyn from Peterhof.
23rd Sept: Mozart resigned his Salzburg position[20] and ventured out in search of employment.
On the very same date:
“Claude Louis, comte de Saint-Germain” is decommissioned as war minister of France and
Gluck’s Armide is first performed in Paris at the Academie Royale de Musique. Gluck had to abandon “Roland” to Piccinini (arriving end 1776 to Paris from Naples).
24th sept:From Potsdam, Frederic advises Voltaire how he met Grimm (on his way back from Saint Petersburg) and had long conversations with him.
2nd Oct: Mozart from Munich "How popular I would be if I were to lift the national German stage to recognition in music! And this would surely happen for I was already full of desire to write when I heard the German Singspiel."
“I only wish that the Elector were here; he might hear something to his advantage. He knows nothing about me, knows nothing about my ability. What a pity that these grand gentlemen take everybody's word and are unwilling to investigate for themselves! It's always the way. I am willing to make a test; let him summon all the composers in Munich, and even invite a few from Italy, Germany, England and Spain; I will trust myself in a competition with them all." (Mozart had hoped to secure an appointment in Munich, but was disappointed)
11th Oct, Mozart writes to Leopold how he met with Myslivecek whose face was covered (an incompetent surgeon burned off Mysliveček's nose while trying to treat a mysterious illness). “In the entire Mozart correspondence, no individual outside the Mozart family was ever the cause for so much outpouring of emotion as what is found in Wolfgang's letter of 11 October 1777.”
(This is the last of fourty references to Myslivecek in Mozart's correspondence. (http://www.mozartforum.com/Contemporary%20 pages/Myslivecek_Contemp.htm)
"Composing," said Mozart, "is my one joy and passion" . "Simply to hear anyone speak of an opera, or to be in the theater, or to hear singing is enough to make me beside myself!" (An influential friend had offered to help him get an appointment in Italy.) . by http://www.globusz.com/ebooks/Mozart/00000021.htm (Title “Mozart: The man and the artist as revealed in his own words by Friedrich Kerst , translated by Henry Edward Krehbiel, New York 1905”).
Note by me: Myslivecek(the infuential friend?) is omitted and the outlay (broken down in specific sectors making the chronological following impossible) of the book raises questions on the editors intentions.
16th Oct: Without making himself known, Grimm is present at W.A.M. performance given at the Patricians’ Music Society. (Robert Gutman, Mozart, a cultural biography, page 377)
22nd Oct : Grimm, again unknown, also attends yet another W.A.Mozart concert at Augsburg (as above, page 382, footnote 29).
Mozart stayed in Augsburg to October 26 to then arrive at Manheim...
31st Oct: "I could scarcely refrain from laughing when I was introduced to the people. A few, who knew me par renommee, were very polite and respectful; others who know nothing about me stared at me as if they were a bit amused. They think that because I am small and young that there can be nothing great and old in me. But they shall soon find out."
8th Nov "I cannot express either my feelings or my thoughts in verse, for I am neither a poet nor a painter. But I can do this with sounds, for I am a musician"
13th Nov "Beecke told me (and it is true) that music is now played in the cabinet of the Emperor (Joseph II) bad enough to set the dogs a-running.
21st Nov, Mozart wrote from Mannheim he was at Cannabich’s home, where Wendling was rehearsing a Concerto which Mozart had scored (“instrumente gesetzt habe”).
29th Nov “I have composed a Rondeau for the Countess”. On December 3 he played it for the Elector, who “liked it very much”. On December 6, 1777, from Mannheim Mozart writes he has already transcribed a contredance for piano for Cannabich.
Dec 10th Mozart to his father: If you were to write also to Prince Zeil I should be glad. But short and good. Do not by any means crawl! That I can not endure."
Dec 14th, Mannheim: The little time that I have for writing must be devoted to composition, for I have a great deal of work before me. I entreat you to answer me very soon as to my journey to Paris. I played over my concertone on the piano to Herr Wendling, who said it was just the thing for Paris ; if I were to play that to Baron Bach, he would be in ecstasies. Adieu !
(Leopold writes in 1778,(III. 381): Ich muß dem Wolfgang eine Abbildung oder eigens eine Schilderung vom Baron Bache oder Bagge (ich weiß selber nicht, wie er sich schreibt) machen. Er ist, soviel [68] ich weiß, ein armer Baron aus Preußen oder den Orten und hat sich in Paris mit einer sehr reichen Hutmacherstochter verheiratet. )
1778 and 1779 to follow (parts 2 and 3). Conclusions in part 4 (last).