Leroux's "phantom" 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

It would be interesting to see if this is true.
P.G.7.

The "Persian" identified above as "grandson Stroganov" must instead read "grandson Saltykov", ie Alexis Saltykov (grandson of "Serge/Nikolai Saltykov", ie our hero).

Quoting Wikipedia
...his early days are somewhat of a mystery. He grew up in St Petersburg and at the age of eighteen joined the diplomatic services with the Russian State Board (Collegium) for Foreign Affairs in Moscow. By the age of 23 he was with the Russian Foreign Service, first in Constantinople, then in Athens, later in London, Florence, Rome, and Teheran.[3] In 1840 Alexis retired and moved to Paris where he planned his voyages to India. He ended up making two voyages there (1841-43 and 1844-46), and achieving the sobriquet 'The Indian' from the Russian and French aristocracy. In 1849 he published a selection of his letters in French accompanied by his drawings , which became very well known in Europe "Lettres sur L’Inde". Paris,1848). In 1851 the book was translated into Russian and became an instant success: it truly enraptured the Russian reading public [4]. The drawings were published separately in London in 1859 as "Drawings on the Spot".

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

Interesting ideas. Have we any real concrete evidence in Leroux's own words?

You should know better, Isidro, than to place your trust to a fiction author...and moreover a "Leroux"...

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!

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).

Part 2, 1778.

10th Jan: "I know of a certainty that the Emperor intends to establish a German opera in Vienna, and is earnestly seeking a young conductor who understands the German language, has genius and is capable of giving the world something new. Benda of Gotha is seeking the place and Schweitzer is also an applicant. I believe this would be a good thing for me,--but with good pay, as a matter of course. If the Emperor will give me a thousand florins, I will write a German opera for him, and if then he does not wish to retain me, all right. I beg of you, write to all the good friends in Vienna whom you can think of that I would do honor to the Emperor. If there is no other way let him try me with an opera."

15th Jan : Claude Louis de Saint Germain dies in his appartement at l'Arsenal in Paris. (later on Grimm writes to Catherine that since the beginning of 1778 he has devoted himself almost intirely to her service p217 Catherine the Great and the French philosophers of the Enlightenment by Inna Gorbatov)

Jan « Correspondance Litteraires» : Gluck praises Cambini for a variation of a part of his (Quinault’s libretto) "Armide" staged in Paris.

17th Jan, Mannheim, W.Mozart criticizes the playing of Abbe Vogler.

23rd Jan L.Mozart writes to his son that the Austrian prince has decided to create in Vienna a german comique opera and has assigned the task to Gluck and Salieri

...but on his next letter...

Febr 9th: Leopold advises that, in his forthcoming trip to Paris, Wolfgang should avoid at all cost (the bad company?? of) Gluck and only meet Melchior Grimm. Leopold is doing his best at the time to have Wolfgang appointed at the Austrian court.

2nd and 7th Feb: "I beg of you do your best that we may go to Italy. I am jealous of anyone who writes an opera. Tears come to my eyes when I hear an operatic air. . . . My one idea is to write operas .You know my greatest longing--to write operas....Do not forget my wish to write operas! I am envious of every man who composes one; I could almost weep from chagrin whenever I hear or see an aria. But Italian, not German; seria not buffa." "I am strongly possessed by the desire to write an opera-- French rather than German, but Italian rather than either German or French. Wendling's associates are all of the opinion that my compositions would please extraordinarily in Paris. One thing is certain; I would not fear the test. As you know I am able to assimilate and imitate pretty much all styles of composition."(Mozart wanted to go with the Weber family he was in love with Aloysia, his future sister-in-law to Italy while his father wanted him go to Paris.)

"I will gladly give lessons to oblige, particularly if I see that a person has talent and a joyous desire to learn. But to go to a house at a fixed hour, or wait at home for the arrival of some one, that I can not do, no matter how much it might yield me; I leave that to others who can do nothing else than play the clavier,--for me it is impossible. I am a composer and was born to be a chapelmaster. I dare not thus bury the talent for composition which a kind God gave me in such generous measure (I may say this without pride for I feel it now more than ever before), and that is what I should do had I many pupils. Teaching is a restless occupation and I would rather neglect clavier playing than composition; the clavier is a side issue, though, thank God, a strong one."

28th Feb Nothing gives me so much pleasure in the anticipation as the Concert spirituel in Paris, for I fancy I shall be called on to compose something. The orchestra is said to be large and good, and my principal favorites can be well performed there, that is to say choruses, and I am right glad that the Frenchmen are fond of them....Heretofore Paris has been used to the choruses of Gluck. Depend on me; I shall labor with all my powers to do honor to the name of Mozart."
And

I place my confidence in three friends, and they are strong and invincible friends, viz: God, your head and my head. True our heads differ, but each is very good, serviceable, and useful in its genre, and in time I hope that my head will be as good as yours in the field in which now yours is superior."

7th March ."I have centered all my hopes on Paris, for the German princes are all niggards."

14th March Mozart leaves for Paris.

March: Le comte de Vergennes, head of the Ministry of Foreign affairs, appoints Pierre Michel Hennin one of the two “premier commis du déparlement des affaires étrangères”(later on, in 1779, he is also appointed secrétaire du conseil d'Elat)

23rd March: Mozart from Paris writes to his father he intends to visit Grimm and Wendling the next day.

1st April: John Adams. His first stay in Europe commences.

5th April: Paris .Mozart letter to Leopold on him enjoying music with Grimm.

April Ben Franklin and Voltaire are received at the Loge of Les Neuf-Soeurs . Voltaire- at least-is initiated by Comte Alexandre Strogonoff, LaLande and Nicolas Bricaire de La Dixmerie.

11th April: Mozart and his mother move to an apartment on the Rue du Gros- Chenet found for them by Mme d’Epinay.

1st May, Paris, Mozart writes he respects and reports to Grimm but not the Bourbon upper class.(same for letter of May 14th re the daughter of duke of Guinness) and

"I pray God every day to give me grace to remain steadfast here, that I may do honor to myself and the entire German nation, to His greater honor and glory, and that He permit me to make my fortune so that I may help you out of your sorry condition, and bring it to pass that we soon meet again and live together in happiness and joy. But His will be done on earth as in heaven. And
If this were a place where the people had ears, hearts to feel, and a modicum of musical understanding and taste, I should laugh heartily at all these things; as it is I am among nothing but cattle and brutes (so far as music is concerned). How should it be otherwise since they are the same in all their acts and passions? There is no place like Paris. You must not think that I exaggerate when I talk thus of music. Turn to whom you please,-- except to a born Frenchman,--you shall hear the same thing, provided you can find some one to turn to. Now that I am here I must endure out of regard for you. I shall thank God Almighty if I get out of here with a sound taste."
and
"The Duke de Chabot sat himself down beside me and listened attentively; and I--I forgot the cold, and the headache and played regardless of the wretched clavier as I play when I am in the mood. Give me the best clavier in Europe and at the same time hearers who understand nothing or want to understand nothing, and who do not feel what I play with me, and all my joy is gone."

12th May: Piccini's "Roland" is staged (primadonna Antoinette Clavet) with Gluck involved "somehow" ("Voice and violin : sketches, anecdotes, and reminiscences")

19th May Augustin Henri Cochin’s daughter Marie Henriette, 19years old, is married to Claude Joseph Gabriel de Vaulx, viscomte. Her parents are present.

20th May Rousseau moves to Ermenonville at the chateau of Marquis de Girardin..

Voltaire dies May 30th 1778.

12th June Mozart to his father. On the tremolo effect imitated on the clavier

3rd July: “Now I give you a piece of news which perhaps you know already; that godless fellow and arch-rascal, Voltaire, is dead-- died like a dog, like a beast. That is his reward!"
and...
I do not know whether or not my symphony pleases, and, to tell you the truth, I don't much care. Whom should it please? I warrant it will please the few sensible Frenchmen who are here, and there will be no great misfortune if it fails to please the stupids. Still I have some hope that the asses too will find something in it to their liking." The symphony is that known as the "Parisian"

2nd July Rousseau suffered a hemorrhage and died at Ermenonville.

3rd July: You know that I want nothing more than good employment,-- good in character and good in recompense, let it be where it will if the place be but Catholic...; but if the Salzburgians want me they must satisfy my desires or they will certainly not get me."
and
"The Prince must have confidence either in you or me, and give us complete control of everything relating to music; otherwise all will be in vain. For in Salzburg everybody or nobody has to do with music. If I were to undertake it I should demand free hands. In matters musical the Head Court Chamberlain should have nothing to say; a cavalier can not be a conductor, but a conductor can well be a cavalier." (to his father, who wished to see his son in the service of the archiepiscopal court at Salzburg.)

9th July :Mozart said of Cannabich "He is the best music director I have ever seen, and has the love and awe of all under him"

and...

I write this in the house of Madame d'Epinay and M. Grimm.....Herr Wendling left this last May. If I were to see Baron Bach, I must have very good eyes, for he is not here but in London.... Capellmeister Bach will also soon be here ; I believe he is writing an opera. The French are, and always will be, downright donkeys ...I talked to Piccini at the Concert Spirituel.... Otherwise I do not seek much acquaintance, either with him or any of the other composers ; they understand their work and I mine, and that is enough. I already wrote to you of the extraordinary success my symphony had in the Concert Spirituel.

and...

. "If only this damned French language were not so ill adapted to music! It is abominable; German is divine in comparison. And then the singers!--men and women--they are unmentionable. They do not sing; they shriek, they howl with all their might, through throat, nose and gullet." ( Mozart giving up hope of writing a French opera.)

Early July: The War of the Bavarian Succession starts.

1778 July 10 - In support of the American Revolution, Louis XVI declared war on England.

Conrad Alexandre Gérard de Rayneval, one of the secretaries of Count de Vergennes, foreign minister under Louis XVI, arranged and signed the treaty between France and the United States in 1778. He was the first French minister accredited to the United States, reaching Philadelphia early in July of 1778 . He remained in the American colonies until September, 1779, when he was succeeded by the Chevalier de la Luzerne (aka Marquis de Chastellux.)

July 31, 1778-October 15th .Mozart advises his father on the death of his mother and...
"I assure you that if I get a commission to compose an opera I shall not be frightened. True the (French) language is of the devil's own making, and I fully appreciate all the difficulties that composers have encountered; but I feel myself as capable of overcoming them as any other composer. Au contraire when I convince myself that all is well with my opera, I feel as if my body were afire--my hands and feet tremble with desire to make the Frenchman value and fear the German. Why is no Frenchman ever commissioned to write a grand opera? Why must it always be a foreigner? In my case the most unendurable thing would be the singers. Well, I'm ready. I shall begin no dickerings, but if I am challenged I shall know how to defend myself. But I should prefer to get along without a duel; I do not like to fight with dwarfs."
And
"The Duke de Guines was utterly without a sense of honor and thought that here was a young fellow, and a stupid German to boot,--as all Frenchmen think of the Germans,--he'll be glad to take it. But the stupid German was not glad and refused to take the money. For two lessons he wanted to pay me the fee of one."

July Grimm writes (Correspondance Litteraire) on Ben.Franklin and “Ballons ”

11th Aug: Grimm, Friedrich Melchior Autograph letter signed to Jean Louis Wagniere; Paris,

15th Aug: D'Alembert writes to Frédéric, “le colonel Grimm, allemande” may advise Frederic on foreign languages.

27th Aug Mozart to his father from Saint Germain (in greater Paris) : His opinion on Grimm changes as....
"Johann Christian Bach has been here (Paris) for a fortnight. He is to write a French opera, and is come only to hear the singers, whereupon he will go to London, write the opera, and come back to put it on the stage. You can easily imagine his delight and mine when we met again. Perhaps his delight was not altogether sincere, but one must admit that he is an honorable man and does justice to all. I love him, as you know, with all my heart, and respect him; as for him, one thing is certain, that to my face and to others, he really praised me, not extravagantly, like some, but seriously and in earnest."

1st Sept: Empress Catherine to Grimm on decoration matters.

11th Sept: Mozart writes to his father from Paris. He has made a name for himself with his two symphonies, the second one having been performed only three days before

and...

"The most of the symphonies are not to the local taste. If I find time I shall revise a few violin concertos,--shorten them,-- for our taste in Germany is for long things; as a matter of fact, short and good is better."

26th Sept Mozart leaves Paris for Mannheim and Munich. Aloysia, now a successful singer, no longer wishes to see him.

3rd Oct: Mozart writes his father from Nancy he would be bringing home little music, that “LeGros purchased two Overtures by him and that Grimm had deceived him.

15th Oct Mozart Strassburg: "The greatest favor that Herr Grimm showed me was to lend me 15 Louis d'Or in driblets at the (life and) death of my blessed mother. Is he fearful that the loan will not be returned? If so he truly deserves a kick--for he shows distrust of my honesty (the only thing that can throw me into a rage), and also of my talent....In a word he belongs to the Italian party, is deceitful and is seeking to oppress me."
"On my honor, I can't help it; it's the kind of man I am. Lately when he spoke to me rudely, foolishly and stupidly, I did not dare to say to him that he need not worry about the 15 Louis d'Or for fear that I might offend him “All that I owe to Grimm is 15 louis d’or”

The Neapolitan Gazzetta universale of 10 November 1778 reported on the premiere in the Teatro San Carlo of L'Olimpiade by Myslivecek, "named Il Boemo.

A masoninc meeting in Lyon (Nov-Dec) declares the supremacy of the “Orthodox Scottish Rite” (Strict Observance) with the 7th degree (highest) for the chevalier-scientist

Mozart last 1778 letters: Complains that his sonatas are lost because of Grimm’s stupidity in pressing forward his departure from Paris.
3rd Dec from Mannheim: "Ah, if we too had clarinets! You can't conceive what a wonderful effect a symphony with flutes, oboes and clarinets makes. At the first audience with the Archbishop I shall have much to tell him, and, probably, a few suggestions to make. Alas! our music might be much better and more beautiful if only the Archbishop were willing." (Mozart on his return to Salzburg where he had received an appointment in the Archiepiscopal chapel.)

Part 3, 1779.

Grimm (who, according to Rousseau’s Confessions, had a harpsichord-Gluck's favorite instrument-on which they both enjoyed themselves for hours) praises Grétry for excelling in adapting the italien melody to the character of “our language” (French).

The King’s treasurer (procureur) at Versailles, Pierre Michel Hennin, is enobled .

January 1, 1779: Napoleon and Joseph go to the college d'Autun.

Mozart finally reached home on 15 January 1779

4th April 1779 Catherine wrote to her agent in Paris, Baron Friedrich Melchior von Grimm, that the Walpole pictures had finally arrived

12th April The secret Convention of Aranjuez of 12 April 1779.

13th May: Convention franco-impériale de Teschen.

15th May, Napoleon enters the Brienne military school.

17th May Grimm writes that at the theatre feast of “la reine de Lanturelus” (daughter of Mme Geoffrin) in Paris, both Grimm and Strogonoff took part.

18th May Gluck’s Iphigenie en Tauride, first, in Paris.

Before June: From Brillon, Mme., to Benjamin Franklin:
Count Stroganoff has invited her and some friends to go to Sèvres to see a porcelain service made for the Empress of Russia. Asks Franklin if he wishes to go with them.

June: The Scottish Orthodox philosophical rite purchases their headquarters in Paris, Rue Coqueron, next to the Louvre.

16th Aug:A major assembly took place at the Noeuf soeurs. Nicolas Bricaire de la Dixmairie was elected orator of the lodge. (Paul Jones was initiated in same month).

21st September 1779, Gluck’s Echo et Narcisse staged in Paris The libretto was written by Louis Theodor von Tschudi See http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Tschudi.
(On same date Ferdinando Galiani writes to Jean d’Alembert from Napoli)

Gluck's career as an artist had already closed, and all that was left was for the magnificent physical strength of the man to die slowly out. Since October, 1779, when he left Paris for the last time, he
had taken up his residence at Vienna, in the Alte Wieden, opposite the Paulaner-kirche. Here he lived a life of quiet artistic pleasure,

4th Nov: La Luzerne presents his credentials to US congress and is officially received two weeks later.( U.S. Department of State By Elmer Plischke)

30th Nov: Gluck retires to Vienna and writes about annoyances during Narcisse’s performance in Paris leading him to quit. (http://www.archive.org/stream/letter...luoft_djvu.txt
(Note: already labelled as “fake” by yourstruly, the rest of his letters, to La Harpe and others, including one by Marie Antoinette, have been excluded from my mastertimeline. )

Raynal’s Histoire de philosophie was forbidden in 1779; the book was burned by the public executioner, and orders were issued for his arrest. Raynal escaped to Berlin hosted by Frederick the Great.

14th Dec: J.C.Christian Bach's "Amadis des Gaules" premiers at the Grand Opéra in Paris.

For further interpretation of Eric (reconfirming his true identity) see : http://www.online-literature.com/for...063#post837063

Quote:

You are quite right: Danemark capitulated to Britain after the second bombardment (first against civilians) of Copenhagen of 1807* and not after Nelson's of 1801.

Which absolves “villain Mozart” (assuming he is Nissen, Danish consul in Tripoli who served until 1807 there) from eventual cooperation with Britain and confirms my previously expressed view that Mozart was “manufactured” , with "Gluck's" consent (and now iniative as well),to “hide” Cocchi's (+"Gluck's") work and identity ("Gluck", ie Gioachino Cocchi, served as French war minister by the title "comte de Saint Germain", 1777-8), and that Mozart (as both "Mozart,+1791" and "Nissen,+1826") cooperated in the process.

The same conclusion is actually reached through a more carefull study of Leroux’s 1910 Le Fantôme de l'Opéra (as I did yesterday, after googling for “Mozart alias" to be then guided again to the phantom: http://www.online-literature.com/leroux/)

Here is how, quoting from XII. Apollo's Lyre:

I am not an Angel, nor a genius, nor a ghost...I am Erik!'"

…a sofa in a simply furnished little bedroom, with an ordinary mahogany bedstead, lit by a lamp standing on the marble top of an old Louis-Philippe chest of drawers (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis-Philippe_of_France strongly linking Louis Philippe, son of Louis d'Orlean (+1793), to “Gluck” and his family's history, and interpret then the symbolism: “lamp” on top of “chest of drawers”)

Erik said that he loved me, but that he would never tell me so except when I allowed him and that the rest of the time would be devoted to music. (Eric declaring he can now only communicate his love through music)

The walls were all hung with black, but, instead of the white trimmings that usually set off that funereal upholstery, there was an enormous stave of music with the notes of the dies irae, many times repeated.
(The symbolism here could not have been more clear: Why would Eric “hang” on the”darkness surrounding him”, ie curtains, his enormous stave of music, covered moreover by the notes of another man’s prayer???: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Requiem_(Mozart): A much debated "last piece", speaking for itself.Before jumping to conclusions however: France turned "reform Roman Catholic" AFTER Napoleon, ie it's Leroux's prayer for "G", not "G's" own. Very revealing neverthless. )

Then I saw the keyboard of an organ which filled one whole side of the walls. On the desk was a music-book covered with red notes. I asked leave to look at it and read, `Don Juan Triumphant.' `Yes,' he said, `I compose sometimes.' I began that work twenty years ago.
(1761: Christoph Willibald Gluck's and Gasparo Angiolini's ballet Don Juan
1787: Giovanni Bertati's opera Don Giovanni, music by Giuseppe Gazzaniga
1787: Lorenzo da Ponte's opera Don Giovanni, music by Mozart.
Leroux is telling his readers that “G” was forced to go “underground” as a musician because of his involvement in USA as “Chastellux”, 1781-1783 and, afterthat, Mozart "took over" .)

When I have finished, I shall take it away with me in that coffin and never wake up again.' `You must work at it as seldom as you can,' I said. He replied, `I sometimes work at it for fourteen days and nights together, during which I live on music only, and then I rest for years at a time.' `Will you play me something out of your Don Juan Triumphant?' I asked, thinking to please him. `You must never ask me that,' he said, in a gloomy voice. `I will play you Mozart, if you like, which will only make you weep; but my Don Juan, Christine, burns; and yet he is not struck by fire from Heaven.' Thereupon we returned to the drawing-room. I noticed that there was no mirror in the whole apartment. I was going to remark upon this, but Erik had already sat down to the piano. He said, `You see, Christine, there is some music that is so terrible that it consumes all those who approach it. Fortunately, you have not come to that music yet, for you would lose all your pretty coloring and nobody would know you when you returned to Paris. Let us sing something from the Opera, Christine Daae.' He spoke these last words as though he were flinging an insult at me."
We at once began the duet in Othello and already the catastrophe was upon us. I sang Desdemona with a despair, a terror which I had never displayed before. As for him, his voice thundered forth his revengeful soul at every note. Love, jealousy, hatred, burst out around us in harrowing cries. Erik's black mask made me think of the natural mask of the Moor of Venice. He was Othello himself. Suddenly, I felt a need to see beneath the mask. I wanted to know the face of the voice, and, with a movement which I was utterly unable to control, swiftly my fingers tore away the mask. Oh, horror, horror, horror!"

Notice the organ changing to piano, as above, and link the inflammatory power of Don Juan to opera in general and the Paris Opera in particular (the “barrels-barrels” of gunpowder in another part of Leroux’s work). There are more symbolisms allover (and have not even bothered studying the Othello-Desdemona story yet).

Gaston Leroux in fact confirms by his work another alias used by "G", ie "Bricaire de La Dixmerie" (ie "bricklayer of the tenth part"), orator of the Lodge Les Philalethes, already revealed by yourstruly elsewhere herein, as follows: Erik, tired of his nomadic life and wanting "live like everybody else", says that "for a time" he worked as a contractor, building "ordinary houses with ordinary bricks" to participate then in constructing the Palais Garnier, ie the Paris Opéra. LaDixmerie actually build with ordinary bricks but the "houses" he designed and constructed were not "ordinary" by nomeans, ie Leroux tactfully is not telling us the whole truth (and I follow in agreement).

Mozart first, and then Leroux and others, undertook to "immortalize" "Gluck's" music AND keep his identity secret (the phantom "remaining alive", ie "G's" secret hidden, as long as "Don Juan triumphant" is "unfinished" ie "not signed" by his creator)

There is more to follow on “Nissen”-Mozart, the task seeming superfluous however.

*The bombardment of Copenhagen came immediately after the treaty of Tilsit where Russia (Tszar Alexander I) promised eternal alliance with France and war against England.

With "Giacomo Casanova" only recently included in the endless list of Gioachino Cocchi's aliases, the question 'who was the real composer of Mozart's "Don Giovanni"?' has just been answered!

http://www.online-literature.com/for...=46636&page=31

Could it be that Leroux has used Eric as a personal alias? It seemed to me that with so many persnal references, Leroux could have been writing about a passionate love affair that went horribly wrong. It would explain why he knew the phantom so well. the only thing i dont understand at all is why the book is narrated from Raul's perspective. it would have made so much more to have it be through Christine's eyes.