Massimilla Doni

Massimilla Doni is a Nouvelle of Honore de Balzac whose first chapter was published in 1837 in the philosophical Études of the human Comedy with Gambara , Proscribed the and Séraphîta . Chapter III of this same text appeared in 1839 in literature, in musical France, under the title a representation of the Mosè in Egitto of Rossini to Venice, with a preamble underlining the role that Stendhal had played to make known the Rossini musician in France.

George Sand, to which Balzac spoke with passion about the Mosè about Rossini, advised with the writer to lay down his history on paper. Balzac wrote at once with Maurice Schlesinger, which had placed to him order of a news for the Revue and musical gazette of Paris , to require a little additional time of him because it continued two ideas on several opera S: Robert the Devil of Giacomo Meyerbeer on the one hand and the Mosè in Egitto and the Barber of Seville of Rossini on the other hand, who gave place to two very elaborate news: Gambara and Massimilla Doni .

Massimilla Doni is a true anthem of love to the music of Rossini, but also at the town of Venice, with the art of living of the Italians, the elegant simplicity of the Italian aristocrats who not will show themselves to the opera, but to listen and vibrate with the music. In each cabin of Fenice, the great ladies receive without ceremony, express their feelings with spontaneousness, pour tears of emotion. On their side, the men enthusiast of music go to the Café Florian, to peel, after the spectacle and during all the night if it is needed, each moment of the spectacle, each musical sentence, each note. A French, who is in the cabin of Massimilla Doni, duchess of Caetano, receives from it, without any claim and in all friendship, a true course of Lyric art.

Two years were necessary to Honore de Balzac to improve this short, but very important text for the human Comedy .

Topic

Emilio Memmi, recently made prince de Varèse, and heir to a palate, is hopelessly in love with delicious Massimila Doni, woman of the duke of Caetano, discharged old man who supports a professional singer: Clara Tinti. He is liked of the Massimilla duchess, but their love remains platonic and all in delicacy. By a terrible misunderstanding, Emilio is found in the presence of Tinti in its palate. And then which had had only pure relationship with its great Massimila love, it falls under the charm from the pleasure offered by Tinti, that of which it has shame. But Massimilla Doni is in company of the French doctor whom it initiated with the mysteries of the music and which will help, in return, Emilio to accept the idea that carnal love and pure love mix admirably.

In truth, the history of love is used as discussion thread with a text exclusively centered on the music and the lyric art, the description of the world of the music lovers, the atmosphere of Venice and the portrait of a very great lady: Massimilla.

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