ROSSINI, GIOACHINO. REMARKABLE AUTOGRAPH LETTER OF INTRODUCTION FOR GEORGES BIZET TO PIETRO ROMANI

giving a glowing account of the talents of “Mr Bizzet”, who having won the Prix de Rome was travelling in Italy to take up residence, he mentions Bizet’s operetta and his prowess as a pianist, asks him to recommend him also to the Ronzi brothers and sending his warm wishes ...Mr Bizzet, Primo premio in Composizione del Imperial Conservatorio di Parigi sarà portatore de questa mia, egli viaggia per compire la sua Pratica educazione musicale, ha fatto ottimi studii, ha avuto buon successo con una operetta qui rapresentata, e buon Pianista ed è un eccellente soggetto meritante le mie e tue solleccitudini... 1 page, 8vo, integral address leaf “Al Sig P. Romani/Celebre Maestro di Musica/Firenze”, small printed ownership label on verso of first page, Paris, 15 December 1857

G. Mazzatinti, F. and G. Manis, Lettere di G. Rossini, 1902
Rossini Lettere, preface by Massimo Mila, Florence, 1985
Herbert Weinstock, Rossini: a Biography, London, 1968.

This is a Rossini discovery. Bizet had been a top pupil at the Paris Conservatoire, winning the Prix de Rome in 1857 with his operetta Le Docteur Miracle. He attracted the attention of the artistic world in Paris and had first encountered its most eminent musical resident at Offenbach’s home. The admiration between Rossini and Bizet was mutual. Bizet adored Rossini’s music and the composer himself, comparing him to Mozart. A similar letter apparently to Felice Romani is published in Mazzatinti and Manis, Weinstock (p.475) and Mila (no.232). The publications contain a version which appeared in French in the Journal des Débats (1890), translated back into Italian. The present letter, containing Rossini’s original Italian text to Pietro, not Felice Romani, differing substantially in expression, is unpublished. On the same date Rossini also wrote to Luigi Ronzi (Mila, no.231), also mentioned here, though without mentioning Bizet.