Charpentier, Gustave, French composer (1860-1956). 2 autograph (picture) postcards signed.

€ 300.00

The earlier postcard from Cannes to the singer Marie Rueff with a short message directly underneath, apologizing for not being able to attend an audition: "Un peu loin ! pour l'audition. Excusez-moi".

The second postcard to a M. Chatelin concerns Charpentier's charitable Conservatoire Populaire Mimi Pinson. Because the famous mime Georges Wague was still advertising the pantomime class despite a "limitation of students", Charpentier underlines that "all inscriptions will only be definite after the approval of the administration and of the professor", and gives further instructions.

Charpentier had founded the Conservatoire Populaire Mimi Pinson in 1902 to provide free artistic education to working girls in Paris. The name of the conservatory refers to the emblematic working-class character from Alfred Musset's 1845 poem "Mimi Pinson, profil de grisette". The poem inspired Henry Murger to create his like-named character in "Scènes de la Vie Bohème". Charpentier's greatest success "Louise", which premiered in 1900, is the story of working-class life in Paris, the heroine being a seamstress. Unable to repeat this success as a composer, Charpentier remained active as a music critic and concert promoter as well as with charitable work.

The postcard to Rueff with a tear and pinchfolds not affecting the text; the postcard to Chatelin partly smudged.