Hi! This is gonna sound weird, but I figured- it's not like I expected to find a Beaumarchais expert on tumblr in the first place, so I might just take this chance, right? I wanted to ask you if you knew anything about the relationship between Beaumarchais and Salieri when they were working on Tarare, or about any Beaumarchais biography that dedicates some space to that so I can document myself on my own. Weird topic, I know! So it's cool if you're like "idk ask someone else." Thanks in advance.
hi there! a good place to start would be the improbable patriot biography, which very briefly touches on the context of tarare and how beaumarchais first reached out to salieri. it’s one of the most easily accessible and comprehensive beaumarchais biographies out there, and the majority of the book is available for free here if the $26 price tag is out of reach for you. i also have a print copy of my own and would be happy to send you scans of the missing pages if you need them!
pierre beaumarchais and antonio salieri were first introduced to each other in a professional context when beaumarchais sought a composer for his libretto of tarare (later revived under the title le couronnement de tarare). after a brief period of correspondence, beaumarchais invited salieri to stay with him at his house in paris, where they worked together on composition for the opera. their relationship seemed to have a largely paternal dynamic; beaumarchais lavished favors and kindness on salieri, who in turn respected beaumarchais’ judgement and adapted the music to his every whim. the two remained in contact after the initial productions of tarare, with beaumarchais excitedly sharing the news of its later successes to salieri. even after beaumarchais’ death, salieri referred to him fondly. there was clearly a strong mutual respect between the two, which can best be seen in beaumarchais’ dedication of the tarare libretto to salieri:
“A monsieur Salieri. Mon ami, je vous dédie mon Ouvrage, parce qu'il est devenu le vôtre. Je n'avais fait que l'enfanter vous l'avez élevé jusqu'à la hauteur du Théâtre. Mon plus grand mérite en ceci, est d'avoir deviné l'Opéra de Tarare dans les Danaïdes et les Horaces, malgré la prévention qui nuisit à ce dernier, lequel est un fort bel Ouvrage, mais un peu sévère pour Paris. Vous m'avez aidé mon ami, à donner aux Français une idée de Spectacle des Grecs, tel que je l'ai toujours conçu: si notre Ouvrage à du succès, je vous le devrai presqu'entier ; et quand votre modestie vous fait dire par-tout, que vous n'êtes que mon Musicien, je m'honore moi d'être votre Poète, votre Serviteur et votre ami. Caron de Beaumarchais”
if you want the full translation of the dedication let me know, but the relevant bits to focus on here are: beaumarchais stating that salieri alone is responsible for raising tarare to “the heights of theater” (vous l'avez élevé jusqu'à la hauteur du théâtre), believing that he owes the work’s success to salieri entirely (si notre ouvrage à du succès, je vous le devrai presqu'entier), and finally saying that he is honored to be salieri’s poet, servant, and friend (je m'honore moi d'être votre poète, votre serviteur et votre ami). for a man as frequently vain and proud as beaumarchais, this is high praise indeed.
looking beyond the biography and tarare dedication, the sources we have looking into the salieri-beaumarchais collaboration are unfortunately fairly limited- but they are out there. some of beaumarchais’ correspondence with salieiri is documented, and while access to the letters is restricted i was able to find references to them in other papers and books, which i’ll link below:
chapter xxx of the book beaumarchais and his times: sketches of french society in the eighteenth century from unpublished documents, volume 4 (available for free via google books, and pdf transcription available here) has an extremely in-depth discussion of the writing, composing, production, and reception of tarare, and i think you will find the translated quote from salieri regarding his stay with beaumarchais in a letter to eugénie beaumarchais delarue on page 191 most helpful:
“I stayed with your celebrated papa [Pierre Beaumarchais] and your adorable mamma, who loaded me with favours and politeness; we two used to sit down in the afternoon at the piano, and play sonatas, arranged as duets. At two o'clock M. or Madame de Beaumarchais came into the room, and said to us, ‘Let us have dinner, my children;' we dined; I went out afterwards to take a walk, to read the papers in the Palais Boyal or to some theatre. I came in early. When M. de Beaumarchais was not at home, I went up to the second floor to my apartment; sometimes I put my servant, a drunken German, to bed; I slept in a room, whence, working as I did every day, I saw the dawn from my bed with a heavenly pleasure. Towards ten o'clock M. de Beaumarchais came into my room; I sang to him as much as I had composed of our grand opera; he applauded me, encouraged me, and gave me his instructions in quite a paternal manner. Everything seemed so tranquil...”
exoticism and politics: beaumarchais' and salieri's "le couronnement de tarare" (accessible via institutional login for university students or through a jstor subscription) analyzes the writing of tarare and its reception, while also touching on the more technical aspects of salieri’s composing work for beaumarchais.
staging the french revolution: cultural politics and the paris opera, 1789-1794 (available for free via google books) also analyzes the writing and reception of tarare, with some brief references to beaumarchais’ correspondence with salieri.
this one is more for fun, but a slightly relevant paper discussing a scandal between beaumarchais and guillaume kornman that occurred when salieri was staying with him, mesmerizing adultery: così fan tutte and the kornman scandal, offers some additional context and is available via institutional login.
to wrap up, here are some slightly less academic sources that seem reliable but should still be taken with a grain of salt:
this page on russian poet alexander pushkin quotes one of his poems, “mozart and salieri,” where salieri’s character talks to mozart about his friendship with beaumarchais and mentions some advice he received from him.
this site has a biography of salieri that includes a brief section on his collaboration with beaumarchais.
i hope this was helpful for you! if you have any other further questions don’t hesitate to reach out.
