My Good, Beloved Teacher,
I am coming, yes! I am coming shortly to Copenhagen. I hardly dare to
think of the joy of seeing you again, my good M. Bourn: and my friends.
A great happiness has befallen me, the Crown Prince has been gracious and
given me an allowance for traveling, hark, he is very interested in me.
I can stay with you for four months, how quickly that period will pass.
I have heard that your son will be going away, that is sad; but I hope
that you will be kind enough to let me work for you in the meantime, you
will see that I have not forgotten your good principles. I yearn so much
for the day when I once more will be standing in front of you enjoying
your wonderful classes. As I know your good, noble heart, I do not think
that you will reject what I so dearly wish. May God protect you, may you
retain your health, so that we joyously and happily will meet again. I
have heard that Hoppe is gone now, how lucky he is to see the world, and
to make such a long journey; but however I consider myself just as fortunate
because I will meet you and my friends who so sweetened my stay in your
gay and beautiful capital. The joy which awaits me is great; but the pain
of parting from you will be greater, because maybe it is the last time
I will see you. However, I do not want to darken my mind with such a sad
thought, but live happily and joyously in the hope that I soon will be
embraced by you and the people who extended so much goodness to me. Farewell,
good M. Bournonville, let me live happy in the belief that I always
will retain a room in your good heart.
Yours in life and death, grateful and devoted eleve
P: C: Johansson
15th inst. I am proposing to leave Stockholm.
P:S: Please convey my sincerest regards to the Family - if M. Bournonville
already would have gone to Landskrona when this letter arrives, please
be so good and send my letter to him.
Back
The Directorate of His Royal Majesty's Court Orchestra and Spectacles has concorded with Mr. Pehr Christian Johansson the terms of his engagement at the Royal Theater in his capacity of Premier Danseur, upon the following conditions:
Mr. Johansson pledges himself to appear in all the Dance- Drama- Pantomime- and Mute roles, which the Royal Directorate may enjoin, also to partake in all the rehearsals which are called.
The current Gracious Reglementation of His Royal Majesty for His Court Orchestra and Spectacles pledges Mr. Johansson to at all times obey and comply with, likewise, those rules which are issued by the Royal Directorate or, on its behalf, by the Ballet Master.
For all duty at the Royal Theater Mr. Johansson provides himself with general civilian clothing which is not any particular type of period or character costume, white trousers, all kinds of general stockings, general sword-belt, general shoes for military and civil garb, all kinds of neckwear, cloaks, ruffles, cuffs, loose collars, tie-pins, ribbons, handkerchiefs and buckles, customary gloves and round modern hats, wool for beards, sideburns, and mustaches, and all that is needed for the make up of the face; a dresser and a valet, laundry and cleaning of own clothing apparel, considering the special requirements of each role and in such a manner that the Royal Directorate will approve, regarding additional items required for the execution of each role and not mentioned above, will be paid and cared for by the Directorate.
As an annual salary Mr. Johansson will receive during the first year five hundred RB and one hundred RB as clothing money or together Six Hundred Thaler; the second year an increase in salary of One Hundred Thaler; and the third year an increase in salary of further One Hundred Thaler, so that the added benefits will amount to Eight Hundred Thaler Banco, in addition, if Mr. Johansson will be entrusted with any acting part, he will receive a fee in accordance with the Actors Status.
Mr. Johansson will contribute towards the Pension Fund of the Royal Theater, the fixed sums according to the Rules, towards the future enjoyment of pension, as described in the pension scheme and subject to the assets of the Fund.
This Contract commences 1st July 1837 and runs for Three years or until 1st July 1840. If notice is not given by either party Three months before the end of the Season, it is assumed that it will remain the same, upon which One further year is prolonged.
Stockholm 16th June 1837.
Illegible signature.
A. Backman
O. Wåhlberg
Hereby I declare myself satisfied
P:C: Johansson
BackCanceled
31st March 1841. P:C: Johansson
Monsieur Bournonville, my good teacher,
I am hurrying to inform you that I, through the good
auspices of H.H. the Crown Prince, will have the joy of meeting you again
this summer, my benefactor and those friends whom I have missed so much.
I was not informed until three days ago, and thus have not been able to
tell you
earlier. I hope that you, who surely still feel the same benelovence
towards me, yet once more
will allow me to work in your school. All the effort you spent on me,
and all the work you in-
vested in me, can never be repaid in money; but if you, during those
months that I will remain in
Copenhagen would be so good as to give me classes, I would want to
make good by giving you
whatever you would demand for your troubles. If you can, please forget
the ungratefulness that the directors of the Swedish Theaters have shown
you, and do not let me suffer for what they
have done. You will never have any reason to complain about me. My
future wellbeing depends upon you, you have already laid the foundation
to perhaps a budding talent , and should you take your hand away from me,
to whom would I then turn. Be noble, please receive me in your school,
do not deny the joy which each noble deed carries and remain the same
one as you have always
been.
I will thank you so much for the greetings you sent with the notary
Weser, with sorrow I realized that you are going to travel over Landskrona;
it will be a disappointment for me; but I still rejoice
in the fact that I during your absence will be able to work with your
father, who, I hope, will give classes on your behalf. - My
contract is still not ready, just once I went to see the Board of Directors.
I am being offered 500 banco, and I want 700, or as much as Silfverberg
gets, I believe that I have as much talent as he has and last winter I
was on duty more than he was. When I asked the Directors if they were not
of the opinion that I deserved as much as he got, the answer was: yes,
much, much more, but our means are so small, likewise I am convinced that
I will get what I ask for. I made a request to the Direction, that in my
contract be given the right to myself
choreograph my pas detache´; but on that point they completely
refused, while Mr. Selinder as
BALLET MASTER will show his skill in choreography. If this is not granted
me, I will not possibly sign any contract before H.H. the Crown Prince
returns, on whose protection I am relying. If you could imagine in what
ways Mr. Selinder choreographs his dances, you would surely agree that
I would never dance what he puts together; because then I would lose all
the esteem of the audience, and my abilities would be lost. Last winter
the audience showed Mr. Selinder so much coldness, especially those evenings
when we both were dancing, so he would want, in order not to be totally
eclipsed, stir together some kind of sallad, with which he heralds the
audience, and in which I can not show what I am able to do. This is now
the only remaining means for him to harm me. Thus you see, my good M. Bournonville,
that the right to choreograph my own dances is more important to me than
the money. Every sensible person and particularly those who know the art
of dancing, would find it impossible for him, who does not know my
schooling, my means and who has never seen me work, to choreograph
for me; that would be to completely bind my feet, to demean my worth in
the eyes of the audience and to rob me of their
support, but I hope that Mr. Selinder will not have that triumph. Yet,
he is always very well behaved towards me - mais, l`habit ne fait pas le
moine. Since the company here has seen the progress I have made during
your good tuition, it is like an epidemic has struck them, now everybody
wants to go to Copenhagen: probably they think that they will be able to
buy talent by the pound; because I hardly believe that they are willing
to endeavour the strain which is necessary to reach it. I have heard that
the Direction intend to send an eleve (Charlotta Lindmark) to you, she
will soon be 19 and during two years she has not had any tuition, that
is the same pupil as Mr. Sel. snatched from Mr. Wallquist who showed her
so much concern, thanks to that she does not even greet him. If you would
receive her, I can assure you that you will have problems, where to start
or to finish, I do not know. That is the injustice of the Direction: they
do anything for her, because Mr. Selin.protects her, whereas I never had
anything and maybe would have died of hunger, if not good people had come
to my aid.
The 15th inst. I intend to leave Stockholm. I dare to hope that you
will not take it amiss if I,
without waiting for your answer, travel; because I know that a missive
from you would not reach here within that time. I have so much confidence
in you, thus I dare to hope, that you with the same fatherliness, as the
last time, will receive me.
I remain, your ever grateful and devoted eleve,
P.C. Johansson
P.S. Please convey my sincerest regards to your family. Back
My beloved Teacher!
With gratitude and joy I am taking up my pen to wish you a happy New Year with all my heart. May it become a joyous one for you, may the Almighty always retain you in good health, may He fulfill all your wishes, yes, may He make you as happy as both you and I desire and always encompass me in your benevolence.
New Years Day on the night to the second of January I arrived safe and sound in Stockholm. It was very cold during the journey ; but as I was well dressed and lived well, I did not feel the cold so much. We did not pass a single inn in a single town, without them having dished up great big hams and all other kinds of Christmas fare for us to devour. The same day I left Copenhagen there was a horrible wind and snowstorm. No Paquet could leave Elsinore, it was too stormy so that it was quite impossible to get out to Elsinore customs shed. On Christmas Eve the storm abated a bit, and I was happy to be able to cross - if I had not been able to cross the Strait on Christmas Eve then I would not have arrived in Stockholm until the 5th of January.
The day after my arrival I went up to the Board of Directors which received me very politely. I immediately told the President that I wanted to mount " Soldier and Peasant" and to make my debut in it - whereupon he answered that it would not be possible immediately ; as there is a new ballet to be given and it is being rehearsed every day, and, he told me, I think it is just about the same thing if you appeared in a Pas first but then I let him understand that it was my greatest wish and I hoped that he would have nothing against it; so then he promised that as soon as the ballet was given I would be able to start.
The so called ballet "Bachan and the Slave Girl" composed by
Selinder was given last week; it is a real sallade and everything in it
is oldish new. It was no success at all, it was applauded very little.
The subject is, there is a slave trader who amongst his slaves has two
young Greeks, who are Selinder and Mlle. Daguin. Bachan, delighted by the
dance of the Greek girl, (in truth, anybody would be delighted) buys her
- she does not want to follow Bachan, but a guardian angel who follows
them everywhere, appears in that instant and makes her understand that
she without fear can follow the young Greek who sneaks into her litter
and pursues her - this is the entire action of the first act - in any case
the entire act consists of dancing, there is a juggler (thus he is
called in the programme, he ought to be called Dervich, as there are no
jongleurs in Turkey) who enters with a chest from which he removes a whole
heap of corps de ballet representing dolls, one Tyrolean with lady, one
Englishman with lady, one Cossack with lady, one Swedish peasant with lady
who dance a Swedish rural dance, Kelpie's dance, a Spaniard with lady etc.
etc. - all of these dance for Bachan, then they are again stuffed into
the chest - in the second act Bachans favourite sultaness becomes jealous
of the attention Bachan shows the Greek girl. Even in this act Bachan takes
delight in her dancing and gives her a handkerchief, with the assurance
that she will henceforth share his throne and heart. Zulima (the favourite
sultaness) is desperate to find herself deserted by Bachan, grabs
her dagger and wants to murder the Greek girl; but is stopped by the Greek
who emerges out of an urn. Zulima calls for Bachan and insists that the
Greek girl has tried to kill her, Bachan at first does not believe her;
but finally he is convinced and immediately imprisons the Greeks and condemns
them to suffer a cruel death, there is a change of scene and one sees a
burning pyre, all the Turks and Bachan etc. enter in a funeral march with
the Greeks, after these have prayed for a short while they bravely run
up to the pyre. At this instant the backcloth opens up and clouds, lit
by Bengal fires, rise up with groups of angels.
At the same time emanates a cloud from the very pyre, in which the
two lovers can be seen with their guardian angel. The Turks show great
consternation at such a marvel and fall to their knees with their faces
to the ground. A general tableau ends the ballet - this act consists mostly
of dancing, several pas are executed against a large mirror, actually made
of gauze - and a dance of weaponry is executed by amazons - the slave girls
have changed costume. It has been given three times and should now rest
a little, especially as there is another piece these days, "Love and revenge"
in which a ballet master Springer plays monkey, it has had great success,
he has taken curtain calls on both occasions, it will be performed
tonight and tomorrow.
Yesterday I started rehearsing Soldier and peasant with corps de ballet, it is a bit tedious, they learn so dreadfully slowly, but I shall somehow get it into them - even today I have rehearsed and they know almost all the dancing. Mlle. Daguin plays Lise, Mlle. Fägerstedt my sister, Mlle. Born (corps de ballet) the mother. Pettersson plays Martins farm hand and one of the actors plays the father, it is not yet decided who - one of my friends, a Court Physician will write the program, he has given Martins wife the name of Cateau? and the farm hand is called Blaise, and on his and the advice of several others the ballet will be called "The Homecoming", it is so suitable. On Monday 22nd inst. I think it will surely be performed, it will be a very fine spectacle.
It is decided that the operetta Marie which is very beautiful, will
be given first. I cannot see any reason to oppose this, because I
will be ready. Next Saturday I might pay the Crown Prince a visit and give
him my respects and at the same time hand him the program of the ballet.
Mlle. Daguin, M. Selinder and all in the corps show me much kindness and
courtesy, naturally I treat them the same way.
I have many greetings from Doctor Pettersons for
M. Bournon and the family, they will probably write soon. My sincerest
wishes to your Father and the Family.
Live well, my benefactor!
Your for ever grateful and devoted eleve,
P.C. Johansson.
As soon as I have made my debut I will write - I hope it will go well.
Back
Stockholm 2nd February 1838
My good teacher!
With joy I can now let you know that my ballet has been performed and that it went well and been generally appreciated. Since Selinder's ballet was given thrice, I was allowed to start with mine, in eight days I got it ready, twice we rehearsed it in the theater and 22 January it was performed for the first time. As a prelude a very long tragedy called "Hernani" was performed so I did not get on the stage until a quarter to eleven. First it was decided that it would be the operetta "Marie"; but because of illness there was a change, yet the audience was not too sleepy and received me very politely, and my Pas de trois was very much applauded and towards the end there was general acclaim. Everything about the performance was very properly and well arranged, decor, costumes and all. Mr. Bournonville, you should know that here the costumes are very important, here reigns absolute luxury supreme in this respect. I got an absolutely new uniform, with a very good fit, my jacket was similar to yours, Mr. Bournonville, but I had a red ostrich feather which was hanging down and swaying in stead of the little erect feather that you wore. The entire ballet has gone very well, an actor by the name of Wenbom acted The Father, everybody have done their things well and there was life in the whole thing. Many within the theater have given me compliments, count Oxenstjerna, baron Ruuth etc. were very, very pleased. The ballet has been performed the grand total of four times, that is 22, 24, 29 and 31 January. Not a single one in the corps de ballet has been applauded except me, neither Silfverberg, nor demoiselles Daguin and Fägerstedt got a handclap for their dancing, though Silfverberg really deserved it; but the audience here is so terribly cold towards them, Selinder and Mlle. Daguin danced in "Bachan and the slavegirl", for example a pas de deux for which they got a couple of handclaps, but none of their solos were applauded. The second time my ballet was performed, my solos in the pas de trois were even more applauded than the first time, they have always gone well and my 2 tour en l'air have always been precise. Yes, how lucky I was to have you, Mr. Bournonville as my teacher and benefactor. God only knows what had become of me, I would probably have been in the same position as the others; but thank God, I am elevated over them, I have scored victories, they can not harm me any more. And for this I can only thank you, my good teacher, therefore never doubt my gratitude, Mr. Bour. I will NEVER forget you and the way you taught me and I will always seek to be worthy of your friendship.
I will not nearly dance as often this winter as I did in Copenhagen, the only ballets which will be performed here will be "La Dansomanie" "La Somnambula" and sometimes "The Homecoming", furthermore I will dance some entr'actes. Here is enclosed a review of the ballet which some friends of Selinder had published, on the whole there is nothing bad, neither anything good, it says that "The Homecoming" can not be compared with the best work of Selinder. It is so stupid, it would be pleasant to know which ballets are the best of Selinder; he has simply stirred together "Bachan", that one who has written this can probably not see the difference between ballet and divertissement.
I have spoken to Mr. Swartz who is in charge of all the music concerning "Clary", he says that I can have the whole score copied, if you would wish so, and in case you would like to compose something to this music, we will save ourselves the trouble of having it done in Copenhagen. Mr. Wallquist sends his regards, he has been sick and is still not quite well, therefore he has not answered your letter, but soon he is going to write to you.
Good bye, my good teacher, live well!
Your devoted eleve, forever,
Johansson
My fondest regards to your father and the whole family.
On the front page you can see the south side of the Royal Palace with
the Castle Hill, and the Royal church to the left.
We are having a very severe winter, very good surface for sleighriding
- yesterday we had 25 degrees below zero. Back
M. Bournonville, my beloved teacher.
With the most sincere joy I have received your letter and
thank you for your friendship. Oh, how dear it is to me. I have read it
through many times, and every time my grateful heart has flown to you,
and I have once more sensed your presence. It is very flattering for me
to have secured you friendship; it makes me so happy and how highly I value
it! When I recalled in my memory, when I as a pupil and unknown, came to
you, without being able to have any claims to your goodness, and how you
with the tenderest consideration received me and laid the foundation to
my future happiness, I find what an excellent heart you must have to be
able to act so nobly, then I am deeply touched, and admire you more as
a good human being than as the excellent artist. You say, that you are
honoured by my friendship - this word I will never forget- it will give
me power to double my efforts on the path of art and through a clean and
honest mode of life always deserving of your esteem.
Do not think that my expressions are constructed - my
vocabulary is too poor for my being able to express what my heart
feels, how much I owe to you and how great is my gratitude. Forgive
me, dear M. Bournonville that I have not written before, but I have been
so busy and have had so much trouble in getting the belongings of mother
from the place where she lived, finding my brother a position, and I have
myself moved from Queen Street and now I am living very well at Regency
Street.
I see from your letter that the repertoire has been augmented with two new works by yourself which have had great success, some Swedish military people who have just returned from Copenhagen have seen "The sacrifice of Hertha" and they were quite delighted. I am absolutely astounded that you mounted the said work in four days, in truth one must admire you - even I have heard that the ballets are doing well: it is like that here too, if it goes on we will have succeeded. The darling opera of the audience "Der Freischutz" has once more been revived on the stage in a slightly renewed staging. Mlle Jenny Lind, one of the pupils with remarkably musical talent, and with a naive and lively acting which has singled her out from childhood, appeared as Agatha. The way, in which she performed this rather difficult role was probably the most interesting surprise which the Royal Theatre has had to offer the audience lately. As she has previously only appeared in very insignificant parts, the audience has never had the opportunity to acquaint themselves with her talent, therefore it was even more surprising for the public that, before they had any inkling, to watch her perform as, one could almost say a fully trained singer. She really made furore. Her highest note have peculiar strength and resonance. The excellent virtues of her singing are to a very high degree pure intonation, and an unusual mastery of voice, so that she from the fullest and strongest forte is able in a moment to descend to a whispering piano. It is being said here that no one has ever heard any singer in such a perfect voice.
Her performance is simple and free of mannerisms, but full of feeling and verve, it electrifies and delights. Jenny has the great advantage of being at the same time both singer and actress. She is full of enthusiasm for her art, with the pure devotion she possesses, and with her seriousness in the endeavour to fulfill the expectations of the general public , she will go very far. She is seventeen years of age, not beautiful, but she has something gentle and sincere in her demeanour and looks good on stage. A young man in his twenties appeared in the role of Max and had success, he will probably be a great singer in time.
Now the ape has gone away, that is to say Herr Springer who has mounted a spectacle here called "Love and Revenge" or "The American Ape", he has performed his spectacle here 26 times and on most occasions to packed houses.
This winter he has filled the theaters' poor box office and also filled his own empty purse, every time he has received 100 banco and three times a benefit. This spectacle has really been for all the nurseries of Stockholm, for maids and grooms and not for a discerning public. The board of directors have been panned in all sorts of papers for mounting this piece which has greatly harmed good taste. Our stage director Lieut. Col. Backman has been ill for a long time and still is. Sometime ago he had a stroke and was quite unconscious, the doctors have given him up and everybody in the theater really wished for his death ; but, he rallied and thus did not die this time. The beginning of his illness was a cold, and a lot of bad press which he had to swallow, as he represents the dignity of the theater in the out of town cabarets etc., - but more about this another time. I will close now in order not to tire you too much. M. Wallquist asks me to convey his regards, and I beg you to forgive his silence. He is so sad and depressed - he has asked the King for a representation de retraite and he hopes soon to get his pension. When all this has been decided he will surely write to you. The friendship we have enjoyed nobody can destroy. Should I be able to forget him? No, we will forever remain devoted to each other. Farewell my god M. Bournonville, my sincerest and warmest regards to all the family. May God protect you! Your eternally grateful eleve and friend.
P.C. Johansson.
We have had four months incessant winter and during this period not one single clement day, the streets are covered in snow and ice, day before yesterday it snowed all day.
Note
We assume that the lieut. Col. Backman went to the "Blue Gate Inn",
which was one of the most famous and in those days the most notorious inn
in Stockholm, where perch was the culinary highlight. The fish in
question was cooked with parsley and seasoned with dill weed in a richly
buttered casserole with very little water, half a tablespoon for every
a pound of fish, specifies Hagdahl, the great Swedish culinary expert of
yesteryear.
Back