Letter (with Envelope) from M. Barnet to H. W. Henze, December 15, 1984
I am back in Europe
in‡ a long
tour of lectures through Germany and France.
Now in London I am working on a film about
cuban folklore and music. I serve as the
comentator‡ for the musical expressions. The
film is done by Michael Debb and I heard the
T.V. in Italy has already bought it, so
you might have a chance to see my
face sometime in‡ the colored box.*
In Cologne I met William Pearson; he
went to one of my readings in the
Public Library and we became acquainted.*
He is a strong and carismatic[sic]‡ man, but
at the same time elusive, because
he left at the end of the lecture and
I didn’t see him again. Anyway he
told me you were going to be in Cologne
on the 26 of Nov.
* but that was exactly
the day when I had to fly to Paris.
We are playing hich hiking‡. I
follow your steps but unfortunately
hardly even see you, brother.*
My trip back to Havana will be on the
1st of January. I will stay in Madrid
from the 24 to the 31 of December.
My phone there will be: 2502922, that
is the house of Mario Camus, the famous
spanish[sic]‡ film maker. In case I will not remain
in his house he will give you my telephone
number, anyhow. Tell me about you. ¿How
are you feeling with your new love life?
How is your health, how about your plans.*
We have to do something in the future.
I want to write that opera with you, on the
yombe[sic]‡
legends. I haven’t forgotten.* My book
of fables and legends is coming out in Germa-
ny by Dia Marandu in Dusseldorf.* I
will send you a copy of the book in german[sic]‡ as
(2.)
soon as the[sic]‡ publish it.
I finished LA VIDA REAL, my
new documentary novel about cuban[sic]‡ in the
New York turmoil of the 60’s.
It is a fascinating, and very dramatic
novel based on testimonies of the cubans[sic]‡
in exile. My friends say it is my
best. I don’t know, but I feel
it is the most crucial in my career.
––––––––
Private Saloon*
Rogelio is in Lybia[sic]‡.* Have you spoken
to him. He wanted to see you madly.
I don’t know anything about the two of
you, and I am anxious to here[sic]‡ something.
My telephone in Paris
from the 19 to the 24
of Dec. will be 6331382 or 6335347
a kiss to Fausto and all my love to you.
Miguelito
I will like to see you again,
maybe in 1985.
I ha‡ There is a possibility of
you could arrange it with my
friend Renato NicolliNi, Comuna‡
di
Roma
Piazza Campitelli
Roma
– 67103100
‡6796360
67103415
He will invite me to one of his grand shows
of poetry in 1985.* But I am sure I‡ you
speak to him the things will te‡ run
smoother and faster. Hope to see you
again very soon.
¿ How is that sweet and marvelous
demon of the sculpture and
the soul, my Japanese genius?
Give him a big hug,
Miguel
[Envelope, Manuscript]
Editorial
Responsibilities
- Editor(s)
- Elena Minetti
- Transcription
- Elena Minetti
Tradition
-
Text Source: Basel (Schweiz), Paul Sacher Stiftung (CH-Bps), Sammlung Hans Werner Henze, Abteilung: Korrespondenz
Shelf mark: Barnet, MiguelPhysical Description
- Document type: Letter
- graues, dickeres Briefpapier
- Faltung: 1mal längs
- 2 folios
- 4 written pages
- Dimensions: 210x148 [mm] (HxW)
- Beidseitig beschrieben; auf 2v sind die oberen beiden Absätze um ca. 1,5, der 3. um 0,5 und der letzte um 3,5cm eingerückt (bis zum umgekehrten Fragezeichen 2,8)
- Das “Dear Hans:” ist ein klein wenig höher als die normale Zeile notiert
Material
Extent
Layout
Writing styles
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1.Handwriting, Barnet, Miguel, ballpoint pen (blue).
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2.Handwriting, Barnet, Miguel, ballpoint pen (black).
Text Constitution
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"carismatic"sic
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"spanish"sic
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"yombe"sic
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"cuban"sic
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"german"sic
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"the"sic
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"cuban"sic
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"cubans"sic
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"here"sic
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" I ha"crossed out
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"… Cam pitelli Roma – 67103100"The following number is shifted down half a line next to the previous one.
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"te"crossed out
Commentary
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"in"recte "on".
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"comentator"recte "commentator".
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"in"recte "on".
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"… in the colored box ."It was not possible to ascertain which film Barnet had worked on in London, nor any information on the identity of the director with whom he was collaborating.
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"… Library and we became acquainted."Pearson was the baritone at the premiere of El Cimarrón on 22 June 1970 in Aldeburgh.
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"… on the 26 of Nov."Henze held a professorship at the Staatlichen Hochschule für Musik in Cologne from 1980 to 1991. He was probably in this city to teach.
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"hich hiking"recte "hitchhiking".
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"… health, how about your plans."Henze responds about his work and health in his letter of reply.
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"… yombe legends. I haven’t forgotten."From Barnet’s letter to Henze and from his letter of reply in summer 1982, it appears that Henze and Barnet had planned to write an opera together based on African fairy tales during their meeting in May 1982.
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"… Dia Marandu in Dusseldorf ."Barnet is referring to the German edition of Akeké y la jutía (1978, published in German in 1986), with the title Die stummen Hunde: kubanische Fabeln. The publishing house written on the cover of the book is “Diá”. On 3 June 1986 Barnet dedicated a copy of this book, now kept at the Library of the Hochschule für Musik in Detmold, to Henze, writing: “My dear Hans: this is my book on fables translated to German. I want to dedicate it to you with all my love, as always, and with the hope that you will grasp its music. A big hug from your cuban[sic]‡ brother, Miguelito”.
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"… Private Saloon"From this point on, Barnet begins to write about private and sentimental matters, hence the sort of subtitle.
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[Figure Description]Barnet’s graphic signature.
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"Comuna"recte "Comune".
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"… of poetry in 1985 ."Niccolini was the cultural assessor of the Municipality of Rome and was the founder of the annual cultural festival “Estate Romana” in 1977 in Rom. However, it is not certain which poetry event Barnet was invited to.
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"I"recte "if".
