L’Univers Illustré, No 1647, 16 October 1886
This page presents a report of the imminent inauguration of Berlioz’s statue in Square Vintimille (now Square Berlioz). The original text of this report and the accompanying image were scanned from our own copy of the 16 October 1886 issue of the Univers Illustré, and are reproduced below together with our English translation of the report.
Here is an English translation of the report:
THE STATUE OF BERLIOZ
Hector Berlioz, the great composer who was so much attacked in his lifetime and whose glory has grown apace since his death, will at last have his statue in Paris. On 17 October, this statue, the work of M. Alfred Lenoir, one of our most eminent sculptors, will be solemnly inaugurated in the Square Vintimille. M. Ernest Reyer, ever the loyal friend and passionate admirer of Berlioz, and who succeeded him as music critic of the Journal des Débats, will speak in the name of the musicians, to celebrate the memory of the master. Viscount Delaborde, president of the committee associated with the erection of the statue, will also make a speech. M. Charles Garnier will speak on behalf of the Académie des Beaux-Arts; unpublished verses by Charles Grandmougin will be recited by Sylvain, of the Comédie française; finally the musicians of the garde républicaine and the choruses of the Opéra will perform the apothéose of the Symphonie funèbre et triomphale and the Marche troyenne.
See also on this site Ernest Reyer’s speech (in French) at the inauguration ceremony.
The Hector Berlioz Website was created on 18 July 1997 by Monir Tayeb and Michel Austin; this page created on 1 May 2007.
© Monir Tayeb and Michel Austin. All rights of reproduction reserved.
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