Writings | Sources database of B. Martinu Institute

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General information

Type of the document	Letter
Sender	Martinů, Bohuslav
Sender (corporation)
Sender‘s location	Paris
Send date	30.04.1934
Recipient	Honzl, Jindřich
Recipient (corporation)
Language	Czech
Acquired	Copy of typescript transcription from Martinů Centre in Polička, c.n. Ko 1178 (mistakenly filed between Martinů letters to František Muzika) and Ko 1179-attachement; copy of the original letter from National Gallery Archives, personal collection of Fr. Muzika, inv. č. 268 (from G. Coufalová), 01/2026
Owner of the source	Centrum Bohuslava Martinů v Poličce
Owner‘s call number	Archiv NG-osobní fond Fr. Muziky, inv.č. 268; CBM: Ko 1178
Former call number at IBM	30/57
Call number at IBM	HonJ 1934-04-30

Content and physical description

Content	Bohuslav Martinů thanks Jindřich Honzl for information on religious matters. BM has progressed quite far with his work on the opera PLAYS OF MARY. He describes the different parts of the opera. He likes the form: the two lyrical overtures: the Virgin and the Nativity are more like an oratorio. Mariken the addressee knows, it is dramatic and Pascaline must be like a difficult dream. It's not based on [Julius] Zeyer's play. BM has put together two miracles. BM will probably premiere it in Brno. BM asks the addressee if he wants to collaborate on the opera, if it is not distant from him. But there is little left of the opera routine. BM is all about real theatre. He does not know whether his plan with [Václav] Talich will work at the [National] Theatre in Prague. He would like to do PLAYS ABOUT MARIA with [František] Muzika and if they do it together in Brno, then it would be easier in Prague. He is preparing a different position in Prague than he had in ŠPALÍČEK. If the production in Prague was co-produced by Talich, it would be different. He reworked part of Mariken based on [Vilém] Závada's text. BM does not pursue religious goals. He chose the themes because they are well suited to his music, like fairy tales, and they allow him to throw out all the dross from contemporary opera, which doesn't work so well with contemporary themes. It's a return to the old theatre and it's the theatre BM was looking for. When JH sees F. Muzika, he is to tell him that BM is counting on him for the expedition. JH is to write how he views the matter. Otherwise BM has no news, he knows nothing new because he has been working like mad and going nowhere. BM sends a short extract from the opera and when JH doesn't need it he is to give it to F. Muzik to puzzle over. The short stuff is like an overture and interlude and the pauses after it must not be long. So the scene cannot be rearranged, but only completed.
Total number of leaves	2 + 2, 1
Number of pages bearing text	2 + 2, 1
Note	At Martinů Centre in Polička a typescript copy of the letter (PNM Ko 1178) and attached leaf (PBM Ko 1179). The original letter kept at Archive of National Gallery in Prague in collection of F. Muzika, though the letter is addressed to Jindřich Honzl
Fixation	Handwriting, typewritten copy of the letter
Attachments	Martinů own description and drawing of his idea of scene for the opera.