Talk:Louis François Joseph, Prince of Conti

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Le Mariage de Figaro

Latest comment: 14 years ago2 comments1 person in discussion

The article mentions that, according to the preface, Beaumarchais' Le Mariage de Figaro was written on request of Louis François Joseph, Prince of Conti. Actually, the preface to the play says "the late Prince de Conti" (feu M. le prince de Conti). As LFJ de Conti (1734-1818) was still alive in 1778, "the late Prince de Conti" must refer to his father, Louis François, Prince of Conti, who died in 1776.

I believe nevertheless that young Conti (styled Comte de la Marche whilst his father was Prince of Conti) has something to do with the play: in some sense, he stood model for the Count Almaviva's funny misadventure in the castle's garden.

The 'misadventure' plot of the play - the adulterous Count making love to his own wife, disguised as the maid - bears similitude to an anecdote about young Conti (old Conti, who did not get along with his son, may have inspired Beaumarchais to include it in the play). In Paris galant au dix-huitième siècle; vie privée du prince de Conty, Louis-François de Bourbon (1717-1776) by Gaston Capon and Robert Yve-Plessis (1907, text here) we read the anecdote:
La Marche avoit donné parole à une femme galante de se rendre chez elle dans la nuit. C'étoit l'épouse d'un de ses gentilshommes. On étoit convenu du fait, de l'heure. Tout étoit bien arrangé. La dame qui n'aimoit point La Marche usa d'un stratagème qui lui fut très avantageux et qui fit rire toute la Cour. Elle avoit reçu cinq cents louis pour arrhes. Elle en reçut autant de la Princesse qu'elle avertit de la proposition, de la convention même entre elle et le Prince. La Princesse, charmée d'une si belle occasion d'avoir les faveurs de son mari, ne manqua pas de la saisir. Elle alla se coucher dans le lit de la femme du gentilhomme, et y attendit complaisamment son mari qui ne manqua pas de venir sans lumières se mettre à côté de sa femme sans se douter de la ruse. La Princesse eut l'attention de ne point parler, de faire la dormeuse. Son mari, ainsi trompé, sacrifia aux plaisirs de l'amour et de l'hyménée.

Riyadi (talk) 09:57, 25 September 2010 (UTC)Reply
I fixed the article accordingly. Riyadi (talk) 10:47, 25 September 2010 (UTC)Reply

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