Post by Admin on Mar 11, 2016 5:28:12 GMT
- Picture #1: "La Reine des asperges" means the Queen of Asparagus, and by googling the phrase, I have found a photograph from 1932 of a woman named "La Reine des asperges." It's part of a collection of photos from the early 20th century. The format of the captions (description, year) makes me think that a batch of photographs like these might have been an inspiration for the format of this Gorey book.
- Pic #2: "la Sylphe de la Forét Noire" means the Sylph from the Black Forest (which is situated in West Germany). Sylphs are a sort of fairy spirit, which are subjects in one opera (1834) and two ballets (1832, 1909). By process of elimination, Gorey was probably referencing the 1832 romantic two-act ballet La Sylphide. The caption of Gorey's image reads "1836," so it is specifically the 1836 version, staged by August Bournonville that is being referenced (it is one of the world's oldest surviving ballets, as the first version from 1832 did not survive).
- The name Sigisimondo seems to be a corruption of Sigismondo (without the second 'i'), which is an 1814 operatic drama by Gioachino Rossini (who was nicknamed "the Italian Mozart"), set in 16th century Poland.
- Pic #3: I have found two so-called Apocalyptic Symphonies: 1) Karl Weigl's 5th "Apocalyptic" Symphony, written at the end of WWII and in response to the war (it premiered in 1968). It's notable for starting with the orchestra dissonantly warming up their instruments while a quartet of low brass players play a theme. More info here. 2) Anton Bruckner's Symphony No. 8 in C minor (premiered in 1892), which is nicknamed 'The Apocalyptic,' though not by the composer himself.
- Pic #4: A ballet dancer named Serge Ibiskovski also briefly appears in Gorey's The Gilded Bat (1966, Amphigorey Too).
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