# Charles VI



## AlanPalgut (Apr 11, 2012)

Is _Charles VI_ by Fromental Halévy haunted or cursed?

During its three performances at the Paris Opéra in 1848, the opera literally killed a box-holder at the first performance, a stagehand at the second and the conductor at the third.


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## MAuer (Feb 6, 2011)

Was Robert Lepage involved in the staging? :lol:


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## Jeremy Marchant (Mar 11, 2010)

AlanPalgut said:


> Is _Charles VI_ by Fromental Halévy haunted or cursed?
> 
> During its three performances at the Paris Opéra in 1848, the opera literally killed a box-holder at the first performance, a stagehand at the second and the conductor at the third.


In what sense did the opera _literally _kill these people? Tell us more.


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## AlanPalgut (Apr 11, 2012)

I read a book called _Skeletons from the Opera Closet _and found that, as a certain aria about killing the King was sung, one person dropped dead for a rather unknown reason.


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## TimK (Jul 25, 2012)

I joined this forum for the specific purpose of contributing to this discussion.

When I was a kid, I bought a book called "Amazing But True Mysteries!" (Yes, with the exclamation point.) I distinctly remember that this story was in that book. The aria cited in the book was "O Dieu, écrases-le!" ("Oh God, smash him!") I have occasionally searched the Web for evidence that there even is such an aria in _Charles VI_, but without success; there isn't much material about the work on the Web at all, as far as I can see.


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## matthewriot (Jan 20, 2013)

*A vague reference to the cursed aria, much different*

from what I had read in the Amazing But True Mysteries back when I was a kid, as well.

This is from "The Theosophist" by Madame Blavatsky:

http://books.google.com/books?id=N5...w#v=onepage&q=Cursed Opera Charles VI&f=false

Obviously only vague similarities to the story printed in Amazing But True, however this may be the basis?



TimK said:


> I joined this forum for the specific purpose of contributing to this discussion.
> 
> When I was a kid, I bought a book called "Amazing But True Mysteries!" (Yes, with the exclamation point.) I distinctly remember that this story was in that book. The aria cited in the book was "O Dieu, écrases-le!" ("Oh God, smash him!") I have occasionally searched the Web for evidence that there even is such an aria in _Charles VI_, but without success; there isn't much material about the work on the Web at all, as far as I can see.


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## dionisio (Jul 30, 2012)

Bad publicity is good publicity


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## quack (Oct 13, 2011)

That quote from "The Theosophist" makes it sound like it was the singer himself Jean-Étienne-Auguste Massol that had the curse and the evil eye and not the opera. Of course the Theosophical movement were some of the most celebrated nut-cases of the late 19th/early 20th centuries, if they claimed Paris was the capital of France you wold have to seriously doubt it.

Theatre people are traditionally some of the most superstitious people, second only to sailors, there's all sorts of cursed works, sentences and actions. Another famous curse is the singing of the aria "I Dreamt I Dwelt in Marble Halls" from "The Bohemian Girl" by Michael William Balfe.


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## Barelytenor (Nov 19, 2011)

quack said:


> Another famous curse is the singing of the aria "I Dreamt I Dwelt in Marble Halls" from "The Bohemian Girl" by Michael William Balfe.


And what happens to the singers ... or the listeners? I am sure I have heard this aria once or twice or thrice. What should I be expecting?


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## Hesoos (Jun 9, 2012)

I'm scared


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