Here is the editorial:
This is the first Newsletter of 1988, and it is intended that four be issued this year.
Firstly, congratulations to John Tombs of Mallorca, Spain, who sent the correct solution for the crossword competition devised by Michael Hopf. John receives one year's free subscription to this Society, well deserved as I thought that the puzzle, reproduced inside, was quite searching and I thank Mike again for all the work involved.
This issue includes the second part of the translation from the French by Richard Duployen of Fritz Oeser's artivle on The Tales of Hoffman. This comes by kind permission of Vincent Adoumié who made the original translation from German into French. I have been in correspondence with M. Adoumié who has written to me with several very interesting ideas. Following this editorial is a translation by Richard Duployen of the relevant part of his letter and I would appreciate some feedback on this.
As you will see, there is also an initiation by the French and German Societies to have a Paris-Cologne T.G.V. named Jacques Offenbach which is really a most appropriate proposal and of course exactly in harmony with the ideas of European co-operation. He earnestly requests those of us who are able to write in French, or could get a suitable letter translated into French and observing the necessary salutations, etc., to write to the officials concerned supporting the proposal. I reproduce his sample letter with a translation which is, as you can see, very formal, as is the norm in France. Would those of you who are willing to help please write to one or preferably all three of the gentlemen concerned, altering the original letter in an appropriate manner.
I have also been in contact with Dr. Ulrich Brand of the Bad Ems Historical Society. Ems is, of course, a town which Offenbach visited frequently, staging many of his works there, and which holds a Jacques Offenbach Festival each year. Incidentally, Ems is twinned with Droitwich Spa in the English Midlands. Dr. Brand is a member, though not a functionary, of the Jacques-Offenbach-Gesellschaft and is very keen that we organise a group visit to the Festival. This year is perhaps unlikely but I think we should make a serious effort for next year. Ems is easy to reach by car as it is situated just inside Germany, very close to the motorway. Dr. Brand assures me we would be very welcome and well looked after. He teaches English in Ems so there is no language problem if anyone wishes to contact him. Would those who feel that they could make the trip please contact me. I think that we must take proposals to work more closely with the French and German Societies as one of our main aims, even though a large part of our membership does not live in the UK.
I have reprinted in this Newsletter the first chapter of On Jacques Offenbach's Childhood by Ralph Fischer. This is a Bad Ems Historical Society publication; the English translation from the German is by Robert Folstein and I include it by kind permission of the Society.
Many thanks are due to John Honeywill of Cheltenham for producing his ideas on a constitution which would seem at this stage to be quite realistic. No doubt some members will have other ideas and John would like to hear from anyone who has suggestions to make, the aim being to keep the whole thing simple and concise. John has also produced a short questionnaire in order to ascertain what members expect from the Society and what functions you deem the most important. We are a very small organisation and can only carry out a limited range of activities. Please write to John or myself with your comments.
I thank everyone who has written to me with information, items for publication, etc. I thank you also for your very kind remarks and support.
Colin Hayward, March 1998