Éléonore de Rosalba, ou Le Confessionnal des Pénitens Noirs

A French tragedy in four acts by C.C. Pujos and Joachem-E Dabaytua.

The original text

The play was based on the novel The Italian by Anne Radcliffe, (translated into French as Élénore de Rosalba, L'Italian, ou Le Confessionnal des Pénitens Noirs by Mary Gay and published in Paris by Lepetit and in Genève by J.J. Paschoud in 1797).

The play first performed at the Théâtre du Cité-Variétés et de la Pantomime Nationale in Paris on 5 June 1798. Published in Paris in 1798 by Barba.

Translations and adaptations

Translated into Dutch by Johannes Kisselius as Eleonore van Rosalba, of De Puinhoopen van Paluzzi and published in Amsterdam in 1799, 2nd edition 1809.

Kisselius has the authors' names in Dutch form as Pujos and Dabaijtua, though F.C.L. Bosman (1928, p. 243) has the correct French spelling , but uses a variant version of the title as "Eleonora(e) van Rosalba")

Performance history in South Africa

1830: Performed in Dutch by Tot Nut en Vermaak in the African Theatre Cape Town on 17 July, with as afterpiece 't Zal laat Worden (J.C. Meijer).

1836: Performed in Dutch by Door Yver Vruchtbaar, in the "Schouwburg" (theatre) in Stellenbosch on 23 July, with as afterpiece 't Zal laat Worden (J.C. Meijer).

1838: Performed in Dutch by Door Yver Vruchtbaar, in collaboration with the Music Society , in the "Schouwburg" (theatre) in Stellenbosch on Wednesday 24 October, 17 July 1838, with as afterpiece Uilenspiegel (Von Kotzebue).

1844: Performed in Dutch by the joint company Tot Nut en Vermaak en Door Yver Vruchtbaar in Cape Town on 2 August, with as afterpiece De Kalkoen van Breda (Van Ray).