by Roland Perry
asks Madam for more freedom 58
farewells C 34
introduces C to life as a prostitute 45–6, 49–51
relationship with C 27–30, 121–2
suggests C consider prostitution 30–1, 34
visited by C before death 195
opera 349
Opéra-Comique 349
operettas 321
L’Opinion Nationale 336
orphanage, at Le Vésinet 347, 351
Orsuna, Duke of see Téllez-Girón, Mariano, Duke of Osuna
Ozy, Alice 172
P
Page, Adele 196, 228, 319
Paris 13–159, 163–221, 279–365
Paris Commune 343–4
Passage de l’Opera 353, 356
Passage du Havre 214
Paul, Joseph Charles see Napoleon, Prince
Paurent-Pichat, Léon 291
Pearl, Cora 319
The Pearl Fishers 330
Les Pêcheurs de Perles 330
Pederlini, M. (opera singer) 91
Pedro (horse) 82–5
La Pepine 148–51, 153
Peragallo, M. (Society of Authors) 315–17
photography 355
Pierre Pascal 357
Place de la Madeleine 122
plays see writing
Plessis, Alphonsine 172
Plon-Plon see Napoleon, Prince
Poinçonnet
C convalesces at 295
C mortgages house at 316
C sells house and pays off mortgage 318
C tries to sell house at 304, 314
C’s remains placed in 373n
house seized by creditors 195, 204, 211
Lionel organises house for C in 188–9
polka 72–3
Pomare see Sergent, Lise
Port Phillip Bay 238
Porte Saint-Martin Theatre 305
Pré-Saint-Gervais cemetery 365
La Presse 219, 280, 290, 314, 339
prostitutes, life of 1–4, 49–51
prostitutes’ register 88, 178, 206–7, 332–3
La Providence 364–5, 373n
Prussian-French War 337–46
public execution, Melbourne 256–7
publishing 204–5, 281, 309, 354
Q
Queen’s Theatre Royal, Melbourne 267
R
Raoul (factory owner) 7–11
Rede, Robert 258–60
reformatories 286–7
Regnier, M. (magistrate) 35, 46–7
Les Revers de l’Amour 336
Revue de Paris 291
Rolla (painting) 3, 352
Romantic Age 172
Roqueplan, Nestor 290
Rousseau, Jean-Jacques 369n
La Route de Thebes 359
Royal Commission on goldfield issues 259
Royal Melbourne Hospital 243
Rue d’Alger 279
Rue de la Chaussée-d’Antin 204
Rue de l’Arcade 148, 151
Rue de Londres, 42 158
Rue du Pont-aux-Choux 367n
Rue Geoffroy-Marie, Paris 105
Rue Joubert 204–5
S
Sabatier, Apollonie 172
Saint-Lazare Prison, Paris 23–35
Saint-Louis Hospital, Paris 61
Sand, George 52, 160, 212
Sandridge 239
Sapho 291, 293
Scènes de la Vie Bohème 204
Scobie, James 257
Scott, Sir Walter 329
Second Empire 338, 344
Second Republic 141, 154
Sedan 338
Seekamp, Harry 269–70
Senard, Maitre 285
Sergent, Lise (Pomare) 71, 75–6, 98, 109–11
shipwrecks 251, 335
singing 332–3
Smith, John Thomas 267
Snow, John 369n
Society of Dramatic Authors 315–16, 356, 365
Les Soeurs de France 339–40, 342
Soirit, M. (soldier) 302
Solange (C’s goddaughter)
accompanies C back to Paris 276–8
accompanies C to Australia 230, 238, 241
accompanies C to London 222
C pays for boarding school for 323
C stays at convent of 309
C takes responsibility for 177, 205, 218, 279
circumstances of birth 168–71
disappears during war 343
helps to run house in Melbourne 245
holidays with C and Lionel in Paris 293
invited to live at Le Vésinet with C 328
placed in convent by C 280
sent to Le Vésinet during war 338
tutored by C 267
South Africa 238
Sri Lanka 301–2
St Francis’ Cathedral, Melbourne 304
St Kilda, Melbourne 246–7, 261
suicide 107–8, 323
Sydney 208–9
Sydney Morning Herald 265
T
Tayleur (ship) 251
Téllez-Girón, Mariano, Duke of Osuna 89–91, 96–8, 104, 368n
The Hague 104, 119
theatre
C appears in dance revue 78–9
C as theatre manager and producer 318–23
C begins work as an actress 177–81
C collaborates with Adele Page 196
C performs at Café-Concert du XIXé 332
Dumas reviews C’s performance 213
effect of Franco-Prussian War on 337
Folies-Marigny produces four of C’s plays 331–2
production of Ambition Fatale 350
production of Crimes at Sea 335
production of M’ame Nicole 353–4
production of Pierre Pascal 357
production of The Gold Thieves 324–6
production of Troubles in Love 336
Théâtre Beaumarchais 78–9, 350
Théâtre de l’Ambigu 357
Théâtre des Champs-Élysées 321
Théâtre des Folie-Dramatiques 178, 180–1, 189, 196, 354
Théâtre des Nouveautés 336–7, 345
Théâtre des Variétés 196, 212
Théâtre Folies-Marigny 318, 321, 324, 331
Thiers, Alfred 344
Third Republic 338
transport, in Melbourne 250–1
Trochu, Louis-Jules 338, 342
Troubles in Love 336
The Two Sisters 350
V
Valera, Juan 368n
Vénard, Anne-Victoire (C’s mother)
attends horse-race to see C 99–100
C arranges aged care home for 347
C checks on during Paris riot 155–6
C makes plans to look after 323
C sets up tobacco shop for 189
C supports financially 327
closes dress shop 129
death 347
finds apprenticeship for C 18–19
has premonition 306–7
invited to live at Le Vésinet with C 328–9
learns of C’s decision to become a prostitute 46–7
lives in C’s house 249
moves to Paris 13–14
negativity of irks C 249, 305
opens dress shop with C 105, 109
opposes C going to Australia 305
persuades Lionel to eat 295
prevents C from returning to Melbourne 298
relationship with Guy Vénard 5–12
relationship with Vincent 16–19, 28–9, 33–4, 37–42, 129, 249
remains dumbstruck at dinner 300
secures C’s release from prison 31–5
tips night bucket on Bizet 330
visits C after accident 101–2
visits C in Paris 279
visits dying father 20
writes complaining letter to C 249
Vénard, Guy 5–12
Versailles 64, 342
Victoria (Australia) 198, 231
Victoria Heights, Melbo
urne 245
Victoria Parade, Melbourne 256
Victoria, Queen of Great Britain and Ireland 2, 30, 145, 225, 267
Villers-Cotterêts 341
Vincent (mason)
buried in family vault by C’s mother 327, 347
C has crush on 15–16
C’s mother listens secretly to 38–9
death 327
encounters C after riot 156
lies to C’s mother 33–4, 37–8
lodges in same building as C 14–15
maltreatment of C by 19–20, 22, 28–9, 39, 41
reassures C after assassination attempt 14–15
relationship with C’s mother 16–19, 28–9, 33–4, 37–42, 129, 249
rents apartment from C’s mother 189
tries to marry C off 41
von Bismarck, Otto 337, 342
W
Weber, Madame (pianist) 231–2
women, social position of 42, 318
women’s corp, Franco-Prussian War 339–41
writing
C considers transition to playwriting 305–6
Dumas advises C to try writing fiction 203, 253, 255
memoirs 200–1, 204–5, 219, 239, 248–9, 261, 280–1, 284–7, 309, 350, 358–9
novels 272–3, 280–1, 287–91, 293, 301, 303, 309, 350, 355
plays 287, 305–6, 315, 319–21, 331–2, 335–6, 346, 350, 353–4, 357, 363–4
Z
Zizi 122–3, 125, 132
Zola, Émile 362
Acknowledgements
My attention was drawn to Céleste Vénard in 1990 by the late filmmaker Tim Burstall, who suggested I write her biography. I prepared a proposal, which was rejected in 1999 by a French literary agent, whose cryptic comment was that the courtesan period of ascendency, 1830–1870, has been ‘done to death’ and ‘who was interested in Melbourne’s “Wild West” anyway?’. I wondered about her response then, and looking back it occurred to me that she may have been influenced by the attitude of the French aristocracy to Céleste and her grand tale. At the time I recall leaving the agent’s office near the Eiffel Tower, catching the metro and getting off at Montparnasse, where there is a long underground tunnel walk dominated by slick wall advertisements. One ad was for Les Cages aux Folles, which was playing at a theatre called Mogador. As it turned out the theatre had nothing to do with Céleste, but I took it as an omen, an inspiration to have the book published, somehow, eventually. I engaged agent Jo Butler at Camerons in late 2014 and she found publisher ABC Books. So a quarter of a century after being introduced to the fascinating countess, the story had a home. I acknowledge all those along the journey, even the French agent who dismissed it.
Also to be thanked are Dr Annette Dezarnaulds and her husband, Peter, for their most helpful guidance and assistance in Paris. Annette has a PhD in French literature and her comprehension of the story and Paris’s history was invaluable. Others whose thoughts, inspiration and advice were helpful included translator Frederique Lallement, Leon Levin, Narelle Levin, Hannah Levin, Tony Maylam and the late Tim Burstall.
Photos Section
Power peak. Céleste, age 30, photographed around the time she married Count Lionel de Chabrillan. She had achieved fame in Paris as a celebrated courtesan and chariot-rider at the Hippodrome. Her published Mémoires enhanced her notoriety in the mid 1850s.
The poet, the artist and the courtesan. In 1833, aristocrat Alfred de Musset (below) wrote his most renowned poem, Rolla, about a prostitute in the high-class brothel he patronised. Six years later, 16-year-old Céleste was his partner of choice at the same place. Decades afterwards, artist Henri Gervex depicted the pair with his painting, also entitled Rolla. (Gervex had read Céleste’s memoirs and knew her well.) The man shown in the painting is de Musset, the young woman is Céleste.
Waltzing the era away. Parisians waltzing at the Bal Mabille in Faubourg Saint-Honoré, Paris. The most popular dance step in the mid-nineteenth century, Céleste caused a sensation with her livelier version.
The cancan’s precursor. Céleste was a star of the Paris dance halls, where she improvised with the waltz, performing a high-kicking adaptation, which emerged decades later as the cancan. This poster was designed by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec towards the end of the century.
Haute couture. Céleste was the muse for French painter Thomas Couture’s Romans During the Decadence (1847). She is depicted as the naked fair-haired woman in the centre of the scene.
The chariot-rider. Already well known as a dancer and courtesan, in 1845 Céleste joined the Hippodrome as an equestrienne. She became a daring Paris superstar, performing as a courageous chariot-rider for several seasons, until she nearly lost her leg in a race.
Alexandre Dumas Sr. World-famous author Alexandre Dumas Sr was Céleste’s greatest inspiration. They had an affair before she met Count Lionel, but their friendship never waned. He suggested she work at her fiction, instructing her on an approach, and did much to help her realise her books as plays, thus adding other dimensions to a brilliant career.
Carmen’s inspiration. Historians claim composer Georges Bizet (above) used his close friend Céleste as the basis for the feisty, independent main character in Carmen, his most-celebrated opera. Céleste encouraged and patronised Bizet through his lean years and asserted that their relationship was platonic – she was 15 years his senior.
The Count of true love. A portrait of Count Lionel de Chabrillan. He was a classic ne’er-do-well aristocrat until he married Céleste. Two days after marrying, they set sail for Australia, where he did sterling. work as Melbourne’s first French Consul, from 1854–1858.
Melbourne, circa 1855. Living in Melbourne in the mid 1850s allowed the couple to develop a relationship without the strains of class divide, his disapproving family and Parisian society. It also gave Céleste the opportunity to observe a very different environment and the time to develop her writing skills.
Lola Montez , heartbreaker. Renowned Irish exotic dancer and courtesan Lola Montez is depicted leaving Europe on a swan as a group of sad high-society paramours wave her farewell. Arriving in Australia in 1855, Lola toured around the country, shocking some observers with her spectacular Spider’s Dance, and she developed a friendship with Céleste.
The professional creative. Taken by famous French photographer Nadar Atelier in 1869, this portrait shows Céleste, age 44, when she was at the height of her creative output of books, plays and operas.
Pose for posterity. Céleste on a bridge over the Seine, age 70. She was a restless creative, who continued to write into her 80s, despite being seen by the press as a curio from France’s Libertine Period, a time of great hedonism, before the Franco-Prussian War of 1870.
About the Author
Author ROLAND PERRY OAM is one of Australia’s most prolific and versatile writers.
Professor Perry’s non-fiction works include The Queen, Her Lover and the Most Notorious Spy in History as well as comprehensive works on the two major war fronts of the Great War: Monash: The Outsider Who Won a War and The Australian Light Horse. He further covered Australia’s involvement in the Pacific War of 1941–45 with The Fight for Australia.
He is the only author to publish two biographies on the infamous Cambridge University Ring of Spies, who were controlled by Russian Intelligence: The Fifth Man and The Last of the Cold War Spies.
Professor Perry’s other non-fiction international bestsellers include The Don, the definitive biography of Sir Donald Bradman, Miller’s Luck, and Hidden Power, about the election and presidency of Ronald Reagan. A brief foray into books on animals saw him publish the classic Bill the Bastard and Horrie: The War Dog.
Céleste is his thirtieth book and sixteenth biography.
Praise for Roland Perry
‘Altogether an exciting story’ – New York Times
‘It has great pace and excitement . . . taut and extremely well written’ – The Guardian (UK)
‘A ripper . . . very well written’ – The Age
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‘Highly readable . . . In a word: inspiring’ – Herald Sun
‘A heroic story at a ripping pace’
– Sydney Morning Herald
‘A rattling good read – something for everyone’
– Canberra Times
‘A blockbuster’ – The Australian
‘Riveting and well-researched’ – Courier-Mail
Also by Roland Perry
Fiction
The Honourable Assassin
Programme for a Puppet
Blood is a Stranger
Faces in the Rain
Non-fiction
The Queen, Her Lover and the Most Notorious Spy in History
Horrie: The War Dog
Bill the Bastard
The Fight for Australia [AKA Pacific 360]
The Changi Brownlow
The Australian Light Horse
Last of the Cold War Spies
The Fifth Man
Monash: The Outsider Who Won a War
The Programming of the President
The Exile: Wilfred Burchett, Reporter of Conflict
Mel Gibson, Actor, Director, Producer
Lethal Hero
Sailing to the Moon
Elections Sur Ordinateur
Bradman’s Invincibles
The Ashes
Miller’s Luck: The Life and Loves of Keith Miller,
Australia’s Greatest All-rounder
Bradman’s Best
Bradman’s Best Ashes Teams
The Don
Captain Australia: A History of the Celebrated Captains
of Australian Test Cricket
Bold Warnie
Waugh’s Way
Shane Warne, Master Spinner
Copyright
The ABC ‘Wave’ device is a trademark of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and is used under licence by HarperCollinsPublishers Australia.
First published in 2016
by HarperCollinsPublishers Australia Pty Limited
ABN 36 009 913 517
harpercollins.com.au
Copyright © Roland Perry 2016
The right of Roland Perry to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright Amendment (Moral Rights) Act 2000.
This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced, copied, scanned, stored in a retrieval system, recorded, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the publisher.