Signed Louis Mélançon photograph of the American conductor and pianist, best known for his 30-year tenure as the chorus master and lead conductor of the Metropolitan Opera. Adler has inscribed "To Paul, / with my sincerest wishes / Kurt Adler / Boston 1963" in black ink. Metropolitan Opera Press Dept. label and photographer's stamp to verso. Minor wear to lower edge, image unaffected, overall in very fine condition. 8 x 10 inches (20.3 x 25.4 cm.). Read More...
Group of signed programs from the Italian-born American soprano, known for her Verdi and Puccini roles. Included are programs from Peter Ibbetson at the 1960 Empire State Festival (16 pp.); Manon at the Metropolitan Opera on November 21, 1959 (signed over a page of advertising with a portrait of Albanese, 41 pp.); Tosca at the Metropolitan Opera on December 16, 1959 (41 pp.); and Turandot at the Metropolitan Opera on April 8, 1961 (37 pp.). Overall very good to fine. 6.5 x 9 inches and 8 x 11 inches.
Signed postcard photograph of the glamorous soprano, as seen in an elaborate fur outfit through a mist of snowflakes! Boldly signed with her name alone in black ink. Mounting remnants on verso, else fine. 9 x 14 cm. Read More...
Two original programs from 1921 and 1922 from performances directed by the Italian composer and pianist. Both from the Teatro Comunale of Bologna, where Alfano organized concerts for the Youth Orchestra from the local Liceo Musicale. The performances included not only standard works, but also new works by composition students of Alfano. Most of the performances were conducted by alumni of the school, though Alfano is billed as the Director. Both in fine condition. Each 6.6 x 9.75 inches (17 x 24.7 cm.).
Vintage London Recordings promotional photograph of the Peruvian tenor, who is shown in costume for his role as Fenton in Verdi's Falstaff, ca. 1960s. Boldly signed and inscribed by Alva in black felt tip to the lower left corner. Mild toning throughout, overall in fine condition. 8.15 x 10 inches (20.7 x 25.4 cm.). Read More...
Autograph signature from the Italian baritone who made his career in the United States and left a large body of fine recordings. On a postcard of Padua, Amato has signed boldly and dated: Buenos Aires, May 29, 1906. On the verso, the postcard is addressed to the Argentinian collector Ramona Imaz Otaño, with the original stamp and postmark. In very fine condition. 5.5 x 3.5 inches (13.9 x 9 cm). Read More...
Stunning original silver gelating Sedge Le Blang photograph of the great African American contralto in her pathbreaking Metropolitan Opera debut as Ulrica, in Verdi’s Un ballo in maschera. 8 x 10 inches (20.5 x 25.2 cm). Photographer's stamp on verso with notations, edges slightly worn, overall fine. Read More...
New York: The Viking Press. 1956. Signed autobiography from the trailblazing African-American opera singer. Signed on the title: "To Paul / Kind regards / Marian Anderson." 312 pp. 8vo. Original cloth-backed boards. Fine copy in original dust jacket with some edge wear, shelf soiling, and small edge losses. Read More...
Original photograph of the Swiss conductor seated together at the piano with pianist Nikita Magaloff, studying a score. Some light wrinkling and verso rough; overall fine. 4 x 3 inches (10.5 x 7.3 cm). Read More...
Two autograph musical quotations, from the important opera conductor Luigi Arditi and the Polish opera singer and pedagogue Adelina Murio-Celli, penned on recto and verso of an album leaf. Arditi has penned two measures in A flat major from an unidentified composition, signed below and dated New York, April 5, 1881. Murio-Celli has penned a phrase of two measures with the text "Oh! breathe one word of gladness..." and dated New York, April 20, 1897. 9 x 6 inches. In fine condition. Read More...
18497. [Arne, Thomas Augustine. (1710-1778)]. "This present Saturday...will be performed...the Serious Opera of 'Artaxerxes'" - Original 1813 Broadside
Original broadside for a Saturday, October 16, 1831 performance at Theatre Royal, Covent Garden of the composer's opera, performed for the "8th time" and "[c]ompressed into two acts." Broadside also advertises performances of "the Burlesque Tragick Opera" Bombastes Furioso and the "Farce (with Songs)" Love, Law and Physick." Creases and rough edges, but overall in fine condition for its age. Approximately 8.25 x 12.25 inches (21.3 x 42.5 cm).
Signed Louis Mélançon photograph of the great American soprano in costume as Leonora for a Metropolitan Opera production of Verdi's Il Trovatore. Arroyo has inscribed "To Paul / Best wishes / Martina Arroyo" in black ink to the upper right portion of the image. A press note to verso announces that Arroyo will be part of the Met's one-week engagement in Boston. Metropolitan Opera Press Department label to verso. In fine condition. 8 x 10 inches (20.3 x 25.4 cm.). Read More...
A rare circular tobacco box, [Germany?], ca. 1830, the cover depicting a scene identified at the illustration base as "Die Stume von Portici 3e Act 3e Scène," which 8.4 diameter, 2.2 cm high. La muette de Portici is an opera in five acts by Daniel Auber, with a libretto by Germain Delavigne, revised by Eugène Scribe. The work has an important place in musical history, as it is generally regarded as the earliest French grand opera. La muette was revived in Paris immediately after the French July Revolution of 1830. Later, at a performance of this opera at the Théâtre de la Monnaie, Brussels on 25 August 1830, a riot broke out during the patriotic and revolutionary duet "Amour sacré de la patrie" that became the signal for the Belgian Revolution, which led to Belgian independence. Richard Wagner remarked, in his 1871 Reminiscences of Auber, that the opera "whose very representation had brought [revolutions] about, was recognized as an obvious precursor of the July Revolution, and seldom has an artistic product stood in closer connection with a world-event." The scene depicted on the present item is the Finale of Act 3, in which Alphonse’s body-guard Selva tries to rearrest Fenella and Masaniello succeeds in getting the townspeople to revolt in order to stop him and free his sister.
Original carte de visite photograph of the important French opera composer, photographed later in life by E. Desmaisons, Paris. On the photographer's mount with stamp at the lower left. In fine condition. 2.5 x 4 inches (6.3 x 10.5 cm).
Signed self-portrait sketch from the Italian bass who debuted at La Scala in 1924 and also performed around Europe; in the model of Enrico Caruso, he was a talented caricaturist. He has sketched himself in profile on a sheet of letterhead from the Grand Hotel in Vienna, signed below and dated August 2, 1934. A clipped halftone photograph has been added at the lower left. Some light toning and foxing at the corners; overall fine. 5 x 7.25 inches (13 x 18.6 cm).
Original program from a March 20, 1894 performance at St.Michaelis Kirche in Hamburg, featuring the famous contralto under the direction of Prof. Julius von Bernruth, with organist Carl Armbrust and the orchestra lead by violinist Henry Schradieck. 16 pp., includes full text. Spotting throughout, crease in lower right corner, final two pages with large tears and significant losses (nearly entirely lacking). Read More...
Signed photograph of the popular American actress and singer, who has inscribed "All love / Pearl" in black felt tip to the left of the image. The composition of the image, which only occupies the right half of the print, makes for a particularly striking composition and example of Bailey's signature. In very fine condition. 8 x 10 inches (20.3 x 25.4 cm.).
New York: G. Schirmer. 1958. First. Vocal Score. Piano reduction by the composer. 4to. Softcover. Lithograph. [PN 44349]. Title (Licensing note); Characters (Synopsis); Synopsis (vb); 1–269 pp. Barber has inscribed to the conductor who lead the work's premiere, "For Dear Dimitri— / with appreciation boundless / affectionately, / Sam / Capricorn [Barber's house in Mount Kisco, NY] October '58" in black ink to the title page. Partial internal separation of wrapper from spine, general wear to cover and spine, else in fine condition. Read More...
A lovely hand-colored photograph postcard of the Spanish coloratura soprano, with a facsimile signature above and an autograph signature at the left, dated 1905. On the verso, the postcard is addressed to the Argentinian collector Ramona Imaz Otaño, with the original stamp and postmark. 3.5 x 5.5 inches (8.7 x 13.7 cm). Read More...
Postcard portrait of the great Italian tenor with a facsimile AMQS from his role as Chopin in the opera by Giacomo Orefice, and with an autograph signature in bold ink to the right of the image. Orefice's fancified version of the composer's life premiered at the Teatro Lirico, Milan, in 1901, and Bassi recorded excerpts from the opera ca. 1903-1905. The postcard is addressed on the verso to the Argentinian collector Ramona Imaz Otaño and postmarked April 14, 1904. In fine condition. 3.5 x 5.5 inches (9 x 14 cm). Read More...