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...
Collection of 27 Christmas / holiday season cards, mostly pre-printed, and one typed letter from a wide variety of operatic celebrities to the Italian-American painter. Some addressed to "Luigi and [his] sister." Undated unless stated otherwise; wide variety of formats. Authors (in alphabetical order): Read More...
Signed portrait photograph of the German baritone, who has crisply penned his name in black ink. Light wear to margins, including half-inch tear to upper right corner. Overall in fine condition. 8 x 10 inches (20.3 x 25.4 cm.). Read More...
Signed full-length photograph of the great Bulgarian basso in his most famous role. Christoff has inscribed "To Mr. Paul McMahon / Sincerely, / Boris Christoff" in black ink. "Hurok Attractions" stamp to verso. Light surface creasing, overall in fine condition. 8 x 10 inches (20.3 x 25.4 cm.). Read More...
Signed doubleweight photograph of the great American baritone, who has sharply inscribed "Sincerely, / Leonard Warren" in black ink. An excellent unpersonalized example of his signature. Light surface cracks, else in fine condition. 5 x 7.25 inches (12.7 x 18.4 cm.).
Early signed photograph of the American classical guitarist, who has inscribed "To Paul, / All Best from / Christopher Parkening" in black ink to the left portion of the image. Light surface creasing to center right and upper left corner, overall in fine condition. 8 x 10 inches (20.3 x 25.4 cm). Uncommon from this period. Read More...
New York: Gershwin Publishing Corporation. 1935. First edition, second issue. The Theatre Guild presents Porgy and Bess. Libretto by Du Bose Heyward Lyrics by Du Bose Heyward and Ira Gershwin Settings by Sergei Soudeikine Orchestra Conductor Alexander Smallens Production Directed by Rouben Mamoulian. [Piano-vocal score]. Small folio. Original publisher's stiff printed grey wrappers with black cloth spine. 4ff. (photographic portrait; r. title, v. woodcut illustration of donkey pulling a man in a cart; r. Index of Scenes, v. Cast of Characters; r. Story of Porgy and Bess, v. dedication), 559 (music), [i] (blank) pp. Fuld p. 539. First Edition, second issue with the index of songs but still without the capitalization of "Negro," in the fourth line of the story. Light toning to covers, small tear to upper edge, overall an unusually fine copy overall of this rare score. Read More...
Firenze: Pietro Cecconcelli. 1620. First edition. Small 4to. (160 x 215 mm). 1f. (pictorial title including the arms of the Medici), 1f. (dedication to the Grand Duke of Tuscany, Cosimo II), 2ff. ("Lettera del Sor. Giovambatista Strozzi all'Autore"), [v] (letters to Ottavio Rinuccini, Andrea Salvadori, Niccolo Strozzi, and Gabriello Chiabrera), [i] (cast list), [ii] (set design), pp. 3-31, [ii] (set design), 41-63, [ii] (set design), 65 - 94, [ii] (set design), 95 - 138, [ii] (set design), 139 - 162, 1f. (recto errata, verso colophon). With occasional decorative initials and woodcut head- and tailpieces and including 6 etchings by Jacques Callot (cf. Meaume) comprising the illustrated title-page, and 5 double-page plates representing the stage settings by Jacques Callot after the designs of Giulio Parigi. With the usual pp. 33-40 misnumberedd 41-48 and p. 89 misnumbered 98. Trimmed margins, but overall a very bright and fresh copy of this early 17th Century "Turkish" opera. Berlin Katalog 4112; Brunet I, 1089;Cicognara 1086 ('bellissime figure, prove freschissime); Gamba 1810 ('Tra le molte edizioni di questa tragedia e' la presente molto ricercata per la vaghezza delle figure'); Lieure 363-368; Sartori 22249. Allacci 729-730. Schaal 861. Wotquenne p. 132. Read More...
Signed illustrated title of the musical Into the Woods with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim (who did not sign) and book by James Lapine and "adapted and illustrated by Hudson Talbott"(New York: Crown Publishers, 1988). Inscribed and signed to Paul McMahon from James Lapine. Cut from the book. 10 x 8.5 inches (25.5 x 21.3 cm). In excellent condition. Read More...
Signed photograph of the English musician who starred as Frederic in the tour of Joseph Papp's Tony Award–winning 1981 New York Shakespeare Festival production of The Pirates of Penzance. Noone has inscribed "To Paul / Cheers! / Peter Noone" above a small self-portrait. A press release affixed to verso announces the beginning of a six week run of the production at the Shubert Theatre in Boston. In fine condition. 8 x 10 inches (20.3 x 25.4 cm.). Read More...
Stunning Louis Mélançon photograph of the French soprano in costume for her 1962 Metropolitan Opera debut as the Marschallin in Richard Strauss's Der Rosenkavalier. Crespin has boldly signed in black felt tip. Mild toning and wear along the edges, else fine. 8 x 10 inches (20.3 x 25.4 cm.). Read More...
Vintage pearl-finish Piccagliani photo of Callas as she appeared in Un Ballo in Maschera at La Scala 1957, signed with her name alone in blue fountain pen across the image. In fine condition, moderate contrast to some of the signature and mounting remnants to verso. 3.75 x 5.5 inches; 9.4 x 13.7 cm. Read More...
Vintage pearl-finish Piccagliani photo of Callas as she appeared in Un Ballo in Maschera at La Scala 1957, signed and inscribed in blue fountain pen in Italian to the lower blank margin. In fine condition, with some light creases and mounting remnants to verso. 4 x 5.75 inches; 10.4 x 14.7 cm. Read More...
Signed photograph of the stars from the touring production of Joseph Papp's 1981 New York Shakespeare Festival production of The Pirates of Penzance, which won three Tonys and enjoyed a long run on Broadway. Noone, who played Frederic, has inscribed "To Paul / Cheers! / Peter Noone" adding an illustration of a pirate, while Belushi has inscribed "To Paul / Thanks / For The / Review / Best wishes / James Belushi." A press release affixed to verso announces the beginning of a six week run of the production at the Shubert Theatre in Boston. In fine condition. 8 x 10 inches (20.3 x 25.4 cm.). Read More...