[Holiday] Korngold, Erich Wolfgang. (1897–1957) [Jeritza, Maria. (1887–1982)] Autograph Letter Sending New Years Greetings to Maria Jeritza

[Holiday] Korngold, Erich Wolfgang. (1897–1957) [Jeritza, Maria. (1887–1982)]

Autograph Letter Sending New Years Greetings to Maria Jeritza

Autograph letter, in German, to the great Moravian soprano Maria Jeritza, sending New Year's greetings and adding that he has "heard nothing regarding 'Violanta' (from the 'Metropolitan')--not even a word!" On the verso is written a postscript, at lower edge below a printed view of a church in a snowy countryside: "I finally got the song back from the transcribers yesterday and will send it to you right away!" 1 page, 12mo; cancelled 24-groschen stamp at upper left. Vienna, 1 May no year; [Vienna, 31 December 1927: from postmark]. Fine.

Maria Jeritza was one of the greatest sopranos of her generation, celebrated for her singing as well as for her acting, which included acrobatic elements. World famous composers wrote roles specifically with her in mind. For Richard Strauss, she created Ariadne (both versions, 1912 and 1916) and the Empress in Die Frau ohne Schatten (1919). Puccini wrote Turandot for her; she performed it, but she did not create the role. Other roles in which Jeritza excelled were Salome and Jenůfa. She gave her debut at the Metropolitan Opera in New York in 1921 as Marietta in Korngold's Die tote Stadt and appeared on the Met's stage no fewer than 290 times in 20 roles. (12371)

Autograph Letter Opera