"I am, after all, Caruso and he is Bonci and between the two of us there's an abyss" - Autograph Letter about his Metropolitan Opera Debut

An important autograph letter from the great tenor to Pasquale Simonelli, the Italian-American banker and impresario who was instrumental in bringing Caruso to the Metropolitan Opera for the first time. Buenos Aires, June 15, 1903. Caruso apologizes to Simonelli for some misunderstandings over their contract negotiations for the Metropolitan Opera, caused by their telegram communications, and explains the other engagements he is juggling in Montecarlo. He goes on to mention his animosity with rival tenor Alessandro Bonci: "I cannot conceal the fact that I do not look favorably on Bonci's being engaged, not because I'm afraid of him as an artist—I am, after all, Caruso and he is Bonci and between the two of us there's an abyss—but because he's not a very decent fellow." Finally, he states his preferences for the operas that he would like to perform, and not perform, at the Met: "... I can do them in the second year, if, that is, these gentlemen decide that they like me. I believe that they will, because one doesn't come over for nothing." [Full translation below.] 4 pp. written on 2 sides of 2 leaves, letterhead of the Splendid Hotel Ex-Frascati, Buenos Aires. Both leaves with heavy wear, splits to folding creases, and large edge losses, unfortunately affecting the text in many places and obscuring the signature; overall good. 8 x 11 inches (21 x 28 cm). Condition issues notwithstanding, a letter of historic importance. 

In 1903, Caruso traveled to New York City to take up a contract with the Metropolitan Opera. The gap between his London and New York engagements had been filled by a series of performances in Italy, Portugal and South America. Negotiated by his agent, the banker and impresario Pasquale Simonelli, Caruso's first season began with a new production of Rigoletto on 23 November 1903. The New York Sun wrote: "Enrico Caruso, the young Italian Tenor, who after a triumphal progress through Europe and South America has come to take American approval and American dollars to his bosom, under the benevolent guiding of Heinrich Conried, made his entrance last night at the Metropolitan before an audience that filled every box, every rising bank of seats to the smoky height of the topmost gallery, every chair on the floor, and packed the standing room with listeners who yielded to the force of his appeal and drowned him in applause and recalls."

Translated from the Italian, in full:
"Buenos Aires, June 15, 1903.
Dear Mr. Simonelli,
I was pleased to receive your two letters of May 7 and [...] and I hasten to reply to them. I am exceedingly glad that everything is settled and [...]. My God, how difficult it is to deal by way of telegrams and from so far away. No wonder there were a few misunderstandings, which I can explain in a few words. When I received the telegram that [...] no longer had a theater and that I was [...] the Montecarlo engagement, he sent a telegram asking me if I would agree to do 10 performances in 1904 at 5 thousand fr. per month [...] You will undoubtedly understand that at the time it was no mean deal, so I accepted. In Lisbon I received the telegram and until I sent a wire from Montecarlo saying that I wanted to be free on February 12th, I still believed that Mr. Couried would not have done half the [...] without bringing more demands to bear. When, however, I received the contract with the additional clause, I had no choice but to insist on cancelling my engagements for February 12th. I had hoped to get out of the Montecarlo thing, but they wanted 100 thousand lire and frankly [...]. I assure you I will do everything in my power so that things become friendly between the two of you.
I cannot conceal the fact that I do not look favorably on Bonci's being engaged, not because I'm afraid of him as an artist—I am, after all, Caruso and he is Bonci and between the two of us there's an abyss—but because he's not a very decent fellow. I hope his engagement is scheduled after mine, and I'd appreciate it if you could find out.
I have been having the newspapers sent to you by my secretary who addressed the last letter that he wrote to you on my behalf to Mr. Spinelli. Luckily I realized it in time. It's clear that that thorn he has in his ––– tickles him from time to time.
As far as the opening opera is concerned, I do not think it will be Gioconda, Elixir, or Rigoletto. It's all the same to me, but it cannot be an opera that I have never done before.
Today I shall write to my wife and ask her to send you a photograph of me, because I have only two with me and both are autographed.
Once Bonci's engagement has been confirmed, see if you can get me out of doing Barbiere, Don Pasquale, Marriage of Figaro and [...] because it's too much work to learn all that for the first year and I can do them in the second year, if, that is, these gentlemen decide that they like me. I believe that they will, because one doesn't come over for nothing [...]" (5205)

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Autograph Letter

Opera

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