{"product_id":"23405-ferrier-kathleen-autograph-letter-discussing-britten-and-bach","title":"Ferrier, Kathleen. (1912–1953) Autograph Letter, discussing Britten and Bach","description":"A very rare and interesting autograph letter from the great contralto who died tragically young. 3 pp. 8vo. Glyndebourne Opera House, Lewes, Sussex. June 26 [1946]. To Kathleen Jaminson in Gravesend, with the holograph envelope.  Signed \"Kathleen (Ferrier)\",  she speaks of rehearsals for Britten's \u003ci\u003eRape of Lucretia\u003c\/i\u003e, in which she is to sing Lucretia (\"I am down here for rehearsals for Benjamin Britten's new opera The Rape of Lucretia: it is wonderful to sing, but as I'm Lucretia I seem to be in for a pretty hectic time! This is my first venture in opera, and I'm loving it so far...\"); accommodations, people who have helped her, and having laryngitis while singing Bach's\u003ci\u003e Mass in B Minor (\u003c\/i\u003e\"It's a wonderful work - the choruses are so magnificent, a soloist feels absolutely minute after them.  I was very miserable, because I was just starting a laryngitical (!) cold, and sang with a fiery tickling throat all night.\") An extraordinary rare letter of outstanding content. Small tear to upper edge of first page, else in very fine condition. \u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003eBenjamin Britten wrote his two act opera\u003ci\u003e The Rape of Lucretia\u003c\/i\u003e for Kathleen Ferrier and it is the first work to which the composer applied his term \"chamber opera.\" The opera was first performed at Glyndebourne on 12th July 1946, with Ferrier in the title role.\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBruno Walter wrote of Ferrier “No summit of solemnity was inaccessible to her, and it was particularly music of spiritual meaning that seemed her most personal domain.”\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Schubertiade Music and Arts","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46093845168287,"sku":"23405","price":1600.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0512\/4826\/7423\/files\/Ferrier_2C_Kathleen_ALS_discussing_Britten_and_Bach_23405d.jpg?v=1722190765","url":"https:\/\/www.schubertiademusic.com\/products\/23405-ferrier-kathleen-autograph-letter-discussing-britten-and-bach","provider":"Schubertiade Music and Arts","version":"1.0","type":"link"}