Signed Louis Mélançon of New York photograph of the Italian tenor, one of the greatest of the 20th century, in costume as Calaf for a Metropolitan Opera production of Puccini's Turandot. Corelli has inscribed "To Paul / per ricordo / Franco Corelli" in black ink to the right side of the image. Press note to verso reads "Franco Corelli in the role of Calaf in which he will be heard on Tuesday evening, April 20th, when the Metropolitan Opera presents Puccini's spectacular opera, Turandot in the Memorial Auditorium." Photographer's stamp and Metropolitan Opera Press Department label to verso. Overall in fine condition. 8 x 10 inches (20.3 x 25.4 cm.). Read More...
Aggrieved ALS from the Spanish tenor to an unidentified individual ("Illustre e caro M[aes]tro") at La Scala Opera House, likely the conductor Victor de Sabata, then principal conductor (1929-1953). London, 24 August 1933; 4 pp. on Hotel Belgravia stationary. Fagoaga writes to inquire why he has not heard from La Scala about the upcoming season, writing in part "Who would not think of me for the part of Siegmund in Die Walküre? And such a magnificent part as Grishka in The Invisible City, they would not entrust it to me? And for de Falla's Vida Breve?" Mailing folds and light wear to edges, else in fine condition. 5 x 8 inches (12.7 x 20.3 cm.). Read More...
ALS from the Italian tenor to an unidentified individual ("Gentile Maestro") at La Scala Opera House, likely the conductor Victor de Sabata, then principal conductor (1929-1953), regarding a salary negotiation. Naples, 10 July 1942; 3 pp. on bifold stationary. Ferrauto notes that his most recent salary from La Scala was 5500 Lira per performance. Mailing folds, else in fine condition. 5.75 x 7.75 inches (14.6 x 19.7 cm.). Read More...
Rare autograph signature from the great contralto who died so tragically young, signed in black ink to a card. Mounting remnants to verso, trimmed upper corners, else in fine condition. 6.5 x 5 inches (16.5 x 12.7 cm.).
Bruno 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.”
Evocative original Louis Milançon photograph of the American soprano on stage as Manon in Puccini's Manon Lescaut, ca. 1949. Kirsten, who had an illustrious career at the Metropolitan Opera, has inscribed "To Paul / Dorothy Kirsten" in black ink. Several staple holes lining the edges, else in fine condition. 8 x 10 inches (20.3 x 25.4 cm.). Read More...
Signed Louis Melancon photograph of the great American baritone, shown in costume for his role as Miller in Verdi's Luisa Miller, which was set to open the Metropolitan Opera's 34th one-week Boston engagement at the War Memorial Auditorium on April 22, 1968. Milnes' impressive performance as Miller that year catapulted him to international acclaim, and in the 1970s, he was the leading baritone at the Metropolitan Opera. Signed and inscribed in black ink to the lower right. Minor wear to edges, overall in fine condition. 8.1 x 10 inches (20.5 x 25.4 cm.). Read More...
Doubleweight Daguerre of Chicago photograph of the great soprano in costume as Aida for a production with the Chicago Civic Opera, with their stamp to verso. In fine condition. 8 x 10 inches (20.3 x 25.4 cm.). Read More...
Signed and inscribed Fayer photograph of the important Swedish soprano, shown in a white fur and pearls in a promotional photograph for the National Concert & Artist Corporation. Light toning and creasing to edges, else fine. 8 x 10 inches (20.3 x 25.4 cm). Read More...
Striking signed photograph of the important Swedish soprano in perhaps her greatest role (in 1981, Sweden issued a postage stamp showing Nilsson as Turandot), inscribed "To Paul / with kind regards / Birgit Nilsson" in blue ink, shown in costume as Turandot for a promotional photograph from the National Concert & Artist Corporation. Light toning and creasing to edges, else fine. 8 x 10 inches (20.3 x 25.4 cm). Read More...
Signed Bender photograph of the American soprano and philanthropist, who has signed and inscribed "All good wishes / Marguerite Piazza." Pinhole to lower margin, else fine. 8 x 10 inches (20.3 x 25.4 cm.). Read More...
Signed glamor photograph of the American soprano and philanthropist, who has inscribed "To Paul / best wishes / Marguerite Piazza." Slight crease to upper right corner, else in very fine condition. 10 x 8 inches (25.4 x 20.3 cm.). Read More...
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[Opera]
Ponselle, Rosa. (1897-1981). Three Original Mishkin Photographs in "L'Africaine" and "Andrea Chénier"
Trio of original Mishkin of New York doubleweight portraits of the American opera singer from the collection of Charles Drumheller, tenor and longtime rehearsal pianist at the Metropolitan Opera and Chicago Lyric Opera. Ponselle is shown in costume in two of the photographs, one as Maddalena in Umberto Giordano's Andrea Chénier and the other as Sélika in Giacomo Meyerbeer's L'Africaine. Small area perished from lower right corner of one photograph, some fingerprints to margins of sitting portrait, overall in fine condition. 8 x 10 inches (20.3 x 25.4 cm). Read More...
Striking original doubleweight Melitta Lang of Buenos Aires photograph of the great Italian tenor in costume as Count Almaviva for a production of Gioachino Rossini's The Barber of Seville. Two small tears to lower margin of photographer's mount, image in very fine condition. On the original photographer's linen-textured mount, pencil note on verso from Chicago Civic Opera. 7 x 10.75 inches (17.8 x 27.3 cm.). Read More...
Two autograph panegyrics to the legendary German soprano, written and presented to her on the occasion of a performance in Dresden in March 1852. One page each, written on the rectos of sheets with embossed decorative frames. In German, each in black ink. First item: by Austrian baritone Johann Michael Wächter, who appeared onstage at the concert alongside Sontag. Poem of eight lines followed by prose dedication: "Complete, majestic woman, the favor of fate that allowed me once more, after our life paths had been separate for such a long time, to perform with you, sublime artist, and to be reminded of the most beautiful past, by accepting these most deeply felt words." Signed "Wächter" (initials "J.M." added in pencil in an unknown hand), dated "Dresden, March 8, 1852." 8 x 9.6 inches (24 x 20 cm), unevenly cut. Second item: by Franz [illegible] Count Boyen[?]. Aphorism: "There are just a few whom art marks with perfection on their brow. Beholding them, the heart indulges in past and present!" Signed in full. Date: "Dresden, March 1852." 7.3 x 5.3 inches (18.5 x 13.5 cm), mounted on white paper. In very good condition. Both items from the album of Sontag (note on verso in an unknown hand). Read More...
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Signed Community Concert Association (San Francisco) program from a performance by the American soprano, 1948–49. The evening included vocal music by Beethoven, Mascagni, Schubert, Strauss, Wagner, Rachmaninoff, Mendelssohn, Burleigh, Engel, Fairchild, and Ilgenfritz. In fine condition. 6.25 x 9.5 inches (15.9 x 24.1 cm.). Read More...
Large format original exhibition albumen portrait photograph of the singer, signed in ink by the famous French photographer and embossed with his logo on the mount. Photograph in very fine condition, some light wear to edges of mount, else fine. Oval albumen photograph measures 6.3 x 7 inches (16 x 18 cm.), the full mount 10.6 x 15.75 inches (27 x 40 cm.). Read More...
Incredible signed photograph of three members of the great Messerer/Plisetsky ballet dynasty rehearsing together, including Soviet ballerina and choreographer Maya Plisetskaya posing with her younger brother Azari and an unidentified second male dancer under the direction of Maya and Azari's uncle, Bolshoi ballet master Asaf Messerer. All four individuals have signed their names in black ink. Mounting remnants to verso, else in very fine condition. 10 x 8 inches (25.4 x 20.3 cm.). Read More...
Collection of eight autograph signatures on two autograph album leafs from prominent flamenco dancers and musicians, all of whom have signed to programs which were subsequently trimmed and mounted. Signatures include Carmen Amaya and Francisco Amaya, who has signed "Paco"; Argentinita, Pilar Lopez, Jose Greco, and Carlos Montoya; and Antonio Triana and another signature from Pilar Lopez. Together with an energetic halftone photograph of a flamenco ensemble. In fine condition. 6.75 x 5 inches (17.1 x 12.7 cm.).
Carte de visite photograph of the French circus acrobat and aerialist who developed the art of trapeze, popularized the one-piece gym wear that now bears his name, and who inspired the 1867 song "The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze" sung by George Leybourne. Label of Lacy, Theatrical Bookseller, London, to verso. 3.2 x 2.4 inches (9.7 x 6.1 cm). Raised stamp of the photographer (unidentified) at foot of image, identification written in early ink in an unidentified hand, overall in fine condition.
Souvenir program from a performance by the great ballet dancer and choreographer, ca. 1925, with summaries of each of the evening's dances, which included music by composers such as Tchaikovsky, Saint-Saëns, Glazunov, Rubinstein, and others. The program, bound with string, includes numerous halftone photographs of Mordkin and members of his company, including a particularly striking image on the cover of Mordkin posing with a drawn bow. 16 pp. In very fine condition. 9 x 12 inches (22.9 x 30.5 cm.). Read More...