OPERA

See her entry in the Oxford DNB. The recipient (?Broadley Pasha?) was a renowned autograph collector and shady social figure, as well as the de facto editor of Edmund Yates?s ?World?. 3pp, 16mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged, with slight sunning to first page, and traces of mount on blank final page. Folded once. Signed ?Genevi?ve Ward? (note the accent). The letter relates to the 1889 revival at the London Opera Comique of the role which made her famous, Stephanie, Marquise de Mohrivar, in Merivale and Grove?s 1879 play ?Forget Me Not?.

See her entries in Encyclopaedia Britannica and the Oxford DNB. 2pp, 12mo. On first leaf of bifolium. On patterned grey paper, with the first page with a thin white border. In good condition, lightly aged, with minor evidence of mount on blank reverse of second leaf. Folded for postage. Signed ?Adelina Patti Cederstr?m?.

2pp, 12mo. The five signatures in pencil on a single Festival letterhead. In good condition, slightly discoloured, with two unobtrusive dabs of glue from mount at head of reverse. The three signatures on the recto are headed by Noni’s large bold one: ‘Alda Noni / Edinburgh 1953’. Beneath this is that of ‘[Raul Herrman?] / (beardless) / Aug. 28, ’53’. At the foot is an indecipherable Easter European signature, with small pencil illustration: ‘[Woftniltuntz?]’. On the reverse: ‘Malcolm Sargent’ above ‘Michael Hordern’. Image on request.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB, as well as that of Manby who had, as the letter indicates, strong French connections. In addition to his work as Secretary to the Institution of Civil Engineers, Manby was also the business manager of the Adelphi Theatre in London. 3pp, 12mo. Bifolium. Letter of thirty-eight lines on the first three pages, with address and four postmarks (two French and two English) on reverse of second leaf: ‘C. Manby Esq. / Institution Civil Engineers / 25 Great George St. / Westminster / London / Angleterre’.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, small 4to. In good condition, lightly creased and with central vertical fold for posting. Signed 'John Christie'. He gives details of forthcoming performances: 'So far a week ago 11 performances were heavily booked including 3 sold out: you could let me know presently which dress rehearsal you would like to come to & I will give you 2 seats free.'

See her entry in the Oxford DNB. 9 x 6 cm calling card, with 'Mlle. Emma Albani' printed in copperplate in the centre. Above this, at the head of the card, she has written 'J. Bennett Esq.' And around the printed signature she has written the unsigned inscription: 'With [Mlle. Emma Albani]'s compliments & heartfelt thanks -'. Date by her at bottom left: '1876'. See IMage.

1p, 12mo. On blue-grey paper with matching stamped, postmarked envelope with typed address to ‘Mr. James Butt / 23 Hartop Rd. / St. Marychurch / TORQUAY’. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded for postage. Good large signature: ‘Isobel Baillie’. In response to his enquiry, she reports that she has ‘several good pupils who could make satisfactory Sacred Records’, but she would like him to hear them first.

Meyerbeer’s diary records (25 May 1853) a visit ‘from Raoul Allary, who makes wind instruments. He is an opponent of Sax, and came to me because he had heard that I had spoken to the emperor on Sax’s behalf’ (1999 English translation of volume for 1850-1856). A pencil note at the head of the present letter identifies the subject as ‘Louise Gned / 4 Rue [de] Bellefond [Paris]’. Gned (b.1810) was an Austrian soprano from a musical/theatrical family, who faded into obscurity.

See her entry in the Oxford DNB. The programme is 8pp, 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged, with minor rust to staples. The cover consists of the royal crest printed in red, and the rest in black: ‘ROYAL OPERA HOUSE / COVENT GARDEN’ above the crest, and ‘THE SADLER’S WELLS / BALLET / 1947’ below it. At an angle across the centre of the page, in blue ink, is the large signature ‘Margot Fonteyn’.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 4to. In fair condition, lightly aged and creased. Folded twice for postage. The letter reads (with autograph parts in square brackets): ‘[Dear Mr. Hedley,’] / Thank you. / Mary and I are of course thrilled - first and foremost for Glyndebourne’s sake. / [It was charming of you to write. / Yours sincerely, / George Christie / P.S. I’m afraid I dont ever send autographed photographs. Sorry to disappoint you.] / [P]PS Please forgive typescript.’

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, foolscap 8vo. In fair condition, lightly aged and creased. Folded twice for postage. The address is printed on a small golden label affixed at the top left corner. Addressed to ‘Dear Mr. Catry’ and signed ‘With all best wishes - and thank you for writing! / Sincerely, / Eric Crozier.’ He asks him to forgive a typed letter, as he is ‘convalescing from a heart-attack, and still not very good at hand-writing.

Calling Card, 9.5 x 5.5cm, some staining but text clear. See Images. Printed text (recto) is as follows: Léo Delibes || Membre de l'Institut || 220 rue de Rivoli. He has written the following; Mille remerciements bien affectueux, cher collaborateur. Vous permettez ce titre, sinon a l'auteur du Roi l'a dit [underlined], du moins a celui de 'Lakmé'! | L.D.

Meyerbeer is said to have been the most frequently performed opera composer during the nineteenth century. He encouraged and supported the young Wagner, who turned on him viciously later in life. Lady Molesworth (née Andalusia Carstairs, d.1888) had herself been a professional singer. She was the widow of Sir William Molesworth (1810-55), founder of the London Review and owner, under the editorship of John Stuart Mill, of the Westminster Review.

2pp, 12mo. Seventeen lines of text, with a few lines and the signature written lengthwise on the second page. On bifolium. Accompanied by the letter’s stamped and postmarked envelope, addressed by Power to ‘Mrs Lane / 67 Addison Road / W14’. (Note that she lives in the same street.) Both letter and envelope in good condition, lightly aged. Letter folded once. Signed ‘Geo. Power’. He explains that a friend of his, Rev. Eric O. Norman’, ‘who is a fine musician & pianist is trying to get together a small orchestra for a concert on the 24th. May’ and he wonders whether she would ‘care to join’.

Underlined signature on 9 x 1.5 cm piece of wove paper, apparently cut from letter. In good condition. Reads ‘Joan Sutherland.’ Reverse blank. See image

On 9 x 13.5 cm newspaper cutting of photographic portrait of Jarred. In good condition, lightly aged. Reads: ‘Mary Jarred / 1935.’ The photograph shows Jarred posing in a black dress and pearls, with left hand arranging her white fur coat to tastefully emphasize her bust. See image.

On 17.5 x 11.5 cm leaf of pink paper, with rounded edges, removed from autograph album. In good condition, lightly aged. Written in a large, expansive hand, diagonally and upwards. Reads: ‘With all / good wishes / Oda Slobodskaya’. See image.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. Even towards the end of his life Bernard Shaw could remark that ‘he can still leave the next best tenor in England an immeasurable distance behind’. 1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged, with minor traces of mount to inner margin. Folded once. Very nice embossed letterhead, printed in gold, brown, green and red, with bird perched on top of a treble clef, entwined with foliage and a twisted branch in the shape of the ‘R’ of ‘Reeves’. Reads: ‘Sir / This autograph with pleasure, according to your request / Yours faithfully / June 1872 / J. Sims Reeves’.

For Diaghilev Slobodskaya starred in the 1922 Paris premiere of Stravinsky's opera Mavra, and she toured Europe as principal soprano with Chaliapin’s company. For her serious operatic work she retained her real name, but she used the stage name ‘Odali Careno’ when performing in vaudeville and light entertainment. 1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded twice. Dated in another hand at foot: ‘24-6-30’ (the period of her appearance in a London Palladium production).

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 12mo. In fair condition, lightly aged. Folded once. In a loose, untidy hand. He is ‘much obliged for the note of the 4th.’, and as she wishes has sent instructions to ‘Davy’, to whom he asks her to ‘send all communications’. He is ‘very sorry indeed’ to ‘loose [sic]’ her as a tenant.

2pp, 12mo. On bifolium. Folded once. The first page is scored through in ink, with pencil annotations at head. The final page, with Saléza’s signature, is unmarked. He asks him for as many seats as possible for that evening. He would like ‘une bonne loge, deux Stalls et plusieurs petites places’. He will pass by the office to collection, and asks for them to be left in his name.

1p, 12mo. On bifolium. In fair condition, with two pencil notes at head, one in orange. Folded twice. He hopes he is not abusing the kindness of 'Monsieur Menager' (i.e. the house manager) by asking for two seats, for his wife and her friend, as they would like to go to the opera that night. After terminating the letter in the customary Gallic fashion, he adds a postscript asking for the reply to be left with the porter.

Clearly given in response to an autograph collector, and written for display on front panel of envelope. Dimensions: 10.5 x 8.5 cm. In good condition, lightly aged. Horizontal crease along bottom not affecting signature, which reads ‘Emma Albani Gye | 1883.’ In 1883, after several years of enormous success in Europe, Albani returned to Canada to give a series of recitals. Thousands turned out to greet her arrival in Montreal.

At top right-hand corner of part of printed English libretto to Leoncavallo’s ‘Pagliacci’. Dimensions: 13.5 x 17.5 cm. Sloping upwards towards the corner, and underlined: ‘Luigi Montesanto | 1936’. On shiny art paper and in fair condition, lightly creased and a little dog-eared at the corner of the signature. The cutting is headed: ‘Prologue (Pagliacci) ... ... ... ... Leoncavallo | LUGI MONTESANTO | PROLOGUE’, with thirty-two lines of English translation.

An interesting and evocative collection of ephemeral material, casting light on the social activities and entertainments of the British in India in the last months of the Indian Mutiny, also the year of the dissolution of the East India Company. No other record of this amateur ‘Corps Dramatique’, or of its conductor ‘Mrs. Comfit’, has been discovered.

Paper, 18 x 4cm, laid down on paper, 15 x 24cm, grubby, Signature of John Rich with note and a title[?], as follows: Mrs Rich's Ground | Mr Linley | 5 Guineas for Fülling | Jn. Rich. No illumination from Google. John Rich's signature and autograph apparently hen's teeth. Perhaps Rich is best remembered for the success of John Gay's Beggar's Opera and the 'invention' of Pantomime..

1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded once. Only the salutation ('Dear Mrs. Russell,') and the valediction ('Yours very sincerely | Edward German :' are in German's hand; the rest is by a secretary. He writes that he would 'have liked to write you [sic] personally, but it is a little more than I can manage at present'. Nevertheless he assures her that he is 'most grateful' for her 'very kind message'.

3pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged, with thin strip of paper from mount adhering to blank reverse of second leaf, one corner of which has been slightly damaged by the opening of the wafer. Folded twice. The letter begins: 'Mme. Goldschmidt presents her best Compliments to Lady Cullum and begs to express her sincere thanks for the most beautiful flowers she received this morning from Lady Cullum and which certainly do “enliven” her drawing room at the Hotel'.

1p, 12mo. Leaf of lightly-browned and creased aged paper, with closed tears to one edge. The two men are clearly writing in response to requests for autographs. Marchetti has written out four bars – slightly affected at end by closed tear – from what he states is 'Ruy Blas Preludio'. Beneath this he signs, in a firm attractive hand, 'F Marchetti'. At the head he dates: 'Roma 14 9bre 92'.

2pp, 12mo. Bifolium. Aged and grubby; folded several times. Reads: 'I am sorry to say I do not know Mr Alexander or would have been very pleased to give your friend an introduction to him. | Hoping you are well – with kind regards. | Yours sincerely | Decima Moore'.