Autograph Letter Signed by Verdi Giuseppe Italian Composer (5 results)

8vo. 2¼ pp. on bifolium. Written in ink. To Count Opprandino Arrivabene (1807-87), writing in the aftermath of "La semaine sanglante" which marked the suppression of the Paris Commune in 1871. Arrivabene was Verdi's close friend, and appears to have been in Paris for the events of Spring 1871 while Verdi was in Florence; the tone of the letter is nonetheless light to start. He wishes his friend a good Easter, and hopes to confess the acts of impatience committed while Verdi was in Florence ("Buona Pasqua; e vatti a confessare almeno tutte gli atti d'impazienza commesi nel tempo che io sono a Firenze"). Verdi exclaims, "io peccato abbastanza? Povero arrivabene!", and explains that "Mazzucato è stato qui ieri, e abbiamo lavorato ancora al Regolamento." Mazzucato was likely Alberto Mazzucato (1813-77), who had retired from composition after his last opera, "Hernani", but who evidently remained involved with fellow composers of his day. - Business having been discussed, Verdi turns to the news of the Paris Commune: Why did Arrivabene not say anything about France? It could have been much worse! "Ben peggio del 93! Allora si trattava d'acquistare e rassodare una libertà che non avevano ancora avuto; en non avevano sofferto tanti desastri, nè avevano un nemico in casa!". One day, Verdi tells his friend, one will not be able to believe such infamy ("questa nefandità"). - Gently creased at folds; ink has faintly bled through. Date of letter pencilled onto blank final page in modern hand.

8vo. 1 p., with accompanying envelope. Written in ink. Verdi, hard at work on a composition, writes to Count Opprandino Arrivabene, "Io holavorato tutt'oggi alla messa", but that he wishes to "sospendo un momento per augurarti Salute, Buona amore", etc. The mass Verdi is composing in December 1873 may well be his Messa da Requiem, composed in memory of Alessandro Manzoni who had died that spring, and which would be first performed in May 1874. - Opprandino Arrivabene (1807-87) and Verdi were lifelong friends, and kept up a warm correspondence on subjects of music, politics, and private life. - Letter gently creased along folds, envelope lightly soiled with its date noted in pencil in a modern hand.

8vo. 2 pp. on bifolium. To an "Illustre Signore" who has requested his aid in weighing the skill of a fellow composer. However, Verdi does not know the gentleman in question ("Non conosco il sig. Maestro Mercuri") and thus cannot pass judgement on him: instead, he suggests it would be better to have a contest in order to find a satisfactory answer. Verdi goes on to say that he is happy that these circumstances have given him the advantage of corresponding with a person who greatly honours Italy and science ("una persona, che onora tanto l'Italia e la scienza"), and he dares to hope that he will be forgiven for not having been able to answer more satisfactorily the question he was asked. - The maestro in question was likely Agostino Mercuri (1839-92) who wrote several operas. His son later claimed in a biography of Mercuri that his father was familiar with many great musical names of his age, including Verdi, but perhaps this was an exaggeration, or refers to a later acquaintance after Mercuri wrote his most famous opera, "Adelinda", the year following this letter. - Gently creased along folds; subtle paper repair to small closed tear.

8vo. ½ page on bifolium. With autograph address on verso. To his French publisher Léon Escudier (1821-81), regretting his being unable to visit him, but asking him to come to his place instead, as he has several things to tell him: "Son de plato di non poter venire da voi; ed avrei pure tante cose a dirvi. Fatemi dunque l'estremo favore di venire da me verse le 12 ore []". - With former collector's number "98" in pencil. Traces of former mounting on reverse; address leaf with two marginal tears.

8vo. 1½ pp. Bifolium with integral address panel. In Italian, to Léon Escudier, the French publisher of Giuseppe Verdi's works: "I have received almost contemporaneously your very much valued letters. Lucca has assured me that you would have the preference of the Opera of London, and that this affair shall be definitively concluded when I and Lucca in April shall pass through Paris to go to London. As to the Opera, it suffices that you sustain me. I want to advise you that in the Carnival of 1847 I must write an Opera for L. which shall be performed in Rome, thus I could not make in that period another Opera. For the present we must suspend this business, and the case wh shall speak of it when I shall be in Paris. Give me news of Ernania [.]" (transl.). - Traces of folds; small tear on f. 2. Formerly the property of a private Chicago-area collector.