Unsigned Opera Programs & Posters

Italian soprano (1847-1917), premiered the role of Desdemona in Verdi's Otello in 1887, as well as Tigrana in Puccini's Edgar in 1889. Unsigned playbill, announcing an operatic concert at the Teatro Municipale in Modena, Italy including scenes from both Verdi's Il Trovatore and Un Ballo in Maschera (the latter featuring a duet with the tenor Arturo Byron). Size is 6 x 9 inches, small creases at the bottom and very small bullet hole at the top, otherwise in excellent condition. 

Program/libretto for W.V. Wallace's opera "Maritana" edited by Parepa-Rosa Grand English Opera with a drawing of Euphrosyne on the cover. Size is 5.5 x 8.5 inches, cracks on the cover, loose covers, in very good condition.  

Program of Parsifal at Zopott Festival, 26nd July- 5th August 1931. With Max von Schilling conducting. With Friedrich Plaschke, Otto Helgers, Herbert Janssen, Arnold Greve, Hermann Marowski, Fritz Soot, Göta Ljungberg, Eugenie Burkhardt. Rare. Zopott Festival was next to Bayreuth the most important Wagner Festival in the first half of the 20th century, attracting the most important Wagner singers of that era. Size is 5.5 x 8.75 inches, complete with all pages and covers, in excellent condition

Vintage playbill announcing a performance of the star Italian soprano and other shows (including a performance of Auguste Vestris) at the Theatre Royale Covent Garden, London, in 1828. Size is 7.75 x 13.1 inches, in excellent condition.

Program of the Boston Grand Opera Company for opera performances at the Mechanics Building Auditorium indicating various performances including Verdi's "La Traviata" on March 26, 1882, starring Adelina Patti. Size is 9.25 x 11.8 inches, 10 pages, some cracks, stains, and loss of paper, in fair condition. ALSO INCLUDED is a 4-page extract from another copy of this program with the cast.

Beautiful embossed program with fine decoration for a concert at Buckingham Palace on June  23, 1886, featuring Adelina Patti, Zellia Trebelli, Emma Albani, and others. Size is 7.8 x 9.75 inches, minor stains, in very good condition.

Booklet issued for her farewell tour in the United States and Canada between 1903-1904 that includes an extended biography, some photographs, and musical information. Size is 6.75 x 9.4 inches, damages and stains on the soft covers, in general in very good condition.

Program for the last public concert by Mrs. Patti at The Royal Albert Hall, London, on October 24, 1914, featuring also the Japanese soprano Miura, Carrie Tubb (whose probable signature is found on page 8), and others. Size is 7.25 x 9.2 inches, 8 pages plus covers, some wear, in overall very good condition. ALSO INCLUDED is a modern print photograph of the soprano and her assistants on a train.

Group of 5 full programs, with all pages and covers, 4 are from the Grand Italian Opera company in New York, for opera performances in 1890, and one in Boston, 1885 - all with star soprano Adelina Patti in the cast. Each program includes 2 different but consecutive nights of performances, see scans of cast pages plus one of the covers (page 1) as example.  Star soprano Adelina Patti sings in La Traviata, Lucia di Lammermoor and Romeo et Juliette and Martha with other important singers in the same cast or in other operas, such as Nordica in L´Africaine. Each program is 9.75 x 12.75 inches, has 12 pages in total (including covers) and is in excellent condition.

Full Met Opera program for the performance of Tosca on March 13th, 2004, this was superstar tenor Luciano Pavarotti´s last night at the Met, a much promoted show and sought after ticket. Program is unsigned, complete with all pages and covers, and contains a nice 5-page article about him, with some photos. In excellent condition.

Program for a performance of his opera "Palestrina" in Vienna on February 18, 1928, conducted by himself. Size is 5.75 x 7.8 inches, full program with all pages and covers, in very good condition.

Full program with all pages and covers, performance of his own opera at Teatro Colon, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1931 - Cast includes Georges Thill, Giuseppina Cobelli, Ezio Pinza, Salvatore Baccaloni and others. Size is 8 x 11.25 inches, in excellent condition - see scan of central page (program page).

Large poster announcing her concert in Brussels, on May 20th, 1947 with the National Orchestra of Belgium under the baton of her husband André Kostelanetz.  Size is 46.75 x 31.25 inches, folds, in excellent condition.

French-American lyric coloratura soprano (1898-1976) and actress who had an active career from the late 1920s through the early 1970s. Original promotional booklet for her movie "I Dream Too Much" (1935) with many pictures, articles about the film.  Size is 18 x 12 inches, full program with all pages and covers, central fold, in excellent condition.

Playbill for a performance of a play or opera at the Prague Opera Theater in 1834. Size is 14.75 x 8.75 inches, central fold, in excellent condition.

Program for a performance of the opera Rolande et le Mauvais Garçon, by Henri Rabaud, conducted by the composer at Teatro Colón, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1938, with a mostly French cast. Full program with all pages and covers, 6.25 x 9 inches, in very good condition.

Program signed on the first page, under a color illustration, by the French opera and operetta soprano (1906-1999). Especial brochure published in 1944, commemorating the 50th anniversary of Chabrier´s death, about L´Etoile (opera by Emmanuel Chabrier, premiered in 1877), performed at Opera Comique, Paris, in 1941, and recorded on disc by Pathé.  Colorful, luxurious booklet with many illustrations, limited edition of 500 copies, this is Nr. 192, original wrappers with titles, rust stains in some pages, 9.5 x 12.25 inches, in very good condition.

Early Naples 1860 libretto for Rigoletto, which was premiered in Venice in 1851. Full libretto with all pages, original covers are missing, 4.5 x 6.75 inches, in very good condition.

Set of 3 programs for performances of Der Vagabund und Die Prinzessin/Der Barbier von Bagdad, Faust, and Tess (D'Erlanger) at The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, featuring Emmy Destinn and Giovanni Zenatello (Tess), in the 1910s and/or 1920s. Size is 9.8 x 12.5 inches each, some cracks, folds, in overall good condition.

Fine set of 4 program clips for a complete performance of Wagner's "Der Ring des Nibelungen" at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London on April 25 (Das Rheingold), 26 (Die Walküre), 28 (Siegfried), 30 (Der Götterdämmerung), 1910. Each one's size is 3.6 x 3.5 inches approximately, in very good condition or better. SOLD TOGETHER, NOT SOLD SEPARATELY

Silk program for a performance of Gounod's "Faust" at The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, on July 16, 1900, featuring Edouard de Reszke as Mephistopheles, soprano Suzanne Adams as Marguerite, and tenor Albert Saleza as Faust. Size is 9 x 12.7 inches, evident stains, in overall very good condition.

Silk program mounted on hard cardboard for a gala performance at The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, in honor of the visit of the German Emperor and Empress with the presence of Queen Victoria. The program included complete acts from Lohengrin, Les Huguenots, Orfeo ed Euridice, and Romeo et Juliette, featuring artists such as Jean and Edouard De Reszke, Nelli Melba, Emma Albani, Emma Eames, and some others. Size is 14 x 21.75 inches, some folds, in overall very good condition

Silk program for a gala performance at The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, in honor of the visit of the Persian Shah Naser al-Din to The United Kingdom on July 2, 1889, with the presence of Queen Victoria. The program included the performance of complete acts from Faust and Mefistofele, plus some short scenes from other operas, featuring artists such as Edouard and Jean De Reszke, Nelli Melba, Emma Albani, Sophia Scalchi, Lillian Nordica, and others. See individual descriptions for further details.

Silk program for a gala performance at The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, in honor of the visit of the French President Emile Francois Loubet to The United Kingdom, on July 7, 1903. The program included the performance of complete acts from Rigoletto, Carmen, and Romeo et Juliette, featuring artists such as Alessandro Bonci, Nelli Melba, Emma Calve, Albert Alvarez, Pol Plancon, and Maurice Renaud. See individual descriptions for further details.

Silk program for a gala performance at The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, in honor of the visit of the French President Clement Armand Fallieres to The United Kingdom, on May 27, 1908, with the presence of King Edward VII. The program included the performance of complete acts from Les Pecheurs de Perles and Faust, featuring artists such as Luisa Tetrazzini, John McCormack, Nelli Melba, Giovanni Zenatello, Vanni Marcoux, and others. Size is 12.5 x 16.5 inches, folds, minor cracks, in very good condition.

Silk program for a gala performance at The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, celebrating its centennial with the presence of Queen Elizabeth II. The program included the performance of complete acts from different operas and ballets featuring Maria Callas, Jon Vickers, Joan Sutherland, ballet dancer Margot Fonteyn, and other artists. Size is 11.25 x 22 inches, missing top stick, in near-mint condition.

Set of 4 clips from original programs for performances at Royal Opera House, London, for operas with important performers, including Pauline Lucca in Carmen and Les Huguenots, Adelina Patti in Semiramide, Marcella Sembrich in Rigoletto - and others. Each one is 5.25 inches wide, various heights, all 4 in excellent condition - not sold separately.

Larger size playbill announcing upcoming performances of 4 operas at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London. Announcement playbill includes the names of singers in each cast, including Emma Eames, Jean and his brother Edouard de Reszke, Emma Albani, Victor Maurel and others. Size is 11.1 x 17.5 inches, central folds, in very good condition. Original NOT trimmed at top, bottom nor borders, just the scan is.

Wonderful program made of silk, for a performance at the Royal Opera House in London, on May 27th, 1908, a gala night with the King is receiving the French president. Program includes pieces of operas, with famous performers such as Luisa Tetrazzini, Nellie Melba, John McCormack, Mario Sammarco, Giovanni Zenatello, Vanni Marcoux. A rare occasion with Melba and Tetrazzini on stage in the same night. Size is 12.5 x 16.75 inches, some stains and dust, folds, in overall good condition, looks much better than in the scans.

Program for a state performance in honor of the French president's visit to the United Kingdom at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, on March 22, 1939.  The program includes ballet and orchestral music performed by star artists such as the ballerina Margot Fonteyn and conductor Thomas Beecham. Size is 8.9 x 15.25 inches, full program with all pages and covers, spotted rust on the front cover, uneven surface, in a very unusual shape, in overall very good condition.

Larger size, beautiful, original silk program for an opera performance at the Royal Opera House in London, celebrating the visit of the German Emperor and his wife, in presence of Queen Victoria, July 8th, 1891. Performance included 1 act from each Lohengrin, Romeo et Juliette, Orfeo and Les Huguenots, with some very famous singers including Melba, Emma Eames, the De Reszke Brothers (Jean and Edouard), Albani, Bauermeister and the Ravogli sisters (Giulia and Sofia). Size is 14.5 x 21.75 inches, minor stains, folds, in overall very good condition.

Fine selection of opera programs for performances at the Royal Opera House in London, with a large number of famous singers and conductors.  Most programs are complete with all 4 pages, some only have the first 2 pages. Most are 7.4 x 10 inches, 4 pages, there are 6 that are in larger size, 10 x 12.5 inches. All in good condition or better. See scans of the first page. Sold as a lot only - not sold separately.

Fine collection of 8 programs for opera performances at The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, from the 1920s and 1930s, featuring very famous singers of the time such as Enrico Caruso, Lauritz Melchior, Frida Leider, Nanny Larsen-Todsen, Friedrich Schorr, Ezio Pinza, Conchita Supervia, Emmy Destinn, Mario Sammarco, Nelly Melba, Giovanni Zenatello, Antonio Scotti, Vanni Marcoux, Luisa Tetrazzini, and others. Sizes are 7.4 x 9.9 inches (5), and 9.75 x 12.25 inches (3), in different conditions, signs of wear, in overall very good condition. SOLD TOGETHER, NOT SOLD SEPARATELY.

Beautiful Jubilee Souvenir program for the Season 1908 at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, with many photographs of artists. Size is 8.7 x 11 inches, 52 pages including covers, some dust on the front cover, otherwise in very good condition.

Program for the 1912 season of The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, listing the operas, ballets, singers and dancers programmed for that season. Size is 8 x 10 inches, 4 pages, folds, in very good condition.

Fantastic set of 21 programs for different opera performances at The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, between 1925 and 1937. Size is 7.4 x 9.9 inches each (except one), in very good condition or better. SOLD ONLY AS A LOT, NOT SOLD SEPARATELY.

Set of two programs for performances of the operas "Sadko" and "Ruslan & Ludmila" performed by the Opera Russe at the Theatre des Champs Elysees, Paris, 1930; with some important singers and dancers.  Both programs are nicely decorated with ilustrations and photographs.  Size for both is 9.5 x 12.5 inches, both with all pages and covers, some wear over the cover (see scans). SOLD TOGETHER, NOT SOLD SEPARATELY

Brochure of the 1956 edition of the famous Salzburg Festival held between July 1st - 13th, that includes the entire schedule of performances (many important conductors invited).  Size is 4 x 8.2 inches, 4 pages, in excellent condition.

Prominent festival of music and drama established in 1920, held each summer for five weeks starting in late July in Salzburg, Austria. Guide book for the 1950 edition of the Salzburg Festival. 144 pages plus covers, some damage over the binding, some wear, in overall very good condition.

Prominent festival of music and drama established in 1920, held each summer for five weeks starting in late July in Salzburg, Austria. Guide book for the 1951 edition of the Salzburg Festival. 112 pages plus covers, some damage over the binding, some wear, in overall very good condition.

Lot of 6 different schedule brochures (opens in accordion-like style) for the Salzburg Festival, editions 1958, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1964, and 1965, with very important programmed performances and guest artists.  Folded size is 4 x 8.25 inches each one, 8 pages or less (only first page shown in scans), in excellent condition. SOLD ONLY AS A LOT, NOT SOLD SEPARATELY.

Official guide to the Festival, with all 100+ pages and covers, many articles and photographs, schedule and a map of Salzburg. Size is 5 x 7.1 inches, some wear on covers, in excellent condition.

Official guide to the Festival, with all 100+ pages and covers, many articles and photographs, schedule and a map of Salzburg. Size is 5 x 7.1 inches, some wear on covers, in excellent condition.

Official guide to the Festival, with all 140 pages and covers, many articles and photographs, schedule and theater plans. Size is 4.9 x 7 inches, in excellent condition.

Group of 10 programs and 1 booklet, Salzburg Festivals 1930-32, including some famous conductors. Programs with detailed cast are 4.5 x 9 inches, the 1930 Rosenkavalier booklet is 5.75 x 9 inches, all in very good condition. See scans.

Lot including 4 Festival Almanach (I through IV) and 4 performance programs from the Salzburg Festival in 1942. Almanachs are brochures sized 6.75 x 9.5 inches each, and programs are 5.75 x 8.25 inches. ALSO INCLUDED are 2 Spielplans or brochures with the full festival schedule, each one is 4 x 8 inches, years 1939 and 1941.

Group of 8 Spielplans or Salzburg Festival performance plan programs, these are folded booklets showing all performances in the festival, each one is 4 x 8.25 inches each page. As an example, the 1933 Spielplan is shown expanded. All in very good condition, some repeats: 2 copies of 1934, 4 copies of 1939 and 2 of 1943, plus an extra, more detailed version of the 1938 Festival are all included in this lot.

Fine collection of 3 unsigned opera programs for performances of Samson et Dalila (September 1, 1925), L'Amore dei Tre Re (October 2, 1925), and Il Barbiere di Siviglia (September 24, 1925), featuring Elvira de Hidalgo, Tito Schippa, and others, at the San Francisco Opera. Each one's size is 7 x 10.3 inches, full programs with all pages and covers, in excellent condition.