Autographed Memorabilia — Opera Programs Collection

Original program for a concert at Avery Fisher Hall, New York, January 31st, 1979, by the star soprano Leontyne Price performing arias and songs; signed by her. Size is 5.7 x 9 inches, full program with all pages and covers, in excellent condition.

Program for a concert at Central Hall, Scarabough, The United Kingdom, on January 26th, 1955 by Norma Procter, Elsie Morison, and William Herbert, signed by them on the front cover, plus pianist Michael Mullinar. Size is 5.75 x 8.8 inches, 8 pages, in excellent condition.

Italian tenor (1923-2008), prominent from the 1950s to the early 1970s. Signed photograph, shown as Alfredo in Verdi's La Traviata, stamped on verso by photographer Erio Piccagliani, La Scala, Milan. Size is 5 x 7 inches, in excellent condition.  Also included: 1 page 8 x 11 inch cast list of Metropolitan Opera 1965 performance of Puccini's La Boheme in which he sang the role of Rodolfo with his signature and his inscription at the left side of the page. Both in excellent condition, not sold separately.

Italian tenor (1923-2008), prominent from the 1950s to the early 1970s. Signed photograph, shown as himself, inscribed, stamped on verso by photographer A. Villiani, Bologna. Size is 5 x 7 inches, in excellent condition.  Also included: 1 page 8 x 11 inch cast list of Metropolitan Opera 1968 performance of Puccini's Tosca in which he sang the role of Mario Cavaradossi with his signature at the left side of the page, several small creases, otherwise in very good condition. Not sold separately.

Italian tenor (1923-2008), prominent from the 1950s to the early 1970s. Signed photograph, shown as himself, inscribed. Size is 8 x 10 inches, in excellent condition.  Also included: 1 page 8 x 11 inch cast list of Metropolitan Opera 1967 performance of Puccini's La Boheme in which he sang the role of Rodolfo with his signature at the right side of the page, several small tears on far edges, otherwise in very good condition. Not sold separately.

Program for a recital of the Italian bass-baritone in Paris on April 3rd, 1998, signed by him on the front cover.  Size is 8.25 x 10.6 inches, full program with all pages and covers, in excellent condition.

Original front cover from a vintage program for a performance of the star soprano Rosa Raisa in San Francisco, 1921, during the Chicago Grand Opera tour in that city.  Size is 6.5 x 10.1 inches, 1 page, overall rust tone, in very good condition.

Swedish tenor (1901-1954), known for Wagner and other dramatic tenor repertoire. Signed cast page from a Metropolitan Opera Performance of Verdi's Otello from February 1946 that also co-starred Stella Roman and Leonard Warren and that was conducted by George Szell.  Each page is 6.5 x 9 pages, Ralf's signature is on the unfolded program page. In excellent condition. 

American soprano (1928-1984), signed recital program from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York on October 9, 1964.  Full program with titles and translated texts for each of the pieces performed, signature is on the first program page. Size is 6 x 9 inches, in excellent condition.

Program for a performance of Otello at the Vienna Staatsoper, June 11th, 1946. Conductor: Rudolf Moralt. Among the cast: Max Lorenz - Paul Schoffler - Peter Klein - Maria Reining. Size is 15 x 21 cm, 1 page, both sides printed, signed on the front by Maria Reining and Max Lorenz (incomplete signature).

Austrian soprano (1903-1991), known for Strauss and Wagnerian roles. Signed program for the Ford Sunday Evening Hour radio broadcast on the Columbia Broadcasting System, from December 11,1938. The program is a folded 4-page document with each page sized 4.25 x 7.25 inches, with the signature on the front program page. The program contains descriptions of each of the pieces performed along with biographies of each of the artists involved (this program was conducted by Jose Iturbi). Slight rust at top and bottom of pages, otherwise in excellent condition.

Signed program of a performance of Puccini's La Boheme with Reining as Mimi at the Vienna Staatsoper, June 30th 1946. One page, signed by her at the top, in very good condition.

Full season program book for the 1932 season of the Academie Nationale de Musique de Danse, Paris, with an inscribed signature of one of the most prestigious featured artists French Soprano Solange Petit Renaux, next to a photo of her shown on an interior page. This is a full season program with all pages and covers and featuring photographs of many other leading opera performers. Size of each page is 5.25 x 7.25 inches,  this is a well-preserved historic item in excellent condition. 

Program for a performance of Verdi's "Un Ballo in Maschera" at The Lyric Theatre of Chicago on November 29, 1955, featuring Jussi Bjorling, Anita Cerquetti, Tito Gobbi, under the baton of Nicola Rescigno -who signed on the cast page. Size is 8.5 x 11 inches, full program with all pages and cover, in excellent condition.

Program for a performance of Beethoven's Misa Solemnis at the Hill Auditorium, Ann Arbor, USA, 1947 by the Philadelphia Orchestra and the University Choral Union under the baton of Thor Johnson; signed by the four soloists plus the organist Frieda Vogan.  Size is 6.75 x 10 inches, central fold, in very good condition.

Program for a recital of the American soprano and the Swedish tenor with a pianist at the SPAM -Sociedad Pro Arte Musical, Havana, Cuba, January 20th, 1947, signed by both singers.  Size is 5.5 x 8.6 inches, 1 sheet printed on both sides, in excellent condition.

Argentinian soprano (1920/8-2013) and Italian mezzo-soprano (1920-2003), signed program pages, by both singers, of a performance of Aida at Teatro Colon, dated in 1947. Size is 6.5 x 9 inches.

Program for a recital of the Puertorican coloratura soprano at SPAM -Sociedad ProArte Musical, Havana, Cuba, on January 15th, 1953, signed by her on the program page.  Size is 5.4 x 8.6 inches, 4 pages, in excellent condition.

Program for the world premiere of Richard Rodney Bennett's opera "Victory" at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, on April 13th, 1970, signed on the first page by the composer himself, Beverley Cross (librettist), and Edward Downes (conductor). Also signed on the cast page by most of the cast, including Donald McIntyre, Inia Te Wiata, Edgar Evans, and others. Size is 5.25 x 9 inches, full program with all pages and covers, in excellent condition.

Program for a recital by soprano Stella Roman with pianist Sally Leff at Sociedad ProArte Musical, Havana, 1948. Four-pages program, signed by the soprano. Size is 5.5 x 8.5 inches, minor stains on cover, otherwise in very good condition.

Set of three signed programs from the great Danish tenor (1897-1972), with full cast lists for performances in Vienna in 1949 of Puccini's Turandot, Johan Strauss's Eine Nacht in Venedig and Franz Salmhofers Iwan Tarassenko, 4 pages each signed by the tenor on the cast page. Each is 6 x 8.25 inches, in very good condition. Not sold separately. 

Program from a performance of Puccini's Tosca in Berlin, 1935, signed on central pages by the three artists. Cover with NS symbols. Paperback, 4 pages.

Croatian baritone (1922-1987), signed cast page of Massenet's Manon at the Metropolitan Opera, New York, dated in 1963. Size is 8 x 11 inches, small creases on far right of page, otherwise in excellent condition. Also included: 2.5 x 7 inch program insert noting Ruzdak's participation in the cast as a substitute for the originally scheduled baritone.

Fantastic clip from a cast page from a program for a performance of Verdi's Aida at the Chicago Lyric Opera on November 24, 1958, featuring Leonie Rysanek (Aida), Tito Gobbi (Amonasro), and Giulietta Simionato (Amneris), and signed by them. Size is 8.2 x 5.4 inches, in excellent condition.

Legendary Austrian soprano (1926-1998), lot of 1 signed program and 1 signed libretto of Tchaikovsky's Pique Dame, from her farewell performance at the Metropolitan Opera on January 2, 1996 following thirty-seven years of performances at that theatre.  Unfolded program is 5.25 x 8.5 inches, signature is on the cast page (see scan) and also contains a 4 page list of all the roles she performed at the Met as well as 13 black and white photos of her all but one in role.  Libretto is 6.75 x 10.5 inches and is signed on the cover page. Both In excellent condition, not sold separately. 

Legendary Austrian soprano (1926-1998), signed playbill announcing her February 11, 1987 performance at the Metropolitan Opera, New York in the role of Elisabeth in Wagner's Tannhauser with the signature on the cast list (this playbill also lists other operas being performed the same week with different casts, this is the only signature on the playbill). In excellent condition.   

Legendary Austrian soprano (1926-1998), signed program from her February 5, 1959 debut performance at the Metropolitan Opera, New York in the role of Lady Macbeth in Verdi's Macbeth (the signature with an accompanying brief sentiment apparently was composed 32 years later and it appears on the cast page). Full program with all pages and covers. Size of each page is 6.5 x 9 inches.

Austrian soprano (1926-1998), signed program of a performance of the opera Tannhauser, at the Metropolitan Opera in 1979. Size is 8.25 x 11 inches.

German coloratura soprano (1898-1972), signed concert program. Size is 8.5 x 11 inches, small creases and bends and small tear on the right, otherwise in good condition. 

Clipped page from a program for a concert in Washington, 1930, signed by the three artists. Size is 6 x 9 inches, storage holes, in good condition.

Full guide to the festival, with many articles, notes and photographs, in 3 languages (German, French and English), details about the performances and biographical notes on the performers. Signed by several of the artists performing in the festival, including: Evelyn Lear, Hilde Guden, Geraint Evans, Friedrich Holderlin, Wolfgang Sawallisch, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Gerard Souzay, Gerald Moore, Wilhelm Backhaus, and one unidentified signature.  Size is 5.5 x 7.8 inches, 272 pages plus soft covers, in very good condition.

Original vintage program for a performance of an All-Debussy program at the Carnegie Hall with the New York Philharmonic under the baton of Arturo Toscanini on April 19, 1936, signed on the program page by soprano Sayao and mezzo-soprano Rose Bampton. Size is 6 x 9 inches, full program, folds, creases, in overall very good condition.

Program for a performance of Puccini's La Boheme at Teatro Colon, Buenos Aires, 1940. Full program with all pages and covers, signed by Sayo and Kiepura next to program photos and by Eggerth on cover page. Size is 6.25 x 9.inches, in excellent condition.

Program for a recital by the Brazilian soprano and the American tenor on November 11th, 1944, at Montclair, New Jersey, USA, signed by both artists plus the pianist Milne Charnley on the front cover.  Size is 6.25 x 9.5 inches, 4 pages, ink writings, otherwise in excellent condition.

Celebrated Brazilian soprano (1902-1999), signed photograph, shown as Juliet in Gounod's Romeo et Juliette, inscribed, and dated in 1978. Size is 7.5 x 10 inches, in excellent condition.  Also included: a photocopy of a cast page for a Metropolitan Opera performance for the same opera from 1947, containing her signature (which is NOT a photocopy). Size is 6.5 x 6.5 inches, in excellent condition. Not sold separately. 

Cast page signed by the star Italian tenor for his debut at the Metropolitan Opera for a performance of Donizetti's L'Elisir d'Amore, on November 23rd, 1932.  Open size is 13.5 x 10 inches, folds, some cracks on the borders, otherwise in good condition.

Lithuanian violinist and conductor (1908-1993) and Swiss tenor (1919-2007), double signed concert program/playbill from New York's New School concerts in February 1965. 1 page, size is 5.5 x 10 inches, in excellent condition. 

Cast page for a performance of Wagner's "Die Meisersinger" at the Metropolitan Opera, New York, on December 8, 1952, containing 12 signatures of the leading artists involved, including Paul Schoeffler, Hilde Zadek, Hans Hopf, Erich Kunz, Josef Greindl, Mack Harrell, Thomas Hayward, Gabor Corelli, Lawrence Davidson, and others. Size of the two unfolded pages is9 x 13 inches, some creases, but in generally good condition.

German tenor (1935-2019) and conductor, celebrated in both opera and lieder.  Set of 1 4 x 5.7 inch signed photograph, shown as Tamino in Mozart's Die Zauberflote and 1 signed and inscribed 8 x 11 inch cast page of a 1969 Metropolitan Opera performance of Mozart's Don Giovanni, both in excellent condition. Not sold separately. 

Signature on program page, recital performing Brahms and Mozart Songs at Carnegie Hall, New York, April 30thm 1984. Size is 23 x 14.5 cm, 8 pages.

Program for a recital of the star German contralto at the Memorial Hall, in Columbus, Ohio, on April 7, 1919, signed by her with pencil on the front cover. Size is 6 x 8.9 inches, 22 pages plus covers, some rust, central fold, otherwise in very good condition.