Mahler, Gustav - Signed Contract 1898

Austrian composer (1860-1911) and conductor, one of the leading of his generation. Rare contract signed in 1898 by him as Director of the Vienna Court Opera (a position he held for 10 years, starting in 1897).

In this document, conditions are specified for Hermann Regel (1869-1934) for the choreography of the 1898 world premiere performances of "Die Rothen Schuhe", a ballet with music by Hungarian composer Raoul Mader (1856-1940). Mader was known for his vocal music, operettas and ballet, being this his most important work. "Die Rothen Schuhe" is based on Hans Christian Andersen´s fairy-tale of the same name, and was later converted into a successful ballet film in 1948.

In two pages with page two on verso of page one, size is 8.25 x 13.5 inches, has some minor fold marks, in excellent condition. Mahler´s bold signature is on page 2, together with Hermann Regel´s.