[Verdi, Giuseppe].

in which the great baritone singer explains the circumstances in which he performed the romanza ["Pietà, rispetto, amore"] at a charity concert at the request of the Emperor, which neither he nor Ricordi could really refuse, and for which the orchestral accompaniment was prepared by Heinrich Proch [from the vocal score], assuring him that he asserted Ricordi's copyright of Verdi's work and that the performance was very well-received ("...Il conte Lichtenstein diede adunque ordine al M[aestr]o Proch in mia presenza d'istrumentare la Romanza del Machbeth, la quale fu il pezzo più desiderato ed aplaudito del concerto ad onta di ciò che avrà forse detto qualche giornalaccio nemico di Verdi..."), 2 pages, 8vo (c.20 x 16cms), modern typed translation, Vienna, 1 June 1847,

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This letter gives a rare insight into the contemporary performance practice regarding Verdi's operas. The publisher Giovanni Ricordi owned the copyright and the scores, and he controlled performances by publishing vocal scores for domestic use only; he then hired out full scores and performing materials to theatres of which both he and Verdi approved. Unauthorized performances like these inevitably meant that the local maestro had to concoct a new orchestration from the vocal score, rather than using Verdi's original.  Varesi (1813-1889) was one of Verdi's greatest baritones; he created the role of Macbeth on 14 March 1847 and went on to create those of Rigoletto and Germont in La traviata.