Verdi, Giuseppe

the full score for voices and instruments, notated in brown and dark brown inks, with Italian words, on up to twenty-four staves per page, violins and violas at the top of the systems, with the original versions of the ballet in the Act 2 Finale, and some adjustments to the brass parts (without parts for Cimbasso) and rehearsal letters in orange, marked up for the conductor in blue ink and pencil, the gatherings numbered, annotated on the four titles ("Parigi Carn^e 1875-76 (89)")

4 volumes, over 900 pages, large quarto (c.33 x 24cm), 20- & 24-stave papers, untrimmed, publisher's printed wrappers ("Aida di G. Verdi, Atto 1^mo [...4^to], Proprietà del I.R. Stabilmento Ricordi, Milano / Napoli-Roma-Firenze / Londra"), some tears to lower margins, occasionally affecting the text (e.g. pp.123/124 in Volume 2), spines worn (Volume 1 repaired with tape)

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."

RARE: This is an important source for the early Parisian productions of Aida in Italian.  The full orchestral score of the opera was not published until around 1894.  In this way, Verdi and Ricordi could control early productions; supplying manuscript full scores only to approved theatres.  Once the full score was finally published, manuscripts such as this became practically redundant and were withdrawn.

Written for Cairo and first performed there on 24 December 1871, Aida was soon staged at La Scala (1871) and Covent Garden (1876), but not at the Paris Opéra until 22 March 1880, when it was given in French, albeit conducted by Verdi.  However, before that, on 22 April 1876, it was given in Italian at the Théâtre-Italien, with Teresa Stolz in the title role (as at La Scala) and on 1 August 1878 at the Théâtre-Lyrique; this score relates to those early productions in Italian (Ricordi's annotation "Carn^e 1875-76" presumably refers to the carnival season, which in Italy began on 26 December 1875).  The original shorter ballets in Act 2 confirm that is this an early score.   The longer ballet is found in the editions of Aida from about 1879 (see Fuld, p.589), although the original shorter version is also found in the 1880 vocal score in French (see next Lot, page 125).  (The later additions are found at "Letter H", in Ricordi's current full and vocal scores).