Music, Continental Books and Medieval Manuscripts

Music, Continental Books and Medieval Manuscripts

View full screen - View 1 of Lot 34. G. Rossini. Autograph letter to the singer Antonio Tamburini, reminding him of his obligations to him, 1839.

G. Rossini. Autograph letter to the singer Antonio Tamburini, reminding him of his obligations to him, 1839

Lot Closed

July 14, 01:33 PM GMT

Estimate

1,800 - 2,000 GBP

Lot Details

Description

ROSSINI, GIOACHINO


Autograph letter signed (“G. Rossini”), to the opera singer Antonio Tamburini in Paris, reminding him how much he has benefited from his influence at the Théâtre-Italien, 23 February 1839


chiding the great baritone for not replying to his earlier letter enquiring about the creditworthiness of his agent Gelodi and asking him to recover a sum of fifty francs from the composer [Filippo] Celli, which Gelodi has now told him was paid to one “Sig. Charle” instead, demanding him to get the money from one or the other; he also tells him to present his compliments to the prima donna Giulia Grisi and recover a sum of sixty-two francs and eighty centimes from her too, which she owes him for selling his furniture in Paris to the director of the Théâtre-Italien, Carlo Severini, reminding him of the hundreds of thousands of francs that he earns from that opera company due to his influence (“...queste due somme in proporzione della centinaia di mille franchi che guadagnerete annualmente vi desteranno compassione, però filosoficamente vedrete la diferenza che passa fra un cantante e un maestro, fra un abitatore di Parigi e Londra, e un abitante di Bologna”...)


3 pages, 4to (c.20.5 x 15cm), integral autograph address panel (“Monsieur Tamburini Celèbre Artiste au Théatre Royal Italien de L’Odéon, Paris”), Bologna, 23 February 1839, papered seal with small tear slightly affecting one word


This is a remarkable letter by Rossini, revealing the hold he exerted over the stars of the Théâtre-Italien in Paris (usually located at the Salle Favart, but in 1839 at the "Odéon"). Here his tone is ostensibly friendly, yet implicitly threatening, treating one of the greatest stars of the era as his factotum. 


Antonio Tamburini profited immensely from Rossini's patronage at the Théâtre-Italien and became the most famous baritone in Italian opera. Throughout 1839, he sang in twenty-eight performances at the Odéon, including four times with Giulia Grisi in Donizetti's opera Roberto Devereux. Grisi herself was a world-famous prima donna, appearing frequently in Paris and London, throughout Europe and the Americas.  Together with Rubini and Lablache, these singers formed the celebrated group, the "Puritani Quartet", who had sung at the première of Bellini's opera I puritani at the Théâtre-Italien in 1835--under Rossini's watchful eye.  


Please note: Condition 11 of the Conditions of Business for Buyers (Online Only) is not applicable to this lot.


To view Shipping Calculator, please click here