Giuseppe Verdi | Autograph letter to Emma Zilli, 29 May 1893

Giuseppe Verdi

Autograph letter signed (“G Verdi”), to the soprano Emma Zilli

a lively, characterful letter, full of humour and self-deprecation, describing himself as a “vecchio Maestro”, happy not to be forgotten by her, discussing her periods of study with him [on Falstaff], which he describes as the only real joys in the stormy life of the artist, and poignantly referring to his plight, all creativity gone

"...Nè io ho dimenticato le ore dei nostri studij: ore liete, spesso nervose, inquiete, perfino rabbiose...eppure tanto belle!..Le sole vere gioje nella vita fortunosa dell’artista!...Per me....tutto è finito! Triste parola...ma, pur troppo vera!..."

2 pages, small 8vo (17.6 x 11.3cm), integral blank, with autograph envelope, modern typed transcription and English translation, stamped and postmarked, Busseto, 29 May 1893, horizontal fold

Emma Zilli (1864-1901) was the first Mistress Ford in Verdi’s final opera Falstaff, first performed on 9 February 1893 at La Scala, Milan. Verdi coached the singer personally in Genoa and Milan, to which he refers in this letter.

LITERATURE:

Not in the Copialettere