Spanish cellist, composer and conductor (1876-1973).  Handsome original photograph of the young Casals with cello, circa 1917.

Adriana Lecouvreur. Sonzogno, Milano. 1902. 105pp. First edition, personaggi page listing Caruso, De Luca and Pandolfini. Worn, cover and pages loose, soiled.

Gemma Di Vergy, Gemma of Vergy, A Tragic Opera...as Performed At The Astor Place Opera-House under the management of Signors Sanquirico and Patti. New York, 1848. 51pp, original wrappers, Italian/English libretto. Fascinating document of early performances of Italian opera in New York. Slight wear, but very fine and rare.

Per Giuditta Pasta, Versi Ed Epigrafi, Como, 2 Agosto, 1829. 20pp booklet in Italian with poems and epigrams dedicated to Giuditta Pasta. Superb.

Le Villi  Ricordi, Milan. 1884. 16pp. First edition, with evocative lithographic cover, of the revised libretto of the opera for Torino, which was the first successful presentation of a work by Puccini. The fledgling composer's original one-act opera ballet had been revised and expanded at the behest of Ricordi. Slight soiling, otherwise fine.

Josephs Legende  Fürstner, Berlin. 1914. 67pp. First edition booklet in original binding, the scenario by Kessler and von Hofmannsthal, in German, for Strauss' ambitious Ballets Russes ballet, it includes a photographic illustration of the original set design. Originally written for Nijinsky for Diaghilev's thrid season in Paris, it was first performed by Leonid Massine after Nijinsky had been, famously, fired for eloping with another dancer. Minor stains, cover slightly loose, but otherwise in fine condition.

Verdi: Hernani or The Castillian Noble...as Performed For The First Time In This Country, At The Howard Athenaeum, April 23, 1847. Boston. 26pp, libretto in English. Stained, in an old Harvard Library binding with de-accession stamp. Messy, but very historic.

Alzira. Tragedia Lirica, Da Rappresentarsi Nel Real Teatro S. Carlo. Napoli. 1845. 28pp. First edition. Personnaggi page listing the singers at the premiere, including the important Verdi tenor, Gaetano Fraschini. Superb condition, old library label on the title page, later printed tissue covers. Extremely rare.

Otello ephemera collection. Two Gazzetta Musicale di Milano supplements issued by Ricordi in 1887 -  No. 8, 79 pp, and No. 13, 199pp, in Italian; a small 16pp study in French printed by Librarie Fisbacher in 1887, "Otello de Verdi"; and a mocking comic pastiche with many amusing cartoons, "Otello Guglielmo Della Bella Venezia Detto Lodovico IL Moro. Ricordati Di Me..." 30pp. Four rare ephemera publications! Some wear and tears, but the paper covers and contents are entirely intact. Overall condition is quite good.

Otello. Milan, Ricordi. [1887]. First edition, first issue of the Italian libretto. Antonio Scotti's copy, signed on the title page in pencil. Minor creasing and soiling.

Tannhäuser. Dresden. [1845] 48pp. First edition, variant, of the German libretto. Slight rubbing on the title page, browned, in original wrappers.