Search Results: Opera from Royal Books, Inc.

N.p.: N.p., 1960. Archive of 38 double weight and 42 single weight vintage photographs, 39 of which are oversize, of opera singer Anna Moffo, all taken circa late 1950s and early 1960s. The majority of the photographs have stamps or other markings identifying the several photographers represented in the collection. 6 photos shown, images for the remainder can be seen on request. American-born opera singer Anna Moffo was one the leading coloratura sopranos of her generation, debuting on the Italian stage in 1955 and achieving lasting fame there after appearing on Italian television as Cio-Cio San in a 1956 production of "Madame Butterfly." She returned to the United States the following year, and made her debut at the New York Metropolitan Opera in 1959. She would perform there for the next 17 seasons, while often returning to Italy, where she hosted an eponymous television show, and starred in film versions of "La traviata" (1968) and "Lucia di Lammermoor" (1971), as well as dramatic roles in… Read More

N.p.: N.p., 1960. Archive of six vintage photographs of opera singer Anna Moffo, all taken circa late 1950s and early 1960s. American-born opera singer Anna Moffo was one the leading coloratura sopranos of her generation, debuting on the Italian stage in 1955 and achieving lasting fame there after appearing on Italian television as Cio-Cio San in a 1956 production of "Madame Butterfy." She returned to the United States the following year, and made her debut at the New York Metropolitan Opera in 1959. She would perform there for the next 17 seasons, while often returning to Italy, where she hosted an eponymous television show, and starred in film versions of "La traviata" (1968) and "Lucia di Lammermoor" (1971), as well as dramatic roles in films and television. Photographs range in size from 5 x 7 to 8 x 10 inches. Near Fine.

Berlin: A. Rogall, 1932. Folio. Limited Edition, one of 100 numbered copies (this being No. 27) SIGNED by illustrator Rafaello Busoni. Text and titles in German. Comprises the libretto of "Arlecchino," a one-act opera composed by Ferruccio Busoni in 1913, and originally performed at the Zürich Opera House in 1917. Lithograph illustrations throughout by Busoni's son Rafaello. Very Good plus, with no dust jacket as issued, with faint foxing on the endpapers and moderate wear on the spine.

Universal City: Universal Pictures, 1943. Draft script for the 1944 Universal horror film. With manuscript pencil annotations on the front wrapper and throughout, mostly noting deletions and page number changes. Included with the script is a bound set of revision pages attributed on the front wrapper and at the top of numerous leaves to dialogue director Gene Lewis, dated from 1/6/43 to 1/14/44. Based on the play by Edward Locke, the film follows a physician who becomes obsessed with a young singer whose voice reminds him of his late wife's, whom he murdered because of a similar obsession. Originally intended to be a sequel to Universal Pictures' "Phantom of the Opera" (1943). Nominated for an Academy Award. Set in Vienna. Beige titled wrappers, rubber-stamped production No. 7203, dated DECEMBER 6, 1943. Title page integral with the front wrapper, as issued. 156 leaves, with last page of text numbered 147. Carbon typescript on onionskin stock, rectos only, with yellow revision pages throughout,… Read More

Avignon, France: Avignon Festival, 1976. Original poster for the seminal 1976 four-act avant-garde opera directed by Robert Wilson and composed by Philip Glass. "Einstein on the Beach" premiered on July 25, 1976, at the Festival d'Avignon in France, performed by the Philip Glass Ensemble and presented by the Byrd Hoffmann Foundation. It was also staged that summer in Hamburg, Paris, Belgrade, Venice, Brussels, and Rotterdam. In November of the same year, it made its American debut at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York. One of Wilson's most well-known works, a quintessentially minimalist, formalist opera, as well as a turning point in American theater. Though rife throughout with symbols from Einstein's life and work, there is no direct plot line attached to him in the opera-instead he is portrayed predominantly as a historical figure. Also the first instance of Wilson's entr'acte vignettes, which he calls "knee plays." The piece was Glass' first and longest opera score, approximately five… Read More

Hollywood: Paramount Pictures, 1939. Draft script for the 1939 film. A musical drama that follows the romantic and professional arc of two performers. Louise Hall abandons her humble beginnings to become a singer in New York City, where she meets and falls in love with John Ramsey, the star of Victor Herbert's operas. Ramsey takes her under his wing, introducing her to New York's musical society. Their relationship is tested, however, when Louise's career begins to eclipse her husband's. Nominated for three Academy Awards, including Best Cinematography. Shot on location in California. Titled white self wrappers, dated July 11, 1939 and July 14, 1939. Title page present, with credits for the entire cast. 147 leaves, with last page of text numbered 146. Mimeograph duplication. Pages Near Fine, wrapper Near Fine bound with two gold brads. Two small chips to the top margin of the front wrapper.

Santa Monica: RKO Radio Pictures, 1954. Collection of six vintage studio still photographs for the 1954 stop motion animated film. Based on, and incorporating music from, the 1983 opera by composer Engelbert Humperdinck, with a libretto by his sister Adelhied Wette, itself based on the German fairy tale first published in 1812 in "Grimm's Fairy Tales." Produced by Michael Myerberg at his New York studio and originally released independently before being picked up by RKO for a Christmas 1954 release nationally, the film would go on to become a staple of holiday viewing. Notable as the first feature length American animated film not made with traditional cel animation techniques, and the first non-Disney feature length animated film released since 1941's "Mr. Bug Goes to Town." 10 x 8 inches. Very Good. Pinholes to the edges, with light edgewear and soil.

Paris: Studio Piaz, 1934. Four vintage oversize photographs from the 1934 revival of Jacques Offenbach's 1875 operetta showing actress Josephine Baker in costume as Dora. All photographs with the stamp of Studio Piaz at the lower corner of the recto, and one with the address stamp of J. Manuel Richard, Baker's personal secretary, on the verso. The operatic debut of the longtime comedian, actor, and dancer. The production, which was staged at the Theatre Marigny in Paris, was the first time Jacques Offenbach's comic operetta had been staged since its 1875 debut. Two photos 11.5 x 9.25 inches, and two photos 8 x 10 inches. Very Good plus overall, one photo with brief archival reinforcement at the corners on the verso.

Stockholm: Sveriges Television [SVT], 1973. Draft script for the 1975 television film. Text in Swedish. Based on Mozart's 1791 opera "The Magic Flute," titled in German "Die Zauberflote" and here under the Swedish title "Trollflojten." Nominated for one Academy award. The Queen of the Night offers her daughter Pamina to Tamino, but also offers Tamino a magic flute to bring Pamina to him. The Queen also gives magic bells to the bird hunter Papageno, who joins Tamino on his journey for them both to find wives and learn about themselves. Shot on location in Stockholm. Yellow untitled wrappers. Title page present, dated November 1973, with credits for screenwriter Ingmar Bergman, and translator Alf Henriksson. 93 leaves, with last page of text numbered 28. Xerographically duplicated. Pages Near Fine, wrapper Near Fine bound with a spiral binding. Criterion Collection 71.

N.p.: N.p., 1995. Vintage script for the 1995 play. SIGNED on the title page by playwright Terrence McNally. Aging opera diva Maria Callas retreats into memories of her tragic childhood and glamorous career as she teaches a master class on singing. The play was first staged by the Philadelphia Theatre Company in March 1995 at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles, later moving to the Kennedy Center in Washington DC. Actresses Zoe Caldwell and Audra McDonald would go on to win Tony Awards for their reprisals of their roles on Broadway later the same year. Clear plastic front wrapper and black rear wrapper. Title page present, undated, with credits for playwright Terrence McNally. Dated 4/3/95 on the first page of text. 81 leaves, with last page of text numbered 79. Xerographic duplication, rectos only. Pages and wrapper Near Fine, bound with three gold brads.

Italy: San Marco / Les Films Number One / Janus Film und Ferneshen, 1969. Vintage oversize borderless color photograph from the 1969 film. Based on the Greek myth, the film is opera legend Maria Callas' only feature film role, one in which she did not sing. 11.5 x 9.5 inches. Near Fine. BFI 1088.

N.p.: San Marco, 1969. Two vintage borderless reference photographs of Pier Paolo Pasolini and Maria Callas on the set of the 1969 film. With the stamp of photographer Mario Tursi on the verso. Based on the ancient Greek myth, and loosely on the 431 BC play by Euripides, wherein the titular character famously kills her sons as revenge against an unfaithful husband. The sole feature film appearance of noted opera legend Maria Callas, one in which she curiously does not sing. Shot on location in Turkey, Italy, and Syria. 9.5 x 7 inches. Near Fine. BFI 1088.

Beverly Hills, CA: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer [MGM], 1941. Vintage publicity photograph of actress and singer Kathryn Grayson, circa 1941. Mimeo snipe on the verso, along with the stamp of photographer Clarence Bull. Beginning her career as a trained opera singer, Grayson gained a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1940, appearing in starring roles in several MGM musicals, including "Thousands Cheer" (1943), "Anchors Aweigh" (1945), and "Show Boat" (1951). Grayson returned to the theatre as a result of the decline of musical films in the 1960s, performing on the stage and in a number of operas throughout the 1960s and 1970s. 8 x 10 inches. Very Good plus, lightly toned, with wear to the finish on the bottom left corner.

N.p.: N.p., 1960. Vintage photograph of opera singer Anna Moffo, taken circa early 1960s. American-born opera singer Anna Moffo was one the leading coloratura sopranos of her generation, debuting on the Italian stage in 1955 and achieving lasting fame there after appearing on Italian television as Cio-Cio San in a 1956 production of "Madame Butterfy." She returned to the United States the following year, and made her debut at the New York Metropolitan Opera in 1959. She would perform there for the next 17 seasons, while often returning to Italy, where she hosted an eponymous television show, and starred in film versions of "La traviata" (1968) and "Lucia di Lammermoor" (1971), as well as dramatic roles in films and television. 8 x 10 inches. Near Fine.

N.p.: N.p., 1953. Vintage borderless photograph of opera diva Maria Callas in her dressing room in 1953, preparing for a performance of Cherubini's "Medea" at the Teatro alla Scala. Stamp of Erio Piccagliani, then the theatre's official photographer, on the verso. 7 x 9.5 inches. Near Fine, with light wear at the corners.

N.p.: N.p., 1915. Vintage photograph of opera singer and recording artist Laurence Tibbett, with his Manual Arts High School professor, Rob Wagner, circa 1915. Although he enjoyed a lengthy career as a director, screenwriter, and magazine writer, Rob L. Wagner is best remembered today as the editor and publisher of "Script," a left-leaning, weekly literary film magazine published in Beverly Hills between 1929 and 1949. Wagner also worked part-time as a teacher at Manual Arts High School for a time, although his progressive beliefs cost him his job after he publicly defended Prynce Hopkins, the pacifist head of avant-garde boarding school Boyland, in 1919. 8 x 10 inches. Very Good plus, with an ink annotation in the margins of the recto.

Universal City: Universal Pictures, 1943. Vintage keybook reference photograph of Arthur Lubin and camerman on a crane above the opera house audience from the 1943 film. Mimeo snipe on verso. Loosely based on the 1910 novel by Gaston Leroux. The second Universal film based on the story, following Rupert Julian's 1925 silent film. Nominated for four Academy Awards and winning two, including one for Best Cinematography. Set in Paris. 8 x 10 inches. Very Good plus, with light creasing and edgewear. Weaver and Brunas, Universal Horrors 1931-1946.

San Francisco: San Francisco Opera, 1989. Vintage flyer advertising a costume sale by the San Francisco Opera (SFO) on April 22-23, 1989, at the War Memorial Opera House. The SFO has held costume sales nearly every year for the last few decades, frequently leading to lines stretched around the block. The SFO's costume sales serve not only to clear items from productions no longer performed to make room for new costumes but to generate much needed additional income for the arts organization. In recent years the SFO has begun holding their annual costume sale online. 8.5 x 11 inches on goldenrod paper. Very Good plus, with light creasing overall and two small bruises on the bottom edge.

Beverly Hills, CA: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer [MGM], 1962. Collection of 11 vintage single weight studio still photographs from 1962 (5 photos) and 1969 re-release (6 photos) of the 1954 film, under the title, "Student Prince." Starring actor Purdom, who played the prince, is prominently featured, sometimes sword fighting. One image from the set is shown. Please inquire for others. Based on the 1924 operetta of the same name by Sigmund Romberg and Dorothy Donnelly, which in turn was based on the 1901 play "Old Heidelburg" by Wilhelm Eyer-Forster, itself filmed four times between 1915 and 1959. Mario Lanza was originally slated to star in the film, but a dispute with MGM led him to getting fired from the picture. However, MGM retained the rights to his already recorded vocals, and had replacement Purdom lip sync them in the film. Ironically, the songs "Beloved" and "Serenade" would become heavily associated with Lanza after the film and cast recording were hits. Edmund Gwenn has a supporting role, years… Read More

N.p.: N.p., 2000. Three vintage photographs of director Werner Herzog, taken by noted jazz photographer Jeffrey Kliman during choir rehearsals for his staging of Richard Wagner's "Tannhäuser," held at The Lyric Opera House in Baltimore in March, 2000. These prints are unique, struck from the original negative by the photographer. Full provenance available. 8 x 10 inches. Fine.