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Guide to the Lawrence Tibbett Collection
ARS.0041
ARS.0041
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Table of contents
Title: Lawrence Tibbett Collection
Dates: 1929-1945
Identifier/Call Number: ARS.0041
Creator: Tibbett, Richard M.
Collection size:
2.8 linear feet,
3 audio disc storage boxes for 12" sound discs; 1 small box with tape reel; 1 document storage box for miscellaneous documents
Repository:
Archive of Recorded Sound, Stanford University Libraries
Stanford, California 94305-3076
Abstract: The collection contains primarily sound recordings of performances of Lawrence Tibbett from recording sessions that occurred
between 1929 and 1945. Some of the recordings are 12" vinyl 33 1/3 rpm microgroove discs, but most are 78 rpm shellac discs
and 12" instantaneous discs. A few 10" 78 rpm single-sided test pressings, and 1 7" tape reel are also included. Written materials
in the collection consist of a set of of 13 index cards with handwritten listings of the contents of tape reels in Tibbett's
personal collection (tape reels not included in this collection), photocopies of published articles by Tibbett, and typed
inventories of the collection which were prepared by the donor.
Language of Material:
English, German, Italian, French
Location note: Stanford Archive of Recorded Sound Stanford University Libraries Stanford, California 94305-3076
Conditions Governing Access note
Collection is open for research. Listening appointments may require 24 hours notice. Contact the Archive Operations Manager.
Property rights reside with repository. Publication and reproduction rights reside with the creators or their heirs. To obtain
permission to publish or reproduce, please contact the Head Librarian of the Archive of Recorded Sound.
Lawrence Tibbett Collection, ARS.0041. Courtesy of the Stanford Archive of Recorded Sound, Stanford University Libraries,
Stanford, CA.
This collection has been processed under the auspices of the Council on Library and Information Resources with generous financial
support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
Born in Bakersfield, California (USA) on November 16, 1896, baritone Lawrence Tibbett began his career as an actor as well
as a singer in performances of light operas and also in churches. Tibbett's teachers were Joseph Dupuy and Basil Ruysdael
in Los Angeles and Frank La Forge and Ignaz Zitomirsky in New York. Tibbett's study in New York led to his Metropolitan Opera
debut in the role of Lewicki in
Boris Godunov in 1923. Following shortly after his Met debut he sang the role of Valentin in
Faust. In 1925 Tibbett became an overnight sensation in the role of Ford in
Falstaff, and he later assumed the title role. He eventually sang many leading Italian, French, German and American roles at the Met
and remained a principal with the company for 27 seasons. He sang in the premières of Deems Taylor's
The King's Henchman (1927) and
Peter Ibbetson (1931), Louis Gruenberg's
The Emperor Jones (1933), Howard Hanson's
Merry Mount (1934) and John Laurence Seymour's
In the Pasha's Garden (1935). The first Metropolitan Opera performances of
Jonny spielt auf, Peter Grimes, Richard Hageman's
Caponsacchi, as well as
Simon Boccanegra and
Khovanshchina also included Tibbett in the cast. His last appearance at the Met occurred in 1950 as Ivan in
Khovanshchina. In 1936, along with violinist Jascha Heifetz, he founded the American Guild of Musical Artists, and served as its president
for 17 years. Tibbett appeared in major opera houses around the U.S. and the world, including San Francisco, Chicago, Paris,
London, Vienna and Prague, and at Covent Garden he created the title role in Eugene Goossens's
Don Juan de Mañara (1937). In addition to performing on stage, Tibbett also sang frequently in radio performances during the early years of
his career. Partly as a result of his striking good looks, as well as his dark, agile voice, Tibbett had significant success
in film roles and light opera. He also appeared in Broadway stage productions, and his last Broadway role was in the musical
comedy
Fanny in 1956. His recordings for Victor sold in the millions. Among his best recordings are those of Verdi's
Otello, in which he sang the role of Iago, and the live recording of his 1935 performance of
La Traviata at the Met with Rosa Ponselle. Tibbett died in New York, on July 15, 1960.
The Lawrence Tibbett Collection was assembled and donated by his son, Richard M. Tibbett. The recordings in the collection
are primarily privately issued 12" sound discs, both 78 rpm and 33 1/3 rpm. The collection also includes 10" single-sided
discs recorded for the Victor Company, 1 7" tape reel, and written materials consisting of a set of 13 index cards with handwritten
notes in pencil, photocopies of pages from published articles by Tibbett, and photocopies of two typed inventory lists of
the collection prepared by the donor.
The collection is arranged by material type in five boxes as follows: (1) Vinyl and aluminum sound discs, arranged in chronological
order by recording session date with undated materials at the end; (2-3) Shellac and instantaneous sound discs, arranged in
chronological order by recording session date with undated materials at the end of Box 3; (4) 1 reel-to-reel tape; (5) 13
handwritten index cards with information about content of audio tapes in Tibbett's personal collection, none of which are
included in this collection; typed and photocopied documents.
Arlen, Harold, 1905-1986
Froman, Jane, 1907-1980
Goodman, Al, 1890-1972
Goossens, Eugene, 1893-1962
Green, Bud, 1897-1981
Gruenberg, Louis, 1884-1964
Hanson, Howard, 1896-1981
Hupfeld, Herman, 1894-1951
Jaffe, Moe, 1901-1972
Lange, Johnny, 1905-2006
Margetson, E. J.
Mercer, Johnny, 1909-1976
Metropolitan Opera (New York, N.Y.). Chorus.
Metropolitan Opera (New York, N.Y.). Orchestra.
Newman, Alfred, 1901-1970
Porter, Cole, 1891-1964
Romberg, Sigmund, 1887-1951
Seymour, John Laurence
Taylor, Deems, 1885-1966
Templeton, Alec, 1910-1963
Tibbett, Lawrence, 1896-1960
Weiskopf, Carroll
Operas--19th century
Operas--20th century
Operas--Excerpts
Motion picture music--Excerpts
Vocal duets with orchestra
Popular music--1931-1940
Popular music--1941-1950
National songs--United States
Radio program excerpts