Jump to Content

Collection Guide
Collection Title:
Collection Number:
Get Items:
Finding aid for the Igor Stravinsky correspondence on The Rake's Progress 0302
0302  
View entire collection guide What's This?
Search this collection
Collection Details
 
Table of contents What's This?
  • Conditions Governing Access
  • Conditions Governing Use
  • Preferred Citation
  • Related Materials
  • Historical note
  • Scope and Content
  • Acquisition

  • Title: Igor Stravinsky correspondence on The Rake's Progress
    Collection number: 0302
    Contributing Institution: USC Libraries Special Collections
    Language of Material: English
    Physical Description: 0.21 linear ft. 1 box
    Date (inclusive): 1950-1951
    Abstract: The Igor Stravinsky correspondence on The Rake's Progress consists of correspondence, dated May 1950 to May 1951, between Stravinsky and his lawyer in New York, L. Arnold Weissberger, concerning the mounting of his opera, The Rake's Progress. The letters discuss business matters pertaining to the production of the opera, financial support for the work, where to stage the premier, locations for the opera's American debut, problems associated with Italian singers performing in English, and various other financial and administrative matters pertaining to the completion and production of the work.
    creator: Kirstein, Lincoln, 1907-1996
    creator: Ricketson, Frank H., (Frank Henry)
    creator: Stravinsky, Igor, 1882-1971

    Conditions Governing Access

    Advance notice required for access.

    Conditions Governing Use

    All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Manuscripts Librarian. Permission for publication is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.

    Preferred Citation

    [Box/folder# or item name], Igor Stravinsky letters on The Rake's Progress, Collection no. 0302, Special Collections, USC Libraries, University of Southern California

    Related Materials

    See also the scores of The Rake's Progress, USC Special Collections.

    Historical note

    Stravinsky's opera The Rake's Progress, set to the libretto by W. H. Auden and Chester Kallman, was inspired by William Hogarth's series of paintings. Stravinsky had wanted to write an English-language opera since arriving in the United States in 1939, and was inspired to do so by seeing the paintings at the Art Institute of Chicago on May 2, 1947. The opera premiered in Venice on September 11, 1951.

    Scope and Content

    The Igor Stravinsky correspondence on The Rake's Progress consists of correspondence, dated May 1950 to May 1951, between Stravinsky and his lawyer in New York, L. Arnold Weissberger, concerning the mounting of his opera, The Rake's Progress. Also included are copies of letters to F. H. Ricketson of the Central Civic Opera House Association, Denver, Colorado; Lincoln Kirstein; Howard Taubmann of the New York Times; and Betty Bean and Dr. E. Roth of Stravinsky's publishers, Boosey & Hawkes, London. The letters discuss business matters pertaining to the production of the opera, financial support for the work, where to stage the premier (including discussions about a possible staging at USC), locations for the opera's American debut, problems associated with Italian singers performing in English, and various other financial and administrative matters pertaining to the completion and production of the work. Stravinsky's letters to Weissberger are on his personal letterhead with his Los Angeles address, "1260 N. Wetherly Drive, Hollywood 46, California."

    Acquisition

    Purchased from J & J Lubrano Music Antiquarians, March 2011.

    Subjects and Indexing Terms

    Boosey & Hawkes Music Publishers. -- Correspondence
    Kirstein, Lincoln, 1907-1996 -- Correspondence
    Ricketson, Frank H., (Frank Henry) -- Correspondence
    Stravinsky, Igor, 1882-1971 -- Archives
    Stravinsky, Igor, 1882-1971 -- Correspondence
    Weissberger, L. Arnold, 1907-1981 -- Correspondence
    Composers--California--Los Angeles--20th century--Archival resources
    Correspondence
    Opera--20th century--Archival resources