Igor Stravinsky correspondence on The Rake's Progress, 1950-1951

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Summary

Creators:
Kirstein, Lincoln, 1907-1996, Ricketson, Frank H., (Frank Henry), and Stravinsky, Igor, 1882-1971
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.
Extent:
0.21 linear ft. 1 box
Language:
English
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

Background

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."

Biographical / historical:

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.

Acquisition information:
Purchased from J J Lubrano Music Antiquarians, March 2011.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

Advance notice required for access.

Terms of access:

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

Location of this collection:
Special Collections
Doheny Memorial Library, Room 209
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0189, US
Contact:
(213) 740-5900
specol@usc.edu
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