Tivoli / Valerga Collection
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Museum of Performance and Design, Performing Arts Library
2022
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Title: Tivoli / Valerga Collection
Dates: 1869-1939
Collection Number: 991.49
Creator/Collector:
Valerga
Extent: 16 Boxes. 13.3 linear feet.
Repository:
Museum of Performance and Design, Performing Arts Library
San Francisco, California 94124
Abstract: In 1849, Antoinetta Damonte and Bartolomeo Valerga left their native Genoa and eloped on a ship bound for Boston. After several
years, during which they had four children, the couple decided to move to California, eventually settling in San Francisco
in 1854. Music was a way of life in the Valerga home perched atop Russian Hill, and later on an Oakland ranch where the family
had a theater constructed. All the children were taught to paint, sing opera, and play piano. Nine of their eleven children
went on to dominate San Francisco playbills from 1870 until the 1930’s; the next generation, in turn, populated the ranks
of the region’s composers, vocalists, actresses, screenwriters and artists. Many were stars at the Tivoli Opera House and
Francis “Frank” Valerga (1854-1904) among others founded the Valerga Opera Company. This collection documents the lives and
careers of various members of the Valerga Family from 1869 through 1939. The collection is divided into five different sections,
the first four designated to materials relating to individual members of the family (Ida, Frank, Kate and Tillie) and the
last to related materials. Materials in the collection include clippings, correspondence, photographs, programs, vocal scores,
drawings, a scrapbook, photo albums, costumes, and miscellaneous ephemera.
Language of Material: English
Entire Collection is open for research.
Reproduction of these materials can occur only if the copying falls within the provisions of the doctrine of fair use. Copyright
varies by item.
[Identification of item]. Tivoli / Valerga Collection. Collection Number: 991.49. Museum of Performance and Design, Performing
Arts Library
The Tivoli/Valerga Collection was given to the Museum of Performance & Design by Robert Commanday in May of 1991. Commanday
received the collection from Mrs. Lulu Stock; a descendant of the Valerga Family.
Biography/Administrative History
In 1849, Antoinetta Damonte and Bartolomeo Valerga left their native Genoa and eloped on a ship bound for Boston. After several
years, during which they had four children, the couple was lured by tales of gold-filled rivers running through the California
Mountains; they left Boston in 1853, tried their luck in the gold country and settled in San Francisco in 1854. Antoinetta
taught each of her children (eleven in all) to paint, to sing opera, and to accompany each other on the piano, enabling them
to become cultural assets to the burgeoning community. Music was a way of life in the Valerga home perched atop Russian Hill,
and later on an Oakland ranch where the family had a theater constructed. Bartolomeo, the patriarch of the clan, died in 1906.
Nine of their eleven children went on to dominate San Francisco playbills from 1870 until the 1930’s; the next generation,
in turn, populated the ranks of the region’s composers, vocalists, actresses, screenwriters and artists. These include: Bartolomeo
Valerga (1825-1906) patriarch of the Valerga Family, Domenico Riccardo “Dick” Valerga (b.1849), a leading baritone at the
Tivoli Opera House, Ida Valerga (b.1851), the most famous member of the Valerga family who sang at La Scala when she was 22
and performed before the Tsar, for Kaiser Wilhelm and at Queen Victoria’s Silver Jubilee, Mathilde “Tillie” Valerga Apel (b.1853),
a Tivoli Opera singer called “The Moon” due to her renowned beauty and lilting light opera voice, Francis “Frank” Valerga
(1854-1904), a founder of the Valerga Opera Company who took members of his company to Africa to perform at diamond camps
during the diamond rush (called “The Tenor of San Francisco”), Eda and Nina Valerga, sisters, both of whom performed at the
Tivoli Opera House, Kate Valerga Marchi (b.1857), a fabled salon singer and Tivoli Opera performer, Robert Valerga (1872-1900),
a French horn player and member of an early symphony orchestra in San Francisco, Johnny Valerga, a clarinetist who performed
with both the orchestra and the Valerga Opera Company, Thomas Valerga (d.1955), a celebrated cornet player who played with
the John Philip Sousa Band, the early symphony and the Valerga Opera Company, and Richard “Peter” Valerga (d. 1958), a pianist
who performed with both the San Francisco Symphony and the Valerga Opera Company. This is not the entire roster of Valerga’s
who have performed, but it does encompass the beginnings of the family whose presence had a major impact on the San Francisco
arts community. Some descendants of the Valerga Family still live in the Bay Area and continue to play active roles in the
arts.
Scope and Content of Collection
The Tivoli / Valerga Collection documents the lives and careers of various members of the Valerga Family from 1869 through
1939. The collection is divided into five different sections, the first four designated to materials relating to individual
members of the family (Ida, Frank, Kate and Tillie) and the last to related materials. Maria Ida Valerga’s materials include
clippings, correspondence, photographs, programs from the Tivoli Opera House, The Liverpool Seaman’s Orphan Institute and
Teatro Alvarez, vocal scores signed by Ida and miscellaneous materials including a sewing box, photo album and two photographic
die. Frank Valerga’s materials include clippings, correspondence, drawings by Frank, photographs and a vocal score from Pagliacci.
Kate Valerga Marchi’s materials include photographs and vocal scores signed by Kate. Mathilde “Tillie” Valerga’s materials
include clippings, photographs, and programs from the Tivoli Opera House and Platts Hall and vocal scores signed by Mathilde.
Photographs and clippings of family members are included; along with programs and vocal scores; a large scrapbook belonging
to one of the Valerga Family and three photo albums. The oversize collection contains programs, sheet music and costumes from
various Valerga family members. The collection, in addition to these items contains photographs, clippings and vocal scores
of Adelina Patti, Alice Nielson and Emille Telle.
Actors and actresses
Composers
Opera
Musicians
Screenwriters
Singers
Damonte, Antoinetta
Marchi, Kate Valerga
Nielson, Alice, 1876-
Patti, Adelina, 1843-1919
Telle, Emille
Valerga, Bartolomeo
Valerga, Domenico Riccardo
Valerga, Eda
Valerga, Frank
Valerga, Ida
Valerga, Johnny
Valerga, Maria Ida
Valerga, Mathilde
Valerga, Nina
Valerga, Richard
Valerga, Robert
Valerga, Thomas
John Philip Sousa Band
La Scala
Liverpool Seaman’s Orphan Institute
Platts Hall
San Francisco Symphony
Teatro Alvarez
Tivoli Opera House (San Francisco, Calif.)