Edna Smith de Nunzio Papers

Title: Edna Smith de Nunzio Papers

Dates: 1923-1950

Collection Number: 983.xx

Creator/Collector: De Nunzio, Edna Smith

Extent: 2 Boxes. 1 linear foot.

Repository: Museum of Performance and Design, Performing Arts Library

Abstract: Edna Smith de Nunzio (1905-1985) was an operatic singer from San Francisco. When the San Francisco Opera opened for its first season in 1923, she was engaged by Gaetano Merola to sing in the chorus, where she eventually transitioned to larger roles. By the late twenties, she had developed enough in the company to travel to Los Angeles for performances at the Shrine Auditorium. During this time, she also began making radio appearances and performing in musical society recitals and concerts. She became a regular on KGO, often with conductor Alfred Hertz of the San Francisco Opera. At this time, Smith married Arthur de Nunzio, a baritone from Los Angeles. He was general manager and impresario of Corriere dell' Aria, an Italian language radio in which he featured the voice of Edna Smith de Nunzio. In 1937, Mme. Gina Cigna heard her sing and decided to become her benefactor. In 1938, they sailed to Italy together, where Edna was placed under contract to Cigna's manager, Attilio Lamponi. There, she won the Italian government's national concert audition, enabling her to sing at Circolo Fascista di Milno and the Italia in Milan, as well as on Italian radio. She moved back to San Francisco during World War II, but returned again to Italy after the war, where she experienced some success but not on the previous level. This collection chronicles her career through autographed and inscribed photographs, autograph albums, letters, programs, posters, and clippings.

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]. Edna Smith de Nunzio Papers. Collection Number: 983.xx. Museum of Performance and Design, Performing Arts Library

This collection of photos and papers documenting the career of Edna Smith de Nunzio was donated to PALM in 1983 by Smith when she was entering a rest home. It was accepted by Russell Hartley, who wrote a brief biography on her career and deposited it with the collection.

Edna Elizabeth Smith was born June 16, 1905, in San Francisco. She was the daughter of J.E. Smith of the Public Health Service, was educated at Roosevelt Junior High, and graduated from the Girls' High School. When the San Francisco Opera opened for its first season in 1923, she was engaged by Gaetano Merola to sing in the chorus. During the next several seasons, she appeared in many opera productions, including the San Francisco premiere of Puccini's Turandot in 1927. By the late twenties, she had developed enough in the company to travel to Los Angeles for performances at the Shrine Auditorium. During these years, Edna made many radio appearances and performed in musical society recitals and concerts. Throughout the early thirties, she continued to make radio guest appearances on KGO, often with conductor Alfred Hertz of the San Francisco Opera. During the 1930’s, Smith sang in a number of San Francisco Opera productions. At this time, Smith married Arthur de Nunzio, a baritone from Los Angeles, who had a wide experience in that city organizing classical music performances on the radio. In 1935, he was general manager and impresario of Corriere dell' Aria, an Italian language "newspaper of the air" in which he featured the voice of Edna Smith de Nunzio. By 1937, she was singing on a KYA radio series called Ship of Joy Cruises. It was also in 1937 that Mme. Gina Cigna, Metropolitan Opera and La Scala star, heard de Nunzio in recital in San Francisco and agreed to assist in forwarding Edna's career. She became her benefactor and in February 1938, they sailed to Italy to study together. In Milan, Edna de Nunzio was placed under contract to Cigna's manager, Attilio Lamponi. She gave her first public concert in Italy in Novemeber 1938, at Circolo Fascista di Milno. In April 1940, she won the Italian government's national concert audition. This enabled her to gain the artistic permit necessary to "debut" in Italy. This occurred in July 1940, when she appeared as Leonora in Trovatore at the Italia in Milan. She later sang in Tosca and soon achieved a repertoire of eleven opera roles. She also sang extensively on Italian radio. By August 1942, it was necessary for de Nunzio to return to San Francisco because of the Second World War raging in Italy. After the war, it is difficult to determine her movements and progress. She returned to Italy and renewed some of her contacts. Judging from the Italian press clippings in the collection, she achieved some of her pre-war glory. The Italian reviews reveal that she regularly changed her stage name in an effort to retain her novelty, but she did not attain the acclaim she hoped for. Among the stage names she used were Laura Vetta, Anne de Nunzio, and Nerina Ferrari. Edna de Nunzio returned to San Francisco on an unidentified date after 1950. She worked for the probation department in San Francisco until declining health forced her into a rest home. Edna Smith de Nunzio died in San Francisco on May 25, 1985, less than a month before her 80th birthday.

The outstanding feature of these papers is the one hundred autographed and inscribed photographs addressed to Edna Smith de Nunzio from many of the most illustrious singers, conductors, and directors active in the twenties and thirties. Her association with the San Francisco Opera in the twenties is documented through photos of many SFO associates, including Gaetano Merola, Alfred Hertz, Louis D'Angelo, Beniamino Gigli, Louise Homer, Giovanni Martinelli, Claudia Muzio, Elizabeth Rethberg, Tito Schipa, and Lawrence Tibbitt. During the same years, she compiled two autograph albums filled with the inscriptions of many of these individuals and other opera luminaries of equal importance. There are 24 letters in the papers, some illuminating particular facets of her life and career. Programs, posters, and clippings from her performances in San Francisco and in Italy are also included. A unique autograph in the collection is one by Puccini sent to de Nunzio by George Maxwell, former president of the American Association of Composers, Authors, and Publishers, with a letter identifying the autograph.