Descriptive Summary
Access
Publication Rights
Preferred Citation
Processing History
Biographical Note
Collection Scope and Contents
Collection Arrangement
Indexing Terms
Descriptive Summary
Title: Marcella Craft papers
Date (inclusive): 1899-1990, undated
Date (bulk): 1899-1915
Collection Number: MS 071
Creator:
Craft, Marcella, 1874-1959
Extent:
2.56 linear feet
(3 boxes)
Repository:
Rivera Library. Special Collections Department.
Abstract: This collection contains photographs, correspondence, sheet music, and other material pertaining to Marcella Craft, an early
twentieth century opera singer who spent portions of her career in Europe and Riverside, California. Includes photographs
from her early childhood, materials from her teaching years at the Marcella Craft School of Opera, personal correspondence
from various individuals, programs, newspaper clippings, and hand written reviews of her performances, and sheet music from
composers such as Richard Strauss and Bellini.
Languages: The collection is primarily in English and German, with additional materials in Italian.
Access
This collection is open for research.
Publication Rights
Copyright Unknown: Some materials in these collections may be protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.). In addition, the reproduction,
and/or commercial use, of some materials may be restricted by gift or purchase agreements, donor restrictions, privacy and
publicity rights, licensing agreement(s), and/or trademark rights. Distribution or reproduction of materials protected by
copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. To the extent other restrictions
apply, permission for distribution or reproduction from the applicable rights holder is also required. Responsibility for
obtaining permissions, and for any use rests exclusively with the user
Preferred Citation
[identification of item], [date if possible]. Marcella Craft papers (MS 071). Special Collections & University Archives, University
of California, Riverside.
Processing History
Processed by Reajinae Jenkins and Alysia Thind, Student Processing Assistants, 2015.
Processing of the Marcella Craft papers was completed by undergraduate students from the University of California, Riverside
as part of the Special Collections & University Archives Backlog Processing Project started in 2015. This project was funded
by the UCR Library and administered by Bergis Jules, University and Political Papers Archivist, and Eric Milenkiewicz, Manuscripts
Curator.
Biographical Note
Marcella Craft was born in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1874. In 1887 she came to Riverside, California and became a soloist in
the choir of Riverside's First Baptist Church. She later moved to Boston and studied voice under Charles R. Adams. Following
these voice lessons she moved to Milan, Italy to further her musical training. In 1902 Craft made her operatic debut as Lenora
in the opera "Il Travatore". A few years later Craft moved to Germany and began to sing in the cities of Mainz and Kiel. While
in Germany Craft became the first American woman to ever be invited to perform for the imperial family. World War I put Craft's
career on hold in Germany so she returned to the United States and began performing with the San Carlo Opera Company. Unable
to obtain the same level of fame in the United States, she returned to Europe to perform until her retirement in the 1930's.
She moved back to Riverside after retiring where she established the Riverside Opera Company and taught music until her death
on December 12, 1959.
Collection Scope and Contents
This collection is compromised of photographs, reviews, correspondence, sheet music, and other material regarding the personal
and professional life of Marcella Craft. Included in this collection are photographs from her early childhood, materials from
her teaching years at the Marcella Craft School of Opera, and personal correspondence from various individuals, most of which
is in German. Programs, newspaper clippings, and hand written reviews regarding Craft's performances as well as sheet music
from composers such as Richard Strauss, Bellini, and several others are also included.
Collection Arrangement
This collection is arranged into four series as follows:
- Series 1. Photographs, 1899-1948, undated
- Series 2. Printed material, 1905-1990
- Series 3. Correspondence and notes, 1910-1931, undated
- Series 4. Sheet music, undated
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the
library's online public access catalog.
Subjects
Opera
Riverside (Calif.)
Sopranos (Singers)
Genres and Forms of Materials
Correspondence
Photographs
Sheet music