Guide to the Blanche Thebom Collection
ARS.0059
Finding aid prepared by Franz Kunst
This finding aid was produced with generous financial support from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.
Archive of Recorded Sound
Braun Music Center
541 Lasuen Mall
Stanford University
Stanford, California, 94305-3076
650-723-9312
soundarchive@stanford.edu
© 2010
The Board of Trustees of Stanford University. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: Blanche Thebom Collection
Dates: 1934-2003
Collection number: ARS.0059
Creator:
Thebom, Blanche
Collection size:
85 boxes
Contributing Institution:
Archive of Recorded Sound
Abstract: The Blanche Thebom Collection has three major components. The first is scores, correspondence, publicity, production notes,
and media from her post-Met career as teacher and director. Secondly, there are published and unpublished sound recordings
of Thebom. Lastly, the collection also retains Thebom's extensive archive of printed music.
Publication Rights
Property rights reside with repository. Publication and reproduction rights reside with the creators or their heirs. To obtain
permission to publish or reproduce, please contact the Head Librarian of the Archive of Recorded Sound.
Access
Open for research; material must be requested at least two business days in advance of intended use. Contact the Archive for
assistance.
Preferred Citation
Blanche Thebom Collection, ARS-0059. Courtesy of the Stanford Archive of Recorded Sound, Stanford University Libraries, Stanford,
Calif.
Biography
Operatic mezzo-soprano Blanche Thebom was born in Monessen, Pennsylvania in 1915, and began her formal concert career in 1941.
She was a member of the Metropolitan Opera through 1967, known for her roles in Wagnerian epics. During this period she also
toured extensively, including being the first American to perform at the Bolshoi in Moscow. In 1967 she was appointed head
of The Atlanta Opera Company in Atlanta, Georgia. Following that experience, Thebom taught at the University of Arkansas in
Little Rock. In 1980 she moved to San Francisco and directed an opera workshop at San Francisco State University, and founded
the Opera Arts Training Program in 1988 in conjunction with the San Francisco Girls Chorus. Thebom passed away in March 2010
at the age of 94.
Scope and Contents
The bulk of the Blanche Thebom Collection contains scores, publicity, correspondence, notes, and media from her many years
as a theatrical director. Included are business records and production materials from the Atlanta Opera Company, production
materials from the operas and puppet shows she directed at the University of Arkansas - Little Rock, and some files from her
stint teaching at San Francisco State University. The largest portion of this collection is devoted to Thebom's own printed
music collection, intact and in the order she kept it. Outside of some ephemera from her many tours abroad, there is little
material from her time performing with the Metropolitan Opera, nor is there much in the way of personal correspondence. Thebom
also did not keep a diary, nor did she intend to write a memoir. However, the collection does hold many recordings from this
era, including test pressings from her years recording for RCA (some with unissued takes), as well as almost 150 unique recordings
on fragile instantaneous discs, several from the 1930's.
Indexing Terms
Thebom, Blanche -- Archives
Atlanta Opera Company (Atlanta, Ga.).
University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
Mezzo-sopranos
Opera
Operas
Puppet theater
Box 34
Aida
1967
Scope and Contents
Verdi, Giuseppe, 1813-1901. Aïda.
Box 4, Box 5, Box 6
Alice
1976
Scope and Contents
An adaptation of Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" for the stage by Thebom.
Box 2, Box 4, Box 5, Box 8
Amahl and The Night Visitors
1975
Scope and Contents
Menotti, Gian Carlo, 1911-2007. Amahl and the night visitors
Box 13, Box 46
The Astar Experiment
1978
Scope and Contents
Kirby, Lou Ann, 1948- Astar experiment
Box 33
Barber of Seville
1984
Scope and Contents
Rossini, Gioacchino, 1792-1868. Barbiere di Siviglia. Performed by the Marin Opera Company.
Box 3, Box 4
Bastien & Bastienne / Mozart Fete Galante
1970-1976
Scope and Contents
Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus, 1756-1791. Bastien und Bastienne
Box 4
La Bella Dormente
Scope and Contents
Respighi, Ottorino, 1879-1936. Bella dormente nel bosco
Box 5, Box 8, Box 13
Beret & Per Hanson
1977-1978
Scope and Contents
Opera written by a Mr. Hagen, performed at UALR.
Box 34
La Boheme
Scope and Contents
Puccini, Giacomo, 1858-1924. Bohème. Photographs from the Atlanta performance.
Box 5, Box 8, Box 9, Box 13
Calhoun's Christmas
1972-1980
Scope and Contents
Palmer, Carleton. Calhoun's Christmas. Libretto by Thebom, adapted from the book by Phyllis McGimsey.
Box 13, Box 33
The Consul
1974
Scope and Contents
Menotti, Gian Carlo, 1911-2007. Consul
Box 2, Box 4, Box 8, Box 14, Box 47
Carmen Cabaret / Caravan
1971-1982
Scope and Contents
Bizet, Georges, 1838-1875. Carmen. Adapted as a condensed version by Thebom.
Box 5, Box 10, Box 11
Childhood of Christ
1977
Scope and Contents
Berlioz, Hector, 1803-1869. Enfance du Christ
Box 5, Box 6, Box 10
Cinderella
1979-1980
Scope and Contents
Rossini, Gioacchino, 1792-1868. Cenerentola (Cinderella). Thebom's final production at UALR.
Box 4, Box 17, Box 18, Box 33
Cosi Fan Tutte
1975-1979
Scope and Contents
Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus, 1756-1791. Così fan tutte
Box 15, Box 16
The Devil And Daniel Webster
1975-1982
Scope and Contents
Benét, Stephen Vincent, 1898-1943. Devil and Daniel Webster
Box 1, Box 4, Box 5, Box 8
Don Quixote
1978
Scope and Contents
Massenet, Jules, 1842-1912. Don Quichotte
Box 3, Box 16
Holiday For Santa
1970
Scope and Contents
Thebom, Blanche. Holiday for Santa.
Box 33, Box 34
King Arthur
1968
Scope and Contents
Purcell, Henry, 1659-1695. King Arthur. Debut performance at Atlanta's Memorial Arts Center.
Box 13, Box 16
Les Mamelles de Tiresias
1974
Scope and Contents
Poulenc, Francis, 1899-1963. Mamelles de Tirésias
Box 13
The Telephone
Scope and Contents
Menotti, Gian Carlo, 1911-2007. Telephone
Box 5
Master Pete's Puppet Show
Scope and Contents
Falla, Manuel de, 1876-1946. Retablo de Maese Pedro
Box 42, Box 47
Merry Wives of Windsor
1985
Scope and Contents
Nicolai, Otto, 1810-1849. Lustigen Weiber von Windsor. Performed at San Francisco State.
Box 4, Box 5, Box 8, Box 12
The Old Maid And The Thief
1978
Scope and Contents
Menotti, Gian Carlo, 1911-2007. Old maid and the thief
Box 4, Box 8, Box 9
Orfeo
1974
Scope and Contents
Monteverdi, Claudio, 1567-1643. Orfeo
Box 3, Box 5, Box 46
Snowmaiden
1970
Scope and Contents
Rimsky-Korsakov, Nikolay, 1844-1908. Snegurochka
Box 5
La Vida Breve
Scope and Contents
Falla, Manuel de, 1876-1946. Vida breve
Box 34, Box 47
Atlanta Opera Company / Atlanta Opera Council
1960-1972
Physical Description:
2 boxes
Scope and contents
Clippings, contracts, correspondence, memoranda, photographs, press releases, production notes, programs, Box recordings of
gala, etc.
Box 16
Blanche Thebom Show
1965
Physical Description:
Twenty-five 7" open reel tapes
Scope and Contents
Recordings from Thebom's interview program (also possibly titled "Blanche Thebom Presents..."). Guests: Robert Merrill, Gary
Graffman, Edward Woodward, Nicolai Gedda, Dore Schave, Marian Anderson, Enoch Light, Andre Kostelanetz, Skitch Henderson,
Giorgio Tozzi, Mitch Miller, Hildegarde, Roddy McDowell, Eleanor Stebes, Jerome Hines, Richard Tucker, Jan Mitchell, Mischa
Ellman, Roberta Peters, Alicia Markova, Eileen Farrell, and Bill Cosby.
Box 30, Box 44, Box 45
Discs - Instantaneous
Physical Description:
149 instantaneous disc(s)
One 7" disc ; three 10" discs ; one-hundred-and-forty-five 12" discs
Box 7, Box 26
Discs - Commercially pressed shellac
Physical Description:
Seventy 78 rpm discs
Box 1, Box 33
Dubrovnick Summer Festival
1959
Physical Description:
2 boxes
Scope and Contents
Program and other ephemera from a festival in Croatia at which Thebom performed.
Box 1
Metropolitan Opera House demolition clippings
1966-1967
Physical Description:
1 folder
Box 15, Box 19, Box 20, Box 21, Box 22, Box 23, Box 24, Box 27, Box 28, Box 29, Box 31, Box 32, Box 36, Box 37, Box 38, Box 39, Box 40, Box 41, Box 42
Printed music collection
circa 1934-2003
Physical Description:
19 boxes
Scope and Contents
Published scores, libretti, sheet music, teaching guides, etc. Many signed or possibly notated by Thebom. Some are manuscripts
and some are photocopies. There are folders grouped by subject such as "Russian", "Italian", "German", "Light English" and
"Encore Material."
Box 1, Box 33
Osaka International Festival
1961
Physical Description:
2 boxes
Scope and Contents
Programs, scrapbook, and other ephemera from a festival in Japan at which Thebom performed.
Box 34
Songs of Experience - Daniel Steven Crafts
Physical Description:
1 score
Scope and Contents
Crafts, Daniel Steven. Songs of Experience. Includes short correspondence and a news clipping.
Box 1, Box 2, Box 3, Box 6, Box 10, Box 11, Box 12, Box 13, Box 14, Box 15, Box 18
University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR)
circa 1973-1980
Physical Description:
11 boxes
Box 5, Box 13
UALR galas
1969-1971
Physical Description:
2 boxes
Box 25, Box 42
Books
circa 1934-2003
Physical Description:
2 boxes
Scope and Contents
Books signed by or inscribed to Thebom. Some are signed by author. One book includes an essay ("Opera - Evolution or Revolution")
by Thebom.
Box 25
Printed opera programs (San Francisco, Santa Fe, Seattle, Metropolitan)
1963-1990
Physical Description:
1 box
Box 1, Box 69, Box 70, Box 71, Box 74, Box 76, Box 77, Box 78, Box 79, Box 80, Box 81, Box 82, Box 83, Box 84, Box 85
Programs, clippings, correspondence, and personal documents
circa 1934-2003
Physical Description:
15 boxes
Creator:
Villec, Phyllis
Donor note
Much of this series was donated by Villec, Phyllis, in 2014.
Arrangement
This series has been boxed in the order it was received. Its contents are therefore mostly unorganized at present.
Sensitive material
This series has not been weeded for potentially sensitive items. Researchers viewing these materials will therefore be required
to sign an agreement that they will not disclose or reproduce any sensitive information they might find.
Box 9, Box 16, Box 33, Box 46, Box 47
Audiovisual material
1938-1996
Physical Description:
6 boxes
Scope and Contents
Many unmarked or poorly marked, some with no Thebom content. Among the recordings: Antony and Cleopatra 1966 ; Manila 1959
; Kolodin ; Trigere ; "phone negotiations" ; Samson and Delilah ; Queen of Spades ; Regina ; Thebom interview KKHI ; Thebom
interview 1993 (also transferred to DVD) ; Aida 1953 ; The Trojans in London ; many reels of disc transfers (marked with Roman
numerals).
Box 17
Film
circa 1934-2003
Physical Description:
3 films
One 1" film in 5" can ; two 1/2" films in 12" cans
Scope and Contents
Films are minimally marked. One says "In Brasil with Senador Church" on its can, another says "rehearsals" on its leader.
Box 72, Box 73, Box 75
Photographs and negatives
circa 1934-2003
Physical Description:
3 boxes
Creator:
Villec, Phyllis
Donor note
Much of this series was donated by Villec, Phyllis, in 2014.
