PUCCINI, Giacomo (1858-1924) - photo 1
PUCCINI, Giacomo (1858-1924) - photo 2
PUCCINI, Giacomo (1858-1924) - photo 3
PUCCINI, Giacomo (1858-1924) - photo 4
PUCCINI, Giacomo (1858-1924) - photo 5
PUCCINI, Giacomo (1858-1924) - photo 6

PUCCINI, Giacomo (1858-1924)

Lot 89
14.12.2022 10:30UTC +00:00
Classic
Starting price
£ 1 500
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUnited Kingdom, London
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The auction is completed. No bids can be placed anymore.
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ID 870776
Lot 89 | PUCCINI, Giacomo (1858-1924)
Estimate value
£ 1 500 – 2 200
PUCCINI, Giacomo (1858-1924)

Autograph letter signed ('G. Puccini') to Giulio [Ricordi], Grand Hotel du Quirinal, Rome, n.d. [c.22 and 25 January 1909].

In Italian. Eight pages, 213 x 135mm, on bifolia, printed stationery of the hotel. Provenance: Christie's, 1 December 2004, lot 30.



Problems with a production of Madama Butterfly – and with his wife. Butterfly is to be shown the following Wednesday: the management had wished it to be earlier, but 'I was against this, asking for another rehearsal because the so-called dress rehearsal was the first and only with everyone! Especially for Acts II and III. Musically it wasn't too bad but in stage terms it was complete anarchy'. The remainder of the letter complains at length of the behaviour of his wife Elvira – who mercifully has remained in Milan: he has been suffering most of all from her 'morbosa gelosia' ('morbid jealousy') and her 'sistema di spionaggio' ('system of espionage') against him – so that he dare not even walk out of the house to smoke a cigar, and his life and work have become impossible. He asks Ricordi for a word of encouragement and advice – 'But advice that is practicable and possible'.



Puccini was attending the rehearsals for a performance of Madama Butterfly which finally took place at the Teatro Costanzi, Rome, on 27 January 1909. Puccini's relationship with Elvira Gemignani (née Bonturi, 1860–1930), whom he married in 1904, had been plagued by her jealous outbursts, which had focused in the preceding year on an imagined relationship between the composer and their maid, Doria Manfredi. Elvira's persecution of Doria culminated in the latter's suicide, of which Puccini heard the news on 28 January.





Special notice


This lot has been imported from outside of the UK for sale and placed under the Temporary Admission regime. Import VAT is payable at 5% on the hammer price. VAT at 20% will be added to the buyer’s premium but will not be shown separately on our invoice.
Place of origin:Italy, Europe
Auction house category:Letters, documents and manuscripts
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
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United Kingdom
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10.12.2022 – 13.12.2022
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