L'Autographe Auctions
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December 2023 - Autographs, Letters & Historical Documents
Lot 39:
MUSIC - Giacomo Puccini (Lucca, 1858 - Brussels, 1924) - Autograph letter signed
Description
Giacomo Puccini (Lucca, 1858 – Brussels, 1924)Autograph letter signed, dated Milan, February 16, 1921, addressed to "Tonino" [Antonio Bettolacci]. A beautiful letter with musical references. He expresses his intention to sell his estate La Tagliata but he finds the offered price too low. Therefore, he decides that "non se ne fa nulla (…) non ho fretta". He then discusses his musical endeavors: "lo non lavoro per ora, lavorerò quando avrò il libretto" (he refers to "Turandot" with libretto written by Renato Simoni in collaboration with Giuseppe Adami, basing on Carlo Gozzi’s tale. This opera engaged Puccini for six years and was left unfinished. It was performed, in its incomplete form, at La Scala on April 25, 1926, conducted by Toscanini). Puccini wishes to return to Torre del Lago: "Di Milano sono saturo, solo mi attarda l’idea delle persone di servizio che sono qui e non posso averne a Torre. E mangiare da Emilio, anche facendomi servire in casa non mi va". He then alludes to his latest international success: "Ad Amburgo e a Praga TRITTICO gran successo" ("The Triptych" – "Gianni Schicchi", "Suor Angelica", "Il Tabarro" – was first performed at the Metropolitan in New York on December 14, 1918). He continues by discussing his hunting exploits and repeating that he is not willing to sell his estate "La Tagliata" for less than 60,000 lire “vuota”. 2 pp. In-4°.
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