CARUSO, ENRICO
Collection of thirty letters from Caruso to Marziale Sisca. Written in Italian on an extensive range of hotel notepapers, business-size letterhead, and other papers., all in Caruso's vigorous hand (mostly ink, a few notes in pencil); the letters date from 1907 to 1913. The sizes range from notepaper to full 11 x 8 1/2 inch (28 x 22 cm) sheets. Most are single sheet (written one or both sides); a few letters have second sheets. There are, in addition, three envelopes, a postcard, and an inscribed copy of Caruso's visiting card. Wear to some folds, occasional chipping to edges, generally in good condition; * Together with a group of photographs pertaining to Caruso, many vintage, including eight images of his funeral, and both a photograph and a pencil drawing of Caruso on his bier. Some fading, a few with chipped edges.
Marziale Sisca, the recipient of these letters, was the publisher of a weekly magazine, La Follia di New York. In addition to being a close friend of the great tenor, he regularly published Caruso's caricatures in this journal (and in 1939 issued them in book form). The present collection of letters is therefore of considerable interest. Some are on the letterhead of the Conried Metropolitan Opera Company, which ultimately became the Metropolitan Opera.