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After the world premiere of Fanciulla in New York, Puccini worked with Toscanini to make revisions to the score before its Roman debut, under Toscanini's direction, at the Teatro Costanzi on 12 June 1911. In this letter to Carla, Toscanini's wife, Puccini comments on Fanciulla's good reviews and sends his affectionate greetings to both Arturo and Carla. He also refers to preparing for the ardita navigazione (perilous voyage), possibly meaning a trip to Buenos Aires for the Fanciulla premiere on 25 July.
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In 1874 the firm of Ricordi established an in-house printing operation to promote its music. Adolf Hohenstein, a set designer at La Scala, joined Ricordi in 1889. As its art director, he produced covers for librettos, music scores, posters, playbills, and postcards. A master of the Art Nouveau style, Hohenstein is often referred to as the "father of the Italian poster." Under his direction, a host of graphic designers emerged.
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Metlicovitz joined Ricordi's lithographic workshop in 1891, working under the instruction of Adolf Hohenstein. Metlicovitz became one of Ricordi's most prolific artists and its art director after Hohenstein left the firm. Shown here is one of the twelve postcards that made up the set issued for the production of Tosca. The designs were originally created in watercolor.
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This 36-measure sketch begins on the reverse side with a draft of material that precedes Mimi's Act 4 "Sono andati?" followed by Puccini's signature and date: Torre del Lago / 12.99. Further down, on the page that is displayed, are the first five measures of Colline's arioso "Vecchia zimarra" (which in the opera precedes this 36-measure sketch), followed by Puccini's self-caricature, signature, and date: Torre del Lago / 12.12.90cinque (12 December 1895).
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This fan contains autographs of several musical figures. On the slat shown is the melody that begins the famous aria "Mi chiamano Mimì," from Act I of La Bohème, with Puccini's signature and the date, 1912. To the right is Johann Strauss, Jr.'s autograph with the first six measures of his Kaiser Waltz, along with a dedication to Fräulein Else London, the owner of the fan.
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Puccini began work on Turandot in 1920 and had completed all but the final duet between Calaf and the princess when he left for Brussels early in November 1924 for radium treatments for throat cancer. Though he brought his sketches for the final scene with him, he died of cardiac arrest on the 29th, leaving the work unfinished. Using Puccini's sketches, composer Franco Alfano devised an ending in time for the premiere. Toscanini, however, who was conducting, put down his baton where Puccini's music ended, saying, "Here the opera ends because at this point the Maestro died."
