SOPRANOS: A very fine selection of four autographs, being three signed photographs and one signed engraving, signed and inscribed by leading Sopranos of their time, comprising PATTI ADELINA (1843-1919) Spanish-born Italian Opera Singer. One of the most important Bel Canto Soprano in history. A good signed and inscribed engraving of Patti showing the Italian singer in a profile head and shoulders pose. Signed and inscribed in bold black ink and in French to the bottom right corner of the engraving, stating `Souvenir d´amitié... d´Adelina Patti, Marquise de Caux´, also dated St. Petersburg, 7th November 1869, in her hand. Small overall minor foxing stains, with extremely small clipped corner and two very small pinholes to the upper corners; COBELLI GIUSEPPINA (1898-1948) Italian Soprano. A good signed and inscribed 7 x 9 photograph `Giuseppina Cobelli´, the Camuzzi Crimella image from Milan showing the Italian singer standing in a full-length pose, in costume as Adriana Lecouvreur in Cilea´s opera of the same name, at the Teatro della Scala, one of her more acclaimed roles. Extremely small silvering; CARREÑO TERESA (1853-1917) Venezuelan Soprano, Pianist, Composer and Conductor. Carreño, a virtuoso pianist, was often referred to as the “Valkyrie” of the piano. Signed postcard photograph `Yours sincerely, Teresa Carreño´, also dated 1911 in her hand, & Frau i Julia Dolores (1882-1966) Spanish mezzosoprano. Signed and inscribed postcard photograph, Milano 1919. VG, 4

 

Cobelli was described as a beautiful woman with a highly individual voice and dramatic temperament. Her soprano career abruptly finished when she was conditioned by deafness in 1932, she is remembered for being the only artist to perform on stage equipped with a hearing aid. Although she has become a forgotten opera star who passed away at the age of 50, Cobelli sang with the greatest tenors of her time, Fleta, Thill, Pertile, Gigli, Ruffo and under Toscanini, de Sabata, Serafin or Klemperer at the top Opera theatres all over the world.