JERITZA, MARIA. (1887-1982). Bohemian soprano and one of the most beautiful, glamorous and renowned opera singers of the early 20th century. Offered here is Jeritza’s personal, gilt-edged autograph album containing inscriptions, quotations, portraits, etc. from many of the leading musical luminaries of the time, as well as autographs of royalty, and leading figures in Hollywood (including Lon Chaney) and politics. 4to. Different places. 1921-1942.

Jeritza reigned supreme at New York’s Metropolitan Opera and Vienna’s Staatsoper, the two stages on which she sang most often. Her New York Times obituary noted, “Aside from her husbands, she was reported to have had close relationships with some of the most famous composers of her day,” and noted elsewhere, “Along with the brilliance of her voice, she was admired for the passionately dramatic quality of her acting and her magnificent stage presence,” (A Concise Biographical Dictionary of Singers).

Some of the major contributors to her autograph album include:

Czech composer LEOŠ JANÁ?EK (1854-1928). An unbound and trimmed program page from the Metropolitan Opera’s opening day American premier of Jenufa on December 6 (1924), signed by Jeritza (“Maria Jeritza,” who starred as Jenfa) and Janacek (“...Leos Janacek”). Brno, February 1, 1925;

Austro-Hungarian American composer ERICH W. KORNGOLD (1897-1957). AMusQS. (“Erich Wolfgang Korngold”). Four measures from Die tote Stadt penned on an unbound and trimmed program page from the Met’s performance of Korngold’s masterpiece Die tote Stadt, on December 5th, inscribed in German by Korngold and additionally inscribed by Jeritza (who sang the leading role) from New York in 1922;

Italian symphonic and operatic conductor ARTURO TOSCANINI (1867-1957). ANS (“Arturo Toscanini”). In Italian. “To Maria Jeritza (delightful and moving Sieglinde, incomparable Marietta), may the sincere expression of my unconditional friendship for her art, so spontaneous and deeply communicative, reach her. Arturo Toscanini, Vienna, 27-9-921;”

Austrian composer, conductor and pianist FELIX WEINGARTNER (1963-1942). AMusQS. (“Felix Weingartner”). In German. Seven bars of music from an unidentified composition and inscribed, “To the great genial artist Maria Jeritza in sincere admiration...Vienna 1 Oct. 1921;”

Italian general manager of La Scala and the Metropolitan Opera GIULIO GATTI-CASAZZA (1869-1940). ANS. (Giulio Gatti Casazza”). In Italian. “Maria Jeritza has been gifted by fate with all the qualities necessary to constitute a complete artist of superior rank. The foremost among these is ‘sincerity.’ I am certain I am offering her the best possible wish by hoping she always preserves this ‘divine sincerity’ in all her performances. In this way, the name of Maria Jeritza will surely remain in the history of Opera... New York Metropolitan Op. H. 24 November 1921;”

Russian bass, and one of the greatest singers of the 20th century FEODOR CHALIAPIN (1873-1938). ANS. (“F. Chaliapin”). In Italian. “To the most beautiful artist Maria Jeritza, from her enthusiastic admirer... New York Metropolitan;”

New Zealand lyric soprano FRANCIS S. ALDA (1879-1952). ANS. (“Francis Alda”). “To the very great artist Maria Jeritza with all my admiration and friendship;”

Pencil drawing of Jeritza’s head by American illustrator and creator of the “Gibson Girl” CHARLES DANA GIBSON (1867-1944; “C.D. Gibson”). “To Maria Jeritza with all good wishes from” (In an unidentified hand “28 February, New York, 1922);”

Italian baritone ANTONIO SCOTTI (1866-1936). ANS. (“A. Scotti”). In Italian. “Everything is fiction, and above our faces, lie masks. But in life, indeed, those are fools who do not know love! (from a page of the album) To Maria Jeritza, a great artist and charming comrade ... New York 1922;”

New York Tribune music critic HENRY EDWARD KREHBIEL (1854-1923). ANS. (“H.E. Krehbiel”). “To Maria Jeritza ‘A daughter of the gods, divinely tall and most divinely fair’ Tennyson / More room, my friends! Fall back a little space – See one approach with bearing full of grace! You know her now, – the cause of sure delight – A wondrous flower she bursts upon our sight. To be a model she to earth was sent – Wherein the real and ideal should be blent Of all their gifts the Nine withheld no part And in her nature breathed the breath of art To lend her charms the heaven’s … were spent And e’en thy name, Jeritza, is an ornament! A paraphrase from Goethe suggested by a first appearance at the Metropolitan Opera House, New York on November 19, 1921 H.E. Krehbiel” Jeritza made her Metropolitan Opera House debut in Korngold’s Die Tote Stadt on November 19, 1921;

French mezzo-soprano BLANCHE MARCHESI (1863-1940). ANS. (“Blanche Marchesi”). A lengthy inscription in French to Jeritza. Paris, April 10, 1922. Blanche Elisabeth Marchesi Castrone de la Rayata was Jeritza’s mother-in-law, as Jeritza married Marchesi’s eldest son, Baron Friedrich Leopold Salvator Popper von Podhragy. Jeritza was the first of his three wives and he was the first of her two husbands;


Loose photograph of Jeritza standing next to RICHARD STRAUSS (1864-1949), German composer of Der Rosenkavalier, Also Sprach Zarathustra, and Salome as well as other 20th-century classics. Jeritza is dressed in her role for Strauss’s opera, The Egyptian Helen, composed in 1928;

RICHARD STRAUSS. AMusQS. (“Dr. Richard Strauss”). Inscribed “The unique Maria Jeritza in admiration and thanks [with four measure unidentified quotation] your faithful Dr. Richard Strauss, Vienna April 30, 1922”;

Austrian conductor and Vienna State Opera director FRANZ SHALK (1863-1931). ANS. (“F. Schalk”). A twelve-line inscription in German. Vienna, June 1922;

French composer HENRY FÉVRIER (1875-1957). AMusQS. (“Henry Fevrier”). Four measures from the third act of his opera Monna Vanna with an inscription in French to the “admirable lyric tragedienne.” Paris, 1922;

Austro-Hungarian mezzo-soprano MARGARETE MATZENAUER (1881-1963). ANS. (“Margarete Matzenhauer”). In German and dated 1922/23. “With sincere admiration...and memories of the first season at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York;”

Inscribed self-portrait by German bass PAUL BENDER (1875-1947; “Paul Bender”). New York, February 1, 1923;

Italian lyric coloratura soprano AMELITA GALLI-CURCI (1882-1963). ANS. (“Amelita Galli-Curci”). New York, February 3, 1923. A brief inscription in Italian;

American baritone CLARENCE WHITEHILL (1871-1932). ANS. (“Clarence Whitehill”). A lengthy inscription in German. New York, February 28, 1923;

Polish coloratura soprano MARCELLA SEMBRICH (1858-1935). AMusQS. (“Marcella Sembrich”) with a lengthy inscription to Jeritza. New York, February 25, 1923. The four-measure quotation is from Massenet’s Thais and dated December 4, 1922;

Italian composer GIACOMO PUCCINI (1858-1924). ANS. (“Giacomo Puccini”). In Italian. “To the most brilliant artist Maria Jeritza, peerless Tosca and, I hope, unsurpassable Turandot, charming Manon Lescaut. With admiration and much friendship. Giacomo Puccini, Vienna 1923.” Turandot was left unfinished at the time of Puccini’s death in 1924. On November 16, 1926, Jeritza, sang the title role at the opera’s North American premiere at New York’s Metropolitan Opera;

Hungarian operetta composer FRANZ LEHÁR (1870-1948). AMusQS. (“Franz Lehar”). With a lengthy inscription in German. Vienna, June 24, 1923. Three staves of music from his Merry Widow, and four from The Count of Luxemburg, followed by four blank staves for which Lehar hopes that “the godly Maria Jeritza will soon put me in a position of filling out even more musical notes;”

Austrian pianist and composer ALFRED GRÜNFELD (1852-1924). AMusQS. (“Alfred Gruenfeld”). With a German inscription to Jeritza. Vienna, June 26, 1923;

Italian actress ELEANORA DUSE (1858-1924). ANS. (“Eleonora Duse”). In French. “Homage to Maria Jeritza the admirable lyric tragedienne Eleanora Duse New York 1923;”

German composer, son of Richard Wagner and director of the Bayreuth Festival SIEGFRIED WAGNER (1869-1930). ANS. (“Siegfried Wagner”). In German. “One has to travel by sea 12 days to just be able to listen to you. In memory of our meeting in New York Feb 1924…:”

Czech artist EMIL ORLIK (1870-1932). Colored sketch of a vase of flowers with an inscription in German, “For Maria Jeritza in Friendship and respect Emil Orlik II 1924;”

Italian composer ITALO MONTEMEZZI (1875-1952). ANS. (“I. Montemezzi”). A lengthy inscription in Italian to Jeritza. New York, February 1924;

Austrian statesman ALBERT APPONYI (1846-1933). Four-line ANS. (“Albert Apponyi”). In German;

Hungarian statesman JULIUS WLASSICS (1852-1937). ANS. (“Julius Wlassics”). A 14-line inscription in German. Budapest, June 1924;

Hungarian violinist and composer JEN? HUBAY (1858-1937). AMusQS. (“Jeno v. Hubay”). Four measures from his opera Anna Karenina plus a four-line inscription datelined Budapest, June 15, 1924;

Austrian portrait painter HEINRICH VON ANGELLI (1840-1925). Lovely pencil drawing of Jeritza inscribed and signed (“H. von Angelli”). Vienna November 18, 1924;

Italian composer PIETRO MASCAGNI (1863-1945). AMusQS. (“P. Mascagni”). With a four-line inscription in Italian. Vienna, May 21, 1925. Two measures from his opera, “‘Isabeau’ Act I,” with the text, “This my white mantle...” Inscribed, “To Maria Jeritza, great Santuzza, with the intimate hope that she will be an even greater Isabeau, with devotion and admiration, Pietro Mascagni, Vienna, May 2, 1925;”

Czech tenor LEO SLEZAK (1873-1946). AQS. (“Slezak Leo”). A humorous four-line inscription with a two-line dedication to Jeritza. In German. Vienna, May 21, 1925;

A stunning pencil and charcoal drawing of Jeritza by Hungarian artist ARTUR LAJOS HALMI (1866-1939) inscribed in Hungarian, “Long live Jeritza,” and signed (“Halmi Artur”). Francis Robinson, assistant manager of the Metropolitan Opera for many years once commented, “What van Dyck was to the Stuart kings, Artur Halmi was to the sopranos of the first third of this century. He was the prima donna’s best friend;”

MARIE THERESE GRAND DUCHESS OF AUSTRIA AND PRINCESS OF PORTUGAL (1855-1944). SP. (“Marie Therese Erzherzogin von Oesterreich, Infantin von Portugal”). Signed above her photograph that has been affixed to the album page. August 10, 1925;

Polish pianist and composer IGNACE JAN PADEREWSKI (1860-1941). AMusQS. (“I.J. Paderewski”). Four measures from the second act of his opera Manru. December 10, 1925;

Italian baritone TITTA RUFFO (1877-1953). ANS. (“Titta Ruffo”). A two-line inscription in Italian dated 1926;

Austrian theatrical director and stage manager MAX REINHARDT (1873-1943). ANS. (“Max Reinhardt”). A six-line inscription in German to “Marie” Jeritza. Vienna, May 13, 1927;

German conductor of symphonic and operatic music and one of the most beloved musicians of the 20th century, BRUNO WALTER. (1876-1962). An unidentified four measure AMusQS. (“Bruno Walter”). With a four-line inscription to Jeritza in German. London, June 1926;

Church of England clergyman ALBERT BAILLIE “DEAN OF WINDSOR” (1864-1955). ANS. (“Albert Baillie, Dean of Windsor”). “The gracious lady who makes one at least of her subjects forget that she holds the homage of the world as queen of song in the simplicity of her charm and the kindly thoughtfulness of her friendship…” June 20, 1926;

Australian soprano NELLIE MELBA (1861-1931). ANS. (“Nellie Melba”). “Dear Jeritza, I love your art & your singing – with my love. Nellie Melba.” June 15, 1926;

On one page, signatures of the British Royal family KING GEORGE V (1865-1936; “George R. I.”), QUEEN MARY OF TECK (1867-1953; “Mary R”), PRINCESS MARY (1897-1965; “Mary”) and her spouse HENRY LASCELLES, 6TH EARL OF HAREWOOD (1882-1947; “Lascelles”). June 22, 1926;

Indian thinker, writer, artist, and musician and the first Asian to win a Nobel Prize in Literature RABINDRANATH TAGORE (1861-1941). AQS. “God honors me when I work. God loves me when I sing.” July 16, 1926;

Austrian theologian and politician IGNAZ SEIPEL (1876-1932). Signature (“Dr. Ignaz Seipel”). Vienna, Sept 13, 1926;

KING OF DENMARK CHRISTIAN X (1870-1947; “Christian R”), QUEEN ALEXANDRINE (1879-1952; “Alexandrine”) and CROWN PRINCE FREDERIK (future KING FREDERIK IX, 1899-1972; “Frederik”). Copenhagen, May 1928;

American actor LON CHANEY (1883-1930; “Lon Chaney”). Inscribed, “Sincerely, Hollywood, 10-12-28;” and Canadian-American actress NORMA SHEARER (1902-1983). ANS (“Norma Shearer”). “To dear Madam Jeritza – To have heard you sing is wonderful – To have met you has completed my happiness – I hope you will remember your visit to our studio, because I shall, always... Oct. 12/28, California;”

German actor WERNER KRAUSS (1884-1959). Signature. (“Werner Krauss”). Vienna, April 25, 1929;

Austro-Hungarian born, American composer of diverse works ERICH KORNGOLD (1897-1957). AMusQS. (“Erich Wolfgang Korngold”). Two double measures from Violante inscribed in German, “My Violante –- my Marietta – My (…) Helene – Maria Jeritza... in true gratitude and respectful friendship… Vienna, May 1929;”

American actress CLAUDETTE COLBERT (1903-1996). ANS. (“Claudette Colbert”). With a brief inscription to Jeritza;

German-born American conductor, educator, and composer WALTER DAMROSCH (1862-1950). ANS. (“Walter Damrosch”). Inscribed, “To the tragic and the comic muse Maria Jeritza…;”

JAMES J. “JIMMY.” WALKER. (1881-1946). Tammany Hall-backed New York City mayor. ANS. (“James J. Walker”). “To Maria Jeritza with great admiration for her ‘art’ and great personal charm... New York City November Nineteenth 1931;”

JACOB SCHUBERT. (c.1879-1963). American theater owner and member of the theatrical Schubert family. ANS. (“Jacob J. Schubert”). “My highest tribute to the greatest artist of them all and the loveliest of her sex I am honored to have the privilege of presenting Madam Jeritza to the great American public March 5, 1934...;”

Czech-born American composer RUDOLF FRIML (1879-1972). AMusQS. (“Rudolf Friml”). Four measures from his famous “Indian Love Call” from Rose Marie, inscribed “To Maria Jeritza The great artist, will make me happy to sing my music. New York, December 14, 1933;”

Film producer and co-founder of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) Studios LOUIS B. MAYER (1884-1957). ANS. (“Louis B. Mayer”). “My best wishes to a great artist and fine person... 1935;”

Austrian novelist FRANZ WERFEL (1890-1945) ANS. (“Franz Werfel”). A three-line inscription in German with a brief greeting from his wife, Austrian composer and widow of Gustav Mahler, ALMA MAHLER WERFEL (1879-1964; “Alma Mahler Werfel”). April 26, 1942;

Bohemian-Austrian contralto ERNESTINE SCHUMANN-HEINK (1861-1936). AQS in German. “Warmest greetings dear countryman.” New York, January 27, 1930.

Spine rubbed and binding worn; internally in generally good condition, though some pages are loose or starting to separate. A remarkable compendium of autographs in an album belonging to one of the greatest opera singers of the 20th century.