Verdi, Giuseppe

declaring that he would be happy to come and adapt his opera for the singers Badiali and Abbadia at Turin, but that the management is not prepared to pay him adequately, not even five hundred francs (merely the double what any member of the chorus there would get), and that if Salvi were able to fight on his behalf to ensure that his opera could be performed perfectly, then he would come to Turin, not for such an amount but without receiving anything at all (“...Forse la bontà che hai per me ed il desiderio che la mia Opera si eseguisca a perfezione non t'avrà lasciato campo a riflettere quanto queste mie ragioni sieno giuste...se potessi, verrai a Torino non per questa somma, ma per niente...”)

1 page, 4to (c.26 x 20cm), integral autograph address panel, typed transcriptions, Milan, 4 January 1840, staining to left margin

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Unpublished: not mentioned by Abbiati (1959) or Matz (1993). Autograph letters by Verdi from this time are exceptionally rare.  This letter deals with the adaptations that Verdi made to Oberto for subsequent performances (although the opera is not named here); it already shows his rather lofty attitude to the commercial realities of operatic life.  Oberto was premièred at La Scala, Milan on 17 November 1839, successfully enough to be restaged at Turin and Genoa early in 1840.  Verdi knew he would have to adapt certain roles for Turin, where there were new and different singers, including the mezzo-soprano Luigia Abbadia in the role of Cunizia, for whom Verdi had to compose an additional aria, 'Parmi che al fine quest' anima'.  Also in Turin, Salvi himself and Antonietta Ranieri-Marini reprised the leading roles they had sung in Milan.