Author: Mortier, Michel
Title: Biographical Sketch of Madame Adelina Patti
Description: S. l. (New York): Steinway & Sons' Celebrated Pianos , 1881. Softcover. First edition, n. d. (ca 1881); 8 3/4 x 5 3/4; pp. [14]; beige wraps, printed and ruled in black; illustrated with a steel-engraved portrait and facsimiles of letters; several nicks and cuts to bottom edge and fore-edge of front wrap; thin split to tail of spine; several small, penciled-in notes to margins; overall in very good condition.An interesting, thinly disguised advertisement for Steinway pianos, the pamphlet presented a short, biographical sketch of Adelina Patti (1843 - 1919) - renowned Italian-French opera singer, called by Verdi "the finest singer who had ever lived." Born Adelina Juana Maria Patti in Madrid to Italian tenor Salvatore Patti and soprano Caterina Barilli, she began performing in 1859 in New York at the age of 16. She would become a tremendous success throughout the US, Europe, and South America and would, at one point, demand to be paid $5000 a night, in gold. Apart from the biographical part, the pamphlet contained various letters of appreciation and gratefulness for the Steinway pianos, sent to the company by virtuosos of the music world, including Franz Liszt, Hector Berlioz, and Richard Wagner. Ill.: 0. 2.

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