Details
PUCCINI, Giacomo (1848-1924). Autograph letter signed ('Giacomo Puccini') to Tito Ricordi, Viareggio, 9 July 1914, six pages, 4to, on bifolia.
A tirade against his publisher over rights to Ouida's novel, The Two Little Wooden Shoes, and a new contract. The letter opens with an outburst of frustration (with much underlining) in response to reproaches from Ricordi: 'You ask me: "why did you not entrust me with negotiations for Zaccoletti [I due zaccoletti, i.e. The Two Little Wooden Shoes] as you did for Houppelande [La houppelande, basis of the one-act opera Il tabarro] or Crociata" -- because you negotiated directly without letting me know'. He goes on to reproach Ricordi that - 'It would have been enough for you to take a step towards me, and the case would have proceeded with mutual agreement. By contrast your silence could have been interpreted as an act of mistrust towards me, or an act of incredulity that I would really write the opera -- two reasons both serious enough to stop me talking to you about it'. Responding to another charge, Puccini denies that he was to auction rights to his new work -- on the contrary, he was disposed to allow Ricordi to acquire them; but Ricordi should know of his 'engagement provisoir' towards a Viennese publisher [Herzmansky-Doblinger], with an advance of 400,000 crowns and 40 per cent on all materials, editions, etc: 'Now I don't ask these figures of you, but at the same time I would like you to propose a scheme of conditions for this new contract'. The letter ends with kinder sentiments: 'I repeat that there is nothing I want more than to return to our good relations, especially after your affectionate words'.
The letter recapitulates a number of complaints made by Puccini in a letter of 27 June the same year. The protracted saga over the rights to to The Two Little Wooden Shoes began with Puccini in dispute with Mascagni over their acquisition, only to be told that they were already in the public domain; subsequently he discovered that he was in competition with Ricordi himself, who eventually acquired what rights there were. The novel was ultimately to form the basis of Mascagni's opera Lodetta (1917).
A tirade against his publisher over rights to Ouida's novel, The Two Little Wooden Shoes, and a new contract. The letter opens with an outburst of frustration (with much underlining) in response to reproaches from Ricordi: 'You ask me: "why did you not entrust me with negotiations for Zaccoletti [I due zaccoletti, i.e. The Two Little Wooden Shoes] as you did for Houppelande [La houppelande, basis of the one-act opera Il tabarro] or Crociata" -- because you negotiated directly without letting me know'. He goes on to reproach Ricordi that - 'It would have been enough for you to take a step towards me, and the case would have proceeded with mutual agreement. By contrast your silence could have been interpreted as an act of mistrust towards me, or an act of incredulity that I would really write the opera -- two reasons both serious enough to stop me talking to you about it'. Responding to another charge, Puccini denies that he was to auction rights to his new work -- on the contrary, he was disposed to allow Ricordi to acquire them; but Ricordi should know of his 'engagement provisoir' towards a Viennese publisher [Herzmansky-Doblinger], with an advance of 400,000 crowns and 40 per cent on all materials, editions, etc: 'Now I don't ask these figures of you, but at the same time I would like you to propose a scheme of conditions for this new contract'. The letter ends with kinder sentiments: 'I repeat that there is nothing I want more than to return to our good relations, especially after your affectionate words'.
The letter recapitulates a number of complaints made by Puccini in a letter of 27 June the same year. The protracted saga over the rights to to The Two Little Wooden Shoes began with Puccini in dispute with Mascagni over their acquisition, only to be told that they were already in the public domain; subsequently he discovered that he was in competition with Ricordi himself, who eventually acquired what rights there were. The novel was ultimately to form the basis of Mascagni's opera Lodetta (1917).
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