PUCCINI, Giacomo 1858-1924
Tosca Melodramma in Tre Atti di V. Sardou - L. Illica - G. Giacosa. Riduzione per Canto e Pianoforte di Carlo Carignani (A) netti Fr. 15 -
G. Ricordi & C. [PN 103050 prefixed by various letters: e, q; G; U; v; n; h; o; r; i; z], [Milano] 1899 - Quarto. Publisher's original light blue boards with decorative stamping gilt, composer's name and title on light pink ground within two separate rectangular decorative borders gilt, decorative endpapers. 1f. (recto half-title, verso blank), 1f. (recto blank, verso reproduction bust-length photographic portrait of Puccini), 1f. (recto title, verso publisher's copyright statement), 1f. (recto cast list, verso blank), 1f. (recto index, verso publisher's device), 310 pp. With small publisher's oval corner blindstamp dated "1 [January] 1900" to inner corners of first few leaves. Previous owner's signature to recto of frontispiece ("Cornelia R. Scovel Florence 1900"). Binding worn, soiled, rubbed, corners bumped; spine with some loss, reinforced with blue tape; slightly shaken. Minor wear; uniform light browning; upper outer corners creased; occasional markings and annotations in lead and red pencil including alternative text; some signatures partially detached. First Edition, first issue. Rare. Hopkinson 5A. Fuld pp. 605-606. Schikling 69.E.1. Crawford p. 360.Tosca, to a libretto by Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica after Victorien Sardou's play La Tosca, was first performed in Rome at the Teatro Costanzi on January 14, 1900."None of Puccini's operas has aroused more hostility than Tosca, by reason of its alleged coarseness and brutality; yet its position in the central repertory has remained unchallenged.