1926 Sgd Pg- Famed Opera Singers, Actors, Jazz Guitarist, etc

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1926 Sgd Pg- Famed Opera Singers, Actors, Jazz Guitarist, etc :
$32.56

Albumpage dated 1926 containing many signatures (front and back of the page), mostnotably Opera Singers and Actors/Actresses. One side is signed by membersof the Chicago Opera (including famous International singers Antonio Cortis andVirgilio Lazzari, who were with the Company at that time) and the other sidesigned by other singers and actors, including Jazz Guitarist Nick Lucas (Gibsonguitar model is named for him—he originated the song “Tip Toe Through theTulips, which people of my generation associate with Tiny Tim). The albumbelonged to a Washington D.C. restauranteur and when famous people came to eatthere, he had them sign his book. The date when most of the Chicago Operaperformers signed was Feb. 9, 1926. A research of a period newspaperindicates they had just performed the opera “Tosca” by Puccini and U.S. VicePresident Charles Dawes was in attendance, along with many cabinet members.President Coolidge was scheduled to attend, but had a conflict. A briefsummary of some of the people signing include:

AntonioCortis(1891- 1952) Spanish tenor with an outstanding voice. He was acclaimedfor his Italian operatic works, especially those by Giuseppe Verdi and GiacomoPuccini. He made his debut in 1912 in Barcelona Spain as a comprimariosinger. In 1917 he was befriended by the Caruso who encouraged him tocome to NYC. From 1920-23 he sang at Rome\'s Teatro Costanzi. Hethen toured. From 1924-32 he sang with the Chicago Civic Opera. Hewas regarded as one of the best inter-war interpreters of verismo opera.He retired in the mid-1930s because of the Spanish Civil War. In 1940 hefounded a school for singers in Valencia. From 1925-30 he made a numberof recordings of operatic arias and songs. Critics consider hisvoice to be one of the best lyric-dramatic tenors ever captured onrecords.

VirgilioLazzari( 1887-1953) Italian operatic bass. From 1918-32 he was the main artistwith the Chicago Opera Association (COA) and the Chicago Civic Opera(CCO). From 1933-50 he was a leading bass at the MET. Heappeared annually at the Salzburg Festival from 1934-39, portraying such rolesas Bartolo in The Barber of Seville. In 1943 he sang the role of Salomonein the world premiere of Italo Montemezzi\'s L\'incantesimo on a radio broadcastwith the NBC Symphony Orchestra.

LudovicoOliviero( 1886-1948) Italian Tenor. Brother of the tenor Elvino Ventura(1875-1931). He studied in Milan and made his debut at the Teatro Regio ofTurin. In the 1912-1917 seasons he was engaged by the La Scala to appearas comprimario. From 1918-36 he was a member of the Chicago Opera. Healso made guest appearances in San Francisco and Buenos Aires. From 1936until his death he sang at the MET.

DanielBreeskin (1885-1953)was a child prodigy violinist from the Ukraine, and Washington D.C.Orchestra Conductor. His family left Russia for the U.S. because ofJewish persecution. His brother, Elias Breeskin ( 1896–1969), was aviolinist, composer and conductor, who was Caruso’s accompanist in 1918.Daniel’s son, Barnee Breeskin, was also a band leader and wrote the WashingtonRedskin’s anthem ”Hail to the Redskins.”

PeggyAlbion, wife of Edouard Albion, was a broadcaster who conceived (and ran)“Radio Hour for Children” for RCA radio.

[bothsignatures look the same, so I’m not sure if Peggy signed for Edouard or viceversa].

EugenioCorrenti –Opera Singer, Anna Correnti- Mezzo Soprano singer,wife of Eugenio, who was born in Chicago and toured with various Opera groupswhen she met and married Eugenio; Fortunato Covone was a flutistwith the Chicago Opera, and principal flutist for the Chicago SymphonyOrchestra in 1922 and again in 1931.; Frank Crisafulli wasprincipal trombonist at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra from 1939-45 and1946-55; Antonio Nicolich (1892-1964) singer; Jimmy Savo(1895–1960) Vaudeville, Broadway, nightclub, film and television performer,comedian, juggler, and mime artist.; Earle Williams (1880-1927)Silent film star. Vitagraph company\'s leading man in the 1910s. He wasvoted America\'s number one star in 1915. He was popular well into the1920s, often portraying military heroes. Died at age 47 from bronchialpneumonia. [The handwriting of Miss Agnes Gillen isunderneath his signature and the handwriting looks the same, so he may havesigned for her, or vice versa]. I cannot make out some of the othernames.

Someage browning, but otherwise in very good condition. Buyer pays $3shipping