Hirsch II.812.

GIOACHINO ROSSINI (b.1792, d.1868): ‘Otello der Mohr von Venedig’, opera in 3 acts to a libretto by Francesco Berio di Salsa, after Shakespeare, in a German translation; 19th cent. Full score, in ink. Copy in several hands and on several different types of paper, on pages ruled with between 10 and 16 staves. With amendments and performance markings in ink, red and blue crayon and pencil. Some cuts are marked in crayon and with the folding of leaves. Trombone, timpani and some other wind parts are written separately at the end of each act (vol. I, ff. 219v-232; vol. II, ff. 146v-149 and ff. 251v-252v). A sheet of paper of more recent date has been pasted into vol.2 (f. 27), on which are 16 bars of music written in blue ink omitted, seemingly in error, by the original copyist. With the stamps of ‘Emil Vaupel Theater Direction’ and ‘Joseph Deresci [?]’. First performed at Naples, Teatro del Fondo, 4 Dec. 1816. Purchased as part of the Paul Hirsch Music Library, 1946.

Two volumes. 230 x 310mm. Heavily worn quarter-leather binding, with the remains of paper labels on the front covers bearing the title of the opera and number of the act. Marbled slipcases.

Gioacchino Antonio Rossini, composer: William Shakespeare, dramatist and poet: Francesco Berio di Salsa, librettist: 'Otello', opera by Gioacchino Antonio Rossini, to a libretto by Francesco Berio di Salsa, after William Shakespeare: 19th cent.: Germ: Copy.