 | |  |  | | |
Autographs: opera singers C 
| | 
above: detail of Montserrat Caballé autograph |
| Montserrat Caballé - 1933-2018, Spanish soprano with a virtually faultless technique. In 1965 she replaced Marilyn Horne at short notice in a New York concert performance of Lucrezia Borgia, and gained overnight stardom. Within the year she had made her Glyndebourne debut as the Marschallin, then as Mozart's Countess, and her Metropolitan Opera debut as Marguerite. Appearances at nearly all of the world's major opera houses followed. Her repertoire included the title roles in Aida, Tosca, Salome, Norma and Lucrezia Borgia - 5 x 7 inches (12.5 x 17.5 cm) autographed photo showing her in Herodiade. £30 | |
| | 
above: detail of Teresa Cahill autograph |
| Teresa Cahill - British soprano, best known for her Mozart and Richard Strauss interpretations. She made her professional debut at Glyndebourne as the First Lady in Die Zouberflöte, returning to sing Alice Ford in Falstaff. She then regularly performed at Covent Garden where her many roles included both Donna Elvira and Zerlina in Don Giovanni, and Sophie in Der Rosenkavalier. She also appeared frequently for Scottish Opera, English National Opera, Kent Opera, Opera North, Santa Fe Opera and Philadelphia Opera. She had a succesful concert career often appearing at the Proms, and her recordings include Richard Strauss lieder - 3.5 x 5.5 inches (9 x 14 cm) autographed photo showing her as Donna Elvira for Glyndebourne Touring Opera. £15 [ref: TC21] | |
| | 
above: detail of Teresa Cahill autograph |
| Teresa Cahill - British soprano, best known for her Mozart and Richard Strauss interpretations. She made her professional debut at Glyndebourne as the First Lady in Die Zauberflöte, returning to sing Alice Ford in Falstaff. She then regularly performed at Covent Garden where her many roles included both Donna Elvira and Zerlina in Don Giovenni, and Sophie in Der Rosenkavalier. She also appeared frequently for Scottish Opera, English National Opera, Kent Opera , Opera North, Santa Fe Opera and Philadelphia Opera. She had a successful concert career, often appearing at the Proms, and her recordings include Richard Strauss lieder - 3.5 x 5.5 inches (9 x 14 cm) autographed photo showing her as Fiordiligi for Glyndebourne Touring Opera. £15 [ref: TC2] | |
Renato Capecchi - 1923-1998, Italian baritone with a huge repertoire and a long career at La Scala Milan and at the Met; he became associated with comic roles, especially Fra Melitone in La Forza del Destino, the role with which he made his Covent Garden debut in 1962. In 1977 he sang the title role in Verdi's Falstaff to huge acclaim - autograph on 5 x 3 inches (13 x 7.5 cm) white card, signed : "Renato Capecchi 1980" in blue biro, firmer and nicer signature than appears on scan. £12 | | 
| | | |
Piero Cappuccilli - 1929-2005, Italian baritone. He was the quintessential Verdi baritone whose roles included Rigoletto, Iago, Simon Boccanegra, Posa and Macbeth; always reliable on records, he was far more exciting as a live performer - 4.25 x 6.25 inches (11 x 16 cm) autographed photo showing him as Enrico in Lucia di Lammermoor, signed: "Cappuccilli Piero". £30 [ref: PC1]
| | 
| | | |
| Piero Cappuccilli - 1926-2005, Italian baritone. He was the quintessential Verdi baritone whose roles included Rigoletto, Iago, Posa, Simon Boccanegra and Macbeth; always reliable in studio recordings, he was far more exciting as a live performer - 5 x 7 inches (13 x 18cm) autograph photo, with dedication, signed: "Per Ken Dyer, cordialemente, Piero Cappuccilli". Condition: slight surface-creasing bottom-left. £25 [ref: PC2] | | 
| | | |
| | 
above: detail of Piero Cappuccilli autograph |
| Piero Cappuccilli - 1926-2005, Italian baritone. He was the leading Verdi baritone of his day, and his roles included Rigoletto. Iago, Posa, Renato, Simon Boccanegra and Macbeth. Always steady and reliable in studio recordings, he was far more exciting as a live performer - 4 x 6 inches (10.5 x 15 cm) autographed photo, showing him as Rigoletto, signed: "Cappuccilli Piero". £30 [ref: PC3] | |
| Jose Carreras - born 1946, Spanish tenor, a major singer of the 1970s and 80s (Nemorino, Rodolfo, Don Jose); following his recovery from leukemia he was one of the Three Tenors in the famous Rome concert - 5 x 7 inches (12.5 x 18 cm) autographed photo, dated '78. Condition: top and bottom left corners slightly creased. Really nice younger autograph. £34 [ref: JC1] | | 
| | | |
| Jose Carreras - born 1946, Spanish tenor, a major singer of the 1970s and 80s (Nemorino, Rodolfo, Don Jose) ; following his recovery from leukemia he was one of the Three Tenors in the famous Rome Concert - 7 x 9.5 inches (18 x 24 cm) large autographed photo, dated '78. Superb younger autograph. £38 [ref: JC2] | | 
| | | |
| John Cartier - 1923-1997, British baritone who was a member of the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company for many years; he frequently was John Reed's understudy, and his repertoire of Gilbert and Sullivan roles included The Duke of Plaza-Toro (The Gondoliers), The Lord Chancellor (Iolanthe) and KoKo (The Mikado) - 3.5 x 5.5 inches (9 x 14 cm) postcard showing him as the Major in Patience, signed: "All good wishes, John Cartier". £25 | | 
| | 
above: detail of John Cartier autograph | | | | | |
| | 
above: detail of Richard Cassilly autograph |
| Richard Cassilly - 1927-1998, American tenor; a large man with a powerful, vibrant voice which he used with great intelligence and clear diction. His huge repertoire included many contemporary roles, as well as German heldentenor ones. From 1955-66 he sang with New York City Opera where his roles included Pinkerton, Peter Quint in The Turn of the Screw and Don Jose, and for Cincinnati Opera he sang Peter Grimes, Canio and Radames. From 1965 he sang regularly in Europe, particularly in Germany. In 1968 he made his Covent Garden debut as Laca (Jenufa). returning for Florestan, Herod, Peter Grimes, Otello and Tannhauser. From 1978 he was a regular performer at the Metropolitan Opera as Canio, Tristan, Captain Vere (Billy Budd) and Samson. For the last decade of his life he taught, until his death from a fall on the ice - 3.75 x 5.75 inches (9.5 x 14.5 cm) autographed photo showing him in costume, probably as Otello. £30 | |
| | 
above: detail of Maria Cebotari autograph |
| Maria Cebotari - 1910-1949, Russian-born Austrian soprano. She studied in Berlin, and made her professional debut for Dresden Staatsoper as Mimi, staying with the company until 1936. She appeared at Covent Garden in 1936 singing Susanna, Zerlina and Sophie to huge acclaim. During the Second World War she sang for Berlin Staatsoper, and after the war returned to Covent Garden in 1947 as Countess Almaviva in Figaro, Donna Anna and the title role in Salome. Her repertoire also included Butterfly, Violetta, Tatyana, Arabella and Turandot. As well as possessing a superb voice, she was an intelligent and charming actress, and it is said that Richard Strauss greatly admired her Salome. - 3.5 x 5.5 inches (9 x 14 cm) autographed photo, beautifully signed in blue ink. The photo is dated '20.3.39' in pencil on the reverse. £50 | |
| Giuliano Ciannella - 1943-2008, Italian tenor, a pupil of Carlo Bergonzi, and a noted Rodolfo, Cavaradossi and Manrico - autograph on 6 x 3.5 inches (15 x 9 cm) white page from autograph book, signed in October 1985 after a performance of Il Trovatore at ROH Covent Garden. £10 | | 
| | | |
| | 
above: detail of Edith Coates autograph | | Edith Coates - 1908-1983, British mezzo-soprano with 50 year career; sang the role of Carmen at Covent Garden in 1946, and creating the role of Auntie in Peter Grimes - 4.75 x 3.5 inches (12 x 9 cm) autographed photo showing her as Marcellina in Le Nozze di Figaro, signed: "Best wishes, Edith Coates". £30 | | | | | |
| Peter Coleman-Wright - Australian baritone, performing with English National Opera, Royal Opera, Metropolitan Opera and Opera Australia (Scarpia, Don Giovanni, Escamillo, Onegin) - 3.5 x 5.5 inches (9 x 14 cm) autotographed photo. £20 | | 
| | | |
| | 
above: detail of Anselmo Colzani autograph |
| Anselmo Colzani - 1918-2006, Italian baritone with a big dramatic voice; a notable Alfio, Sharpless, Gerard, Jack Rance, Tonio, Rigoletto, Falstaff, Nabucco and Macbeth. He performed at most of the world's great opera houses, and sang over 270 performances at the Metropolitan Opera New York, most notably as Scarpia - 4 x 6 inches (10 x 15 cm) autographed photo showing him as Renato in Un Ballo in Maschera, dated 1961. £40 | |
| Paolo Coni - born 1957, Italian baritone. He has sung at most of the world's major opera houses, including Covent Garden. In 1988 he made his Metropolitan Opera debut as Belcore, and his La Scala Milan debut as Marcello. His repertoire includes the title roles in Don Giovanni, and both Mozart's and Rossini's Figaros, as well as Verdi roles such as Renato and Posa - 5 x 7 inches (13 x 18 cm) autographed photo, signed: "23.9.87 Alla 'Scala', con simpatica, Paolo Coni". [the "Scala" was a restaurant in Milan which had signed photos of opera singers covering the walls, of which this was one]. £20 | | 
|
| Elizabeth Connell - South African-born Irish soprano. Initially a mezzo-soprano, from 1973-1974 she sang with Australian Opera (Venus, Amneris), and at English National Opera 1975-80 she sang Eboli, Santuzza and Sieglinde. In 1983 she re-launched her career as a soprano singing Fiordiligi at La Scala Milan and Norma at Geneva. At ROH Covent Garden she has appeared regularly, and is particularly known for her Leonora in Il Trovatore - 3.5 x 5.5 inches (9 x 14 cm) autographed photo. £18 | | 
| | | |
| | 
above: detail of Alessandro Corbelli autograph |
| Alessandro Corbelli - born 1952, Italian baritone; initially he sang lyric baritone roles, but later gained an international reputation in buffo roles, including Rossini's Dr Bartolo, Don Pasquale, Don Magnifico and Don Alfonso (Cosi Fan Tutte). He had sung nearly 70 times at the Metropolitan Opera New York, including the title role in Gianni Schicchi, and he is a favourite at Covent Garden where he has played Dulcamara, Dr Malatesta (Don Pasquale), Michonnet in Adriana Lecouvreur and Taddeo in L'Italiana in Algiers. He has made dozens of recordings - 3.5 x 5 inches (9 x 12.5 cm) autographed photo, signed in red pen and dated 1989. £20 | |
| | 
above: detail of Marcel Cordes autograph |
| Marcel Cordes - (born Karl Schumacher) 1920-1992, German baritone who made his debut as Count di Luna, then after WW2 (and a period as a prisoner-of-war) sang as a tenor, singing Canio and other tenor roles in many German opera houses. In the 1950s he reverted to the baritone repertory, singing in Munich, Stuttgart, Zurich and at the Vienna Volksoper. His repertoire included Ford, Onegin, Marcello, Michele (Il Tabarro), Tonio, Rossini's Figaro, Rigoletto and Gerard. His particularly beautiful voice can be heard in many recordings - 3.5 x 5.5 inches (9 x 14 cm) autographed record company publicity card. For full inscription in German see detail right. £20 | |
| Viorica Cortez - born 1936, Romanian, later French, mezzo-soprano. A considerable star, greatly in demand in the world's major opera houses in the 1970s, but who faced major obstacles from the Romanian authorities who denied her a passport. Nevertheless, in 1973 she sang Azucena at the Met, returning there for Amneris in 1979, and at Verona she was a huge hit singing Amneris to Franco Corelli's Radames in 1972. In 1975 she became a French citizen and, free to travel, her international career really took off. A good friend of soprano Montserrat Caballe, they frequently appeared together including in Norma, Maria Stuarda, Don Carlo and Il Trovatore. Although she was a fine actress, by the 1980s her voice was sadly in decline, although she was recently able to perform once again in her native Romania - 3.25 x 5.25 inches (8 x 13 cm) autographed photo. £35 | | 
| | | |
| | 
above: detail of Fiorenza Cossotto autograph |
Fiorenza Cossotto - born 1935, Italian mezzo-soprano. She was one of the finest Italian singers of the 20th century, making her debut at La Scala Milan in 1957 as Sister Mathilde in the premiere of Dialogues des Carmélites, returning every year until 1973; her roles there included Amneris, Santuzza, Eboli, Azucena and Adalgisa. In 1959 she made her debut at Covent Garden in Médée, and that same year caused a sensation when she sang Cherubino at the Royal Festival Hall under Giulini. She made her Metropolitan Opera debut in 1968 as Amneris, returning regularly in the following years. She recorded many of her roles, and her Adalgisa in Norma is often regarded as the finest ever - 4.75 x 7 inches (12 x 18 cm) autographed photo, showing her in La Favorita, nicely signed in blue marker pen. £35 [ref: FC1]
| |
| | 
above: detail of Fiorenza Cossotta autograph |
| Fiorenza Cossotto - born 1935, Italian mezzo-soprano. She was one of the finest Italian singers of the 20th century, making her deut at La Scala Milan in 1957 as Sister Mathilde in the premiere of Dialogues des Carmélites, returning every year until 1973; her roles there included Amneris, Santuzza, Eboli, Azucena and Adalgisa. In 1959 she made her debut at Covent Garden in Médée, and that same year caused a sensation when she sang Cherubino at the Royal Festival Hall under Giulini. She made her Metropolitan Opera debut in 1968 as Amneris, returning regularly in the following years. She recorded many of her roles, and her Adalgisa in Norma is often regarded as the finest ever - 4 x 6 inches (10.5 x 15 cm) autographed photo, showing her at as the Principessa in Adraina Lecouvreur at Rome Opera. £35 [ref: FC2] | |
Carlo Cossutta - 1932-2000, Italian tenor with big, dark, dramatic voice; a famous Duke (Rigoletto), Don Carlos, Gabriele Adorno, Turiddu, Radames and Otello at ROH Covent Garden, Metropolitan Opera and other major companies - autograph in gold ink on 6.5 x 3.5 inches (14 x 9 cm) white postcard, with small photo snipped from opera programme on left. £12 [ref: CC1]
| | 
| | | |
| | 
above: detail of Carlo Cossutta autograph |
| Carlo Cossutta - 1932-2000, Italian tenor with big, dark, dramatic voice; a famous Duke (Rigoletto), Don Carlos, Gabriele Adorno, Turiddu, Radames, Riccardo (Un Ballo in Maschera) and Otello at ROH Covent Garden, Metropolitan Opera and other major companies - 3.5 x 5.5 inches (9 x 14 cm) autographed photo showing him as Don Carlos in Verdi's opera. £30 [ref: CC2] | |
| | 
above: detail of Carlo Cossutta autograph |
| Carlo Cossutta - 1932-2000, Italian tenor with big, dark, dramatic voice; a famous Duke (Rigoletto), Don Carlos, Gabriele Adorno (Simon Boccanegra), Turridu, Radames and Otello at ROH Covent Garden, The Metropolitan Opera and other major opera companies - 3.5 x 5.5 inches (9 x 14 cm) autographed photo showing himas Riccardo in Un Ballo in Maschera. £30 [ref: CC3] | |
| Ileana Cotrubas - born 1939, Romanian soprano, a highly-regarded singing actress, famous for her Mimi, Tatyana, Violetta and Gilda at ROH Covent Garden, La Scala Milan, Chicago and the Metropolitan Opera New York. Amongst her many recordings, her Gilda under Giulini and Violetta with Carlos Kleiber are unbeatable - 3.5 x 5.5 inches (9 x 14 cm) autographed photo showing her as Gilda in Rigoletto, with a second signature on reverse. £30 [ref: IC1] | | 
| | | |
| Ileana Cotrubas - born 1939, Romanian soprano, a highly-regarded singing actress, famous for her Mimi, Tatyana, Violetta and Gilda at ROH Covent Garden, La Scala Milan, Chicago and the Metropolitan Opera New York. Amongst her many recordings, her Gilda under Giulini and Violetta with Carlos Kleiber are unbeatable - 7 x 9.5 inches (18 x 24 cm) large autographed photo. £35 [ref: IC2] | | 
| | | |
Jean Cox - 1922-2012, American tenor. Overlooked in his native USA, he was a major performer in Europe, famous for singing Wagner roles; he made his Bayreuth debut in 1956 as the Steersman in The Flying Dutchman, and went on to sing leading roles there from 1967 to 1984, including Siegfried, Walther, Lohengrin, Tristan and Tannhauser - 3.5 x 5.5 inches (9 x 14 cm) autographed photo. £25 [ref: JC1] | | 
| | | |
| Jean Cox - 1922-2012, American tenor. Overlooked in his native USA, he was a major performer in Europe, famous for singing Wagner roles; he made his Bayreuth debut in 1956 as the Steersman in The Flying Dutchman, and went on to sing leading roles there from 1967 to 1984, including Siegfried, Walther, Lohengrin, Tristan and Tannhauser - 4 x 6 inches (10.5 x 14.5 cm) autographed photo. £25 [ref: JC2] | | 
| | | |
| Charles Craig - 1919-1997, British tenor; a noted Radames, Cavaradossi and Otello with Carl Rosa Opera Company, ROH Covent Garden, Paris Opera Chicago Opera and more recently English National Opera where the roles of Cavarossi (Tosca) and Otello were his preserve in the 1980s - autograph in blue ink on 5 x 4 inches (13 x 10.5 cm) pink page from autograph book. Condition: sellotape mark on left side. £20 | | 
| | | |
| | 
above: detail of Lily Crawforth autograph |
| Lily Crawforth - born c. 1885-90, British soprano. She was famous for singing Wagner roles including Brangäne in Tristan and Isolde; she sang in a 1913 Proms concert of Wagner excerpts under Sir Henry Wood - 3.5 x 5.5 inches (9 x 14 cm) autographed postcard. Condition: slight wear to corners. £25 | |
| Regine Crespin - 1927-2007, French soprano (Marschallin, Elsa, Tosca, Brunnhilde) later moving to mezzo roles (Carmen): one of the greatest of all French singers - 3.5 x 5.5 inches (9 x 14 cm) autographed photo, signed: "Best wishes, R Crespin". £25 | | 
| | | |
| Valentina Cretoiu - 1909-2003, (she sometimes spelled her surname "Cretoi"), Romanian soprano, who sang extensively in Germany, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria and Poland, and was a particular favourite at the Vienna Staatsoper where she was a superb Madama Butterfly and Mim; later she became a noted teacher - 3.5 x 5.5 inches (9 x 14 cm) autographed photo signed: "Valentina Cretoi 1942", and stamped "Wien" on reverse. £35 | | 
| | | |
| | 
above: detail of Joan Cross autograph |
| Joan Cross - 1900-1993, British soprano and opera administrator. She joined the chorus of Sadlers Wells Opera, but was soon singing principal roles there and at Covent Garden, where she sang Mimi in La Boheme and Desdemona to Laritz Melchior's Otello. Her other roles included the Marschallin, Sieglinde, Brünnhilde, Madame Butterfly, Aida and Donna Anna. After the war she became particularly well known for creating roles in Benjamin Britten's operas, including Ellen Orford in Peter Grimes, Lady Billows in Albert Herring and Elizabeth I in Gloriana. In later years she directed operas at Sadlers Wells and Covent Garden, and co-founded the Opera School - 4 x 2.75 inches (9.75 x 7 cm) signed small page from autograph book, signed, faintly in blue ink: "with best wishes" and then rather more clearly: "Joan Cross". Item is dated 31/7/46 when Joan Cross was singing the role of Female Chorus in Benjamin Britten's opera The Rape of Lucretia at Glyndebourne. £12 | |
| | 
above: detail of José Cura autograph |
| José Cura - born 1962, Argentinian dramatic tenor; in 1995 he made his Covent Garden debut in the title role of Verdi's Stiffelio, and in 1997 his debut at La Scala Milan as Enzo in La Gioconda. In 1997 he sang his first Otello in Turin, and that same year he made his verona Arena debut as Don José. In 1999 his Metropolitan Opera debut was on the opening night of the season as Turiddu. His repertoire also includes roles such as Cavaradossi, Alfredo (La Traviata), Dick Johnson, Manrico and Pinkerton - 5 x 7 inches (13 x 18 cm) autographed photo. £25 [ref: JC1] | |
| | 
above: detail of José Cura autograph |
| José Cura - born 1962, Argentinian dramatic tenor; in 1995 he made his Covent Garden debut in the title role of Verdi's Stiffelio, and in 1997 his debut at La Scala Milan as Enzo in La Gioconda. In 1997 he sang his first Otello in Turin, and that same year he made his Verona Arena debut as Don José. In 1999 his Metropolitan Opera debut was on the opening night of the season as Turiddu. His repertoire also includes roles such as Cavaradossi, Manrico and Pinkerton - 4 x 6 inches (9 x 14 cm) autographed record company card. £20 [ref: JC2] | |
| | 
above: detail of José Cura autograph |
| José Cura - born 1962, Argentinian dramatic tenor; in 1995 he made his Covent Garden debut in the title role of Verdi's Stiffelio, and in 1997 his debut at La Scala Milan as Enzo in La Gioconda. In 1997 he sang his first Otello in Turin, and that same year he made his Verona Arena debut as Don José. In 1999 his Metropolitan Opera debut was on the opening night of the season as Turiddu. His repertoire also includes roles such as Cavaradossi, Manrico and Pinkerton - 6 x 4 inches (15 x 10 cm) autographed record company card. Rather nicer autograph by him than usual. £25 [ref: JC3] | |
| Biserka Cvejic - born 1923, Serbian mezzo-soprano; she sang at all of the major opera houses including La Scala Milan, the Royal Opera House Covent Garden and the Vienna Staatsoper. She was a particular favourite at the Metropolitan Opera New York where she made her debut in 1961 as Amneris, and went on to sing Adriana Lecouvreur, Ulrica, Azucena, Eboli, and Dalila - 4 x 6 inches (10.5 x 15 cm) autographed photo showing her as Dalila. £25 | | 
| | | |
| Oskar Czerwenka - 1924-2000, Austrian bass, who sang for Oper Graz, Vienna Staatsoper, Salzburg and Bregenz, and in 1958 he made his Metroplolitan Opera debut. His roles included Waldner in Arabella, Osmin, Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof, but he was most famous as Baron Ochs in Der Rosenkavalier - 3.5 x 5.5 inches (9 x 14 cm) autographed photo showing him as Baron Ochs, signed "Hertzliebst, Oskar Czerwenka". £25 | | 
| | | |
|
 |
| |
| | | | Song Stage and Screen Autographs
| |
|
| |  | |
