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JOSEPH ANTIONE CHARLES COUDERC (10 March1810-16 April1875) French Tenor and Baritone Created created Laerte in "Mignon" (1866) by Ambroise Thomas' Was Professor of singing (Opera Comique) at the Conservatoire de Paris (1865-1875).

as Le Comte de Nevers "le Huguenots" by Meyerbeer JEAN-BAPTISTE FAURE (15 January 1830 – 9 November 1914)French operatic baritone Faure was born in Moulins. A choirboy in his youth, he entered the Paris Conservatory in 1851 and made his operatic debut the following year at the Opéra-Comique, as Pygmalion in Victor Massé's Galathée. He remained at the Opéra-Comique for over seven years, singing baritone roles such as Max in Adolphe Adam's Le chalet and Michel in Thomas's Le caïd. During this time he also created the Marquis d'Erigny in Auber's Manon Lescaut (1856) and Hoël in Meyerbeer's Le pardon de Ploërmel (1859; later known as Dinorah), among seven premieres at that house. He made his debut at the Royal Opera House, London, in 1860 as Hoël, and at the Paris Opera in 1861. He would sing at the Opera every season until 1869 and then again in 1872-76 and 1878. In addition, he continued to perform off and on in London until 1877 at venues such as Her Majesty's Theatre and the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. Among the many operas in which he appeared in Paris were Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Don Giovanni as well as L'étoile du nord, Les Huguenots and La favorite. He also made history by creating several important operatic roles written by such prominent composers as Giacomo Meyerbeer, Giuseppe Verdi and Ambroise Thomas. They included the leading baritone parts in L'Africaine, Don Carlos and Hamlet (in 1865, 1867, and 1868 respectively). His last stage appearances are recorded as taking place in Marseilles and Vichy in 1886.

Rosa Ethofer autograph on reverse.

ROSA ETHOFER 24 February 1877-3 September 1939 Austrian Contralto Studued at Vienna Conservatory with Irene Schlemmer-Ambros .Debut 1898 at Leipzig and remained until 1900.Engaged at Opera Dessau 1900-1902 .In 1900 she performed at Wiemer and appeared at Bayreuth festival in 1901 as Siegrune In "Die Walkure" by Richard Wagner and also sang the 1st squire and a flower maiden in "Parsifal" by Richard Wagner. From 1902-1913 she was engaged at Karlsruhe and from 1903 she made guest appearance's at Wiesbaden and Mannheim, and in 1905 at the Vienna Volksoper and Kassel , 1906 at Cologne and Frankfurt and in 1908 she was at Stuttgart .In 1910 at Karlsruhe she sang Ute in the premiere of "Bandadietrich" by Siefried Wagner .Continued her career at Nuremburg from 1914-1922 while at Nuremburg she sang in the premiere of "Ein Fest auf Haderslev" by Heger ,From 1923-1924 sang at Brno and Rostock .Upon her retirement she taught singing in Nuremburg and later at Weimer . She was married to the baritone Eduard Schuller.

Dame NELLIE MELBA GBE (Helen Porter Mitchell) (19 May 1861 – 23 February 1931), Australian Soprano Melba was taught to play the piano and first sang in public around age six.She was educated at a local boarding school and then at the Presbyterian Ladies' College. She studied singing with Mary Ellen Christian (a former pupil of Manuel García) and Pietro Cecchi, an Italian tenor, who was a respected teacher in Melbourne. In her teens, Melba continued to perform in amateur concerts in and around Melbourne, and she played the organ at church. Making her professional debut in Melbourne concerts in 1884. On the strength of local success, she travelled to London in search of an opportunity.Her debut at the Princes' Hall in 1886 made little impression, and she sought work unsuccessfully from Sir Arthur Sullivan, Carl Rosa and Augustus Harris.She then went to Paris to study with the leading teacher Mathilde Marchesi, who instantly recognised the young singer's potential: Melba made such rapid progress that she was allowed to sing the "Mad Scene" from Ambroise Thomas's Hamlet at a matinée musicale in Marchesi's house in December the same year, in the presence of the composer.Her talent was so evident that, after less than a year with Marchesi, the impresario Maurice Strakosch gave her a ten-year contract at 1000 francs annually. After she had signed, she received a far better offer of 3000 francs per month from the Théâtre de la Monnaie, Brussels, but Strakosch would not release her and obtained an injunction preventing her from performing .The matter was resolved by Strakosch's sudden death.She made her operatic debut four days later as Gilda in Rigoletto at La Monnaie on 12 October 1887.. It was at this time, on Marchesi's advice, that she adopted the stage name of "Melba", a contraction of the name of her home city.Her Covent Garden début in May 1888, in the title role in Lucia di Lammermoor. She received a friendly but not excited reception The following year, she performed at the Opéra in Paris, in the role of Ophélie in Hamlet; She travelled across Europe to St Petersburg to sing for Tsar Nicholas II: and sang in Paris, Brussels, Vienna , Milan, and Berlin Melba sang the role of Nedda in Pagliacci at Covent Garden in 1893, soon after its Italian premiere. The composer was present, and said that the role had never been so well played before.[19] In December of that year, Melba sang at the Metropolitan Opera in New York for the first time. As at her Covent Garden debut, she appeared as Lucia di Lammermoor, Her Roles included mostly in the lyric soprano repertoire, but with some heavier roles also. She sang the title roles in Herman Bemberg's Elaine and Arthur Goring Thomas's Esmeralda. Her Italian parts included Gilda in Rigoletto, the title role in Aida Desdemona in Otello, Luisa in Mascagni's I Rantzau, Nedda in Pagliacci, Rosina in The Barber of Seville, Violetta in La traviata, and Mimi in La bohème. In the French repertoire, she sang Juliette in Roméo et Juliette, Marguerite in Faust, Marguerite de Valois in Les Huguenots, the title role in Saint-Saëns's Hélène, which was written for her, and Micaëla in Carmen.

Melba as Marguerite "Faust" by Gounod Dame NELLIE MELBA GBE (Helen Porter Mitchell) (19 May 1861 – 23 February 1931), Australian Soprano Melba was taught to play the piano and first sang in public around age six.She was educated at a local boarding school and then at the Presbyterian Ladies' College. She studied singing with Mary Ellen Christian (a former pupil of Manuel García) and Pietro Cecchi, an Italian tenor, who was a respected teacher in Melbourne. In her teens, Melba continued to perform in amateur concerts in and around Melbourne, and she played the organ at church. Making her professional debut in Melbourne concerts in 1884. On the strength of local success, she travelled to London in search of an opportunity.Her debut at the Princes' Hall in 1886 made little impression, and she sought work unsuccessfully from Sir Arthur Sullivan, Carl Rosa and Augustus Harris.She then went to Paris to study with the leading teacher Mathilde Marchesi, who instantly recognised the young singer's potential: Melba made such rapid progress that she was allowed to sing the "Mad Scene" from Ambroise Thomas's Hamlet at a matinée musicale in Marchesi's house in December the same year, in the presence of the composer.Her talent was so evident that, after less than a year with Marchesi, the impresario Maurice Strakosch gave her a ten-year contract at 1000 francs annually. After she had signed, she received a far better offer of 3000 francs per month from the Théâtre de la Monnaie, Brussels, but Strakosch would not release her and obtained an injunction preventing her from performing .The matter was resolved by Strakosch's sudden death.She made her operatic debut four days later as Gilda in Rigoletto at La Monnaie on 12 October 1887.. It was at this time, on Marchesi's advice, that she adopted the stage name of "Melba", a contraction of the name of her home city.Her Covent Garden début in May 1888, in the title role in Lucia di Lammermoor. She received a friendly but not excited reception The following year, she performed at the Opéra in Paris, in the role of Ophélie in Hamlet; She travelled across Europe to St Petersburg to sing for Tsar Nicholas II: and sang in Paris, Brussels, Vienna , Milan, and Berlin Melba sang the role of Nedda in Pagliacci at Covent Garden in 1893, soon after its Italian premiere. The composer was present, and said that the role had never been so well played before.[19] In December of that year, Melba sang at the Metropolitan Opera in New York for the first time. As at her Covent Garden debut, she appeared as Lucia di Lammermoor, Her Roles included mostly in the lyric soprano repertoire, but with some heavier roles also. She sang the title roles in Herman Bemberg's Elaine and Arthur Goring Thomas's Esmeralda. Her Italian parts included Gilda in Rigoletto, the title role in Aida Desdemona in Otello, Luisa in Mascagni's I Rantzau, Nedda in Pagliacci, Rosina in The Barber of Seville, Violetta in La traviata, and Mimi in La bohème. In the French repertoire, she sang Juliette in Roméo et Juliette, Marguerite in Faust, Marguerite de Valois in Les Huguenots, the title role in Saint-Saëns's Hélène, which was written for her, and Micaëla in Carmen.

Melba as Rosina "Barber of Saville" by Rossini Dame NELLIE MELBA GBE (Helen Porter Mitchell) (19 May 1861 – 23 February 1931), Australian Soprano Melba was taught to play the piano and first sang in public around age six.She was educated at a local boarding school and then at the Presbyterian Ladies' College. She studied singing with Mary Ellen Christian (a former pupil of Manuel García) and Pietro Cecchi, an Italian tenor, who was a respected teacher in Melbourne. In her teens, Melba continued to perform in amateur concerts in and around Melbourne, and she played the organ at church. Making her professional debut in Melbourne concerts in 1884. On the strength of local success, she travelled to London in search of an opportunity.Her debut at the Princes' Hall in 1886 made little impression, and she sought work unsuccessfully from Sir Arthur Sullivan, Carl Rosa and Augustus Harris.She then went to Paris to study with the leading teacher Mathilde Marchesi, who instantly recognised the young singer's potential: Melba made such rapid progress that she was allowed to sing the "Mad Scene" from Ambroise Thomas's Hamlet at a matinée musicale in Marchesi's house in December the same year, in the presence of the composer.Her talent was so evident that, after less than a year with Marchesi, the impresario Maurice Strakosch gave her a ten-year contract at 1000 francs annually. After she had signed, she received a far better offer of 3000 francs per month from the Théâtre de la Monnaie, Brussels, but Strakosch would not release her and obtained an injunction preventing her from performing .The matter was resolved by Strakosch's sudden death.She made her operatic debut four days later as Gilda in Rigoletto at La Monnaie on 12 October 1887.. It was at this time, on Marchesi's advice, that she adopted the stage name of "Melba", a contraction of the name of her home city.Her Covent Garden début in May 1888, in the title role in Lucia di Lammermoor. She received a friendly but not excited reception The following year, she performed at the Opéra in Paris, in the role of Ophélie in Hamlet; She travelled across Europe to St Petersburg to sing for Tsar Nicholas II: and sang in Paris, Brussels, Vienna , Milan, and Berlin Melba sang the role of Nedda in Pagliacci at Covent Garden in 1893, soon after its Italian premiere. The composer was present, and said that the role had never been so well played before.[19] In December of that year, Melba sang at the Metropolitan Opera in New York for the first time. As at her Covent Garden debut, she appeared as Lucia di Lammermoor, Her Roles included mostly in the lyric soprano repertoire, but with some heavier roles also. She sang the title roles in Herman Bemberg's Elaine and Arthur Goring Thomas's Esmeralda. Her Italian parts included Gilda in Rigoletto, the title role in Aida Desdemona in Otello, Luisa in Mascagni's I Rantzau, Nedda in Pagliacci, Rosina in The Barber of Seville, Violetta in La traviata, and Mimi in La bohème. In the French repertoire, she sang Juliette in Roméo et Juliette, Marguerite in Faust, Marguerite de Valois in Les Huguenots, the title role in Saint-Saëns's Hélène, which was written for her, and Micaëla in Carmen.

JEANNE LOUISE TIPHAINE 20/8/1873-1958 French Soprano Debut 1894 as Isabelle “Le pre-aux-Clercs” by Herold . Sang at the Opera Comique Paris creating many roles Lycenion in “‘ Daphnis er Chloe “ by Bussier in 1897 , Noemie in “Cendrillon” by Massenet in 1899 , Irma in “Louise” by Charpentier in 1900 , Fiamin in “Griseldis” by Massenet and Nicole in “la Fille de Tabarin” by Pierne in 1901 , Claudine in “la Petite Maison” by Chaumet and Pantasiler in “la reine Fiammette” by leroux in 1903 , Pauline in “l’enfant roi” by Rabaud in 1905 . iris in “la revanche d’Iris” by Diet in 1906 . the mother in “la forest bleue” by Aubert in 1911 , Fatouma in “Marouf” by Rabaud in 1914 , Luce in “la poeme du Soir” by Chevallier in 1925 , Intendante in “ Bon roi Dagobert “ by Rousseau in 1927 and Madam Sottonville in “George Dandin ‘ by d’Ollone in 1930 . Her other roles included at the Comique Fransquitta in “Carmen” by Bizet , Reinette in “ et la Violomax” by Offenbach , Gretel in “Hansel and Gretel “ by Humperdinck , Philine ‘Mignon” by Thomas . Mussetta in “la Boheme” by Puccini , Zitta in ‘Gianni Schicchi” Puccini .

Autographed 1901 LILLI LEHMANN (Elisabeth Maria Lehmann) (24 November 1848-17 May 1929) German Soprano Her father, Karl-August Lehmann, was a singer (Heldentenor) while her mother, Maria Theresia Löw was a soprano. Her first lessons were from her mother, After singing small parts on the stage, for example in Mozart's Magic Flute at Prague in 1866, and studies under Heinrich Laube in Leipzig Lehmann made her proper debut in 1870 in Berlin as a light soprano in Meyerbeer's Das Feldlager in Schlesien. She subsequently became so successful that she was appointed an Imperial Chamber Singer for life in 1876.Sang in the first Bayreuth Festival in 1876 , New York Metropolitan Opera in 1885–1899 .London's Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, in 1899 and sang in Paris and Vienna in 1903 and 1909 respectively. In 1905, she sang at the Salzburg Festival,

Ritter as Figaro 'Barber of Saville" JOSEF RITTER 1859-1911 German Baritone Sang as a chorister at Sazlburg.Studied at the Mozarteum Salzburg and further study with Herdinger & Schimon at Conservatory in Munich .Operatic debut as Melchthal 'William Tell" at Frankfurt in 1880 .Completed his military service and joined Hamburg City Opera where he remained until 1891.Guest appearance at Vienna Hofoper as Hamlet "Hamlet" , Telramund 'Lohengrin" ,Figaro 'Barber of Saville" .1892 sang in the premiere at Vienna of " das Heimchen am Herd" by Golmark as John .1901 sang Don Giovanni at the Mozart festival in Salzburg . Retired from the stage in 1909 at Vienna . His roles included Papageno , Figaro , Pizarro , Rigoletto , Wotan , Albreich , Marschner , and Frank

Marie Basta-Tavary (Marie Schmidt) 1856 – German Soprano Daughter of Pianist Bernhard Schmidt and soprano Louise Schmidt-Kellberg . Debuted in 1872 as a soubrette at Hoftheatre of Weimer, then underwent intensive training with Francesco Lamperti in Milan, and Mathilde Marchesi in Vienna and Gustave Roger in Paris. Then she sang at the Deutsches Theater Prague and the Hamburg City Theatre and undertook a tour of Sweden and Norway .1878 she came to the Opera House of Cologne where she sang “Carmen” by Bizet . 1880-1888 she was the Court Opera Munich, guested during this time as well to Buhnen.1889 used the name of Frau Pascalides in Weimer and went on tour in German-speaking countries. 1888 at the Court Opera Weiner, 1890 at Stattheater Strasburgh and Basel, 1890 she sang now under the name Marie Tarary. at Covent Garden London,in the role of Eva in “Meistersinger” ,Donna Ann in “Don Giovanni” and the Countess Marriage of Figaro ".1891 she guested at the same house again as Donna Anna and Leonore in “ Fidelio”'.1891-1894 as Marie Tavaray Toured North America ,Debut 1893 at New York Metropolitan Opera there she was Donna Anna, Santuzza , Carmen, Nedda 'Pagliacci' She also sang the coloratura roles Queen of the night “Magis Flute', the Sussana “Marriage Figaro”, Zerlina “Don Giovanni”, Gilda 'Rigoletto' and Rosina “Barber of Saville , Bragane “Tristan & Isolde” ,Eva ‘Miestersingers” , Aida , Valentine ‘Le Hugeonots” , Violetta ‘La Traviata” and above Carmen. She was also a successful concert soprano .Her first marriage was to tenor to Edward Basta 1845-1879, after his death, she married a Herr Pascalidies, her third marriage was to Herr Tavary . By 1896 she was married to Nahib Hashim and in 1899 was living in New York .

Dauglade ? as Siebel in 'Faust" by Gounod in Geneve Writing on reverse appears to say Mme Dauglade ?? Dariglade?? any help with identity would be appreciated

Zina Dalti (Dalty) 18??- Soprano At Teatro Real Madrid 1867-1868 performed Lucia in “Lucia di Lammermoor” by Donizetti , Amina in “La Sonnambula” by Bellini ,and Donna Anna “Don Giovanni” by Mozart . Opera Comique debut creating the lead role in “Dea” by Cohen in 1870.Remained at the Opera Comique until 1876 Creating Margarita in “L’amour Africane” by Paladihle in 1875 and Marina in ‘Dmitri” by Joncieras in 1876 , also sang Dinorah in “Le Pardon de Ploernel” by Meyerbeer in 1874 . At Teatro Carlo Felice Genoa 1877-1879 and at the Teatro Regio di Torino as Rosina in “Barber of Saville” by Rossini in 1880 ,from 1882-1883 at la Scala performing Caterina in “‘La Stella del Nord” by Meyerbeer , and at the Teatro Sao Carlos Lisbon 1884-1885

ANNA DE BELOCCA (née de Bellokh) (4 January 1854 – unknown ), was a Russian-born operatic contralto. born in St.Petersburg, where her father was an Imperial Russian Councilor of State. After studying in St. Petersburg with Henriette Nissen-Saloman and in Paris with Nicolas Lablache and Maurice Strakosch, she made her stage debut in Paris at the Théâtre Italien as Rosina The Barber of Seville. She also appeared there in the title role of La Cenerentola and as Arsace in Semiramide. She appeared in various cities in Europe, including London, where she made her debut with Mapleson's company. She then became a member of the Strakosch Opera Company with whom she made her American debut on 17 April 1876 as Rosina at New York's Academy of Music. She also appeared in concerts in Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia and San Francisco. With the Mapleson company, she continued to sing leading roles in New York and Philadelphia through the 1880s.

De Reszke as Rodrigue "Le Cid" by Massenet CREATOR Paris 30/11/1885 JEAN DE RESZKE (Jan Mieczyslaw RESZKE ) (14 January 1850 – 3 April 1925), Polish Tenor abandoned his legal training and went to Milan in Italy to study voice. The most acclaimed of the pedagogues consulted by the young de Reszke was Antonio Cotogni, an eminent baritone who was a favorite of Giuseppe Verdi's. In January 1874, he made his debut in Venice as Jan de Reschi (he later changed it to Jean de Reszke), undertaking the baritone part of Alfonso in a production of Donizetti's La favorite . The following April, he sang for the first time in London, performing at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, and a little later in Paris, essaying an array of different baritone roles. De Reszke displayed limitations as a baritone and he withdrew from the stage to allow for a further period of study, this time with Giovanni Sbriglia in Paris. Under Sbirgilia's tutelage, his voice gained remarkably in the freedom of its upper register. Accordingly, when he made his first operatic reappearance in 1879 (in Madrid), it was as a tenor, scoring a success in the title-role of Meyerbeer's Robert le diable. Indeed, the then 29-year-old de Reszke's immense fame as a singer dates

as Sieglinde "Die Walkure" by Wagner Rosa Sucher February 23, 1849 - April 16, 1927 German Soprano Her debut occurred in Munich in 1871 as Waltraute in Die Walkure and engagements followed in Berlin and Leipzig. She married Josef Sucher (1844-1908), a well-known conductor and composer in 1876, when he was conductor at the Leipzig city theatre. Sucher soon became famous for her interpretations of Wagner’s operatic roles, with her seasons in London in 1882 and 1892 proving her great capacity both as singer and actress. In 1886 and 1888, she sang at Germany's Bayreuth, and in later years she was principally associated with the opera stage in Berlin, retiring in 1903.. Her other roles included Agathe, Euryanthe, Elsa, Eva, Brünnhilde, Kundry, and Desdemona in Otello

Désirée Artôt de Padilla (Marguerite-Joséphine-Désirée Montagney Artôt) 21st July 1835-3rd April 1907 Belguim Soprano Initially a mezzo –Soprano. She studied with Pauline Viardot and Francesco Lamperti in London and Paris. She appeared in concerts in Belgium, the Netherlands in 1857 at a State Concert in England. Meyerbeer engaged her for the Paris Opéra, where she made her debut on 5 February 1858 as Fidès in his ‘Le prophete” .She abandoned the French repertoire and went to sing in Italy in 1859. She also sang in Berlin that year, at the opening of the Victoria Theatre with Lorini’s Italian company. She was highly successful in The Barber of Saville , La Cenerentola , Il Trovatore and other roles there. In London in 1859-60 and again in 1863 at Her Majestys Theatre in La Fille du regiment , La traviata and Norma ( Adalgisa) She returned to England in 1864, where she sang at Covent Garden and 1866, in Gounod's ‘Faust” and other roles. In 1868 she visited Russia with a touring Italian company. After Artôt's marriage to Mariano Padilla y Ramos she was often known as Désirée Artôt de Padilla or Désirée Artôt-Padilla. Artôt appeared with Padilla in Italian opera in Germany, Austria, Poland, Sweden, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Russia, and Finland.She appeared in Moscow in 1868-70 and again in 1875-76, and in Saint Petersburg in 1871–72 and 1876–77.She retired in 1884, but on 22 March 1887 she and Padilla appeared in a scene from Don Giovanni in a celebration of the Emperor's birthday at the Imperial Palace in Berlin; it was also the centenary year of Don Giovanni. She became a singing teacher in Berlin until 1889, before moving to Paris.