* TCHAIKOVSKY, Peter Ilich (1840-1893). Autograph letter signed ("P. Tchaikovsky"), to Eduard Frantsevich Nápravník. N.p., 10 September 1883.

3 pages, 8vo, creased to folds; matted and framed with original holograph envelope and a postcard photograph. Tchaikovsky writes to the director and chief conductor of the Imperial theaters in St. Petersburg regarding casting for a production of an opera.

"Dear Friend Eduard Frantsevich, judging by the tone of your letter it seems that you are angry with me and this makes me very unhappy. It was never my intention to irritate you about anything, but if this has happened, the it can only have been due to a hasty or poor choice of words on my part when I expressed my thoughts and feelings… The whole misunderstanding lies in the fact that I had imagined the company was much richer than it is in reality. My main concern is as follows: my operas (the shortcomings of which I am fully aware and acknowledge even more strongly than anyone else) need good singers and experienced actors; and if these people are not presently available, then it is better to delay the performance of the opera until they are available. I am not looking for perfection, as I know this does not exist. If there had been actors like Meljnikov, Pryanishnikov and Stravinsky [father of Igor] for the parts of Audrey, Maria and the mother I would have been quite happy, although even these actors are not ideal. From your letter I can see that you have already begun to rehearse the choirs, and since you have already started work on the set, we will not be able to postpone Mazeppa until a future date. I am therefore going to assign the roles according to your letter of today… We will discuss this in more detail when we meet…"

The Czech conductor and composer Nápravník (1839-1916) settled in Russia and is best known for his leading role in Russian musical life as the principal conductor of the Imperial Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg for many decades. In that capacity, he conducted the premieres of many operas by Russian composers, including those by Mussorgsky, Tchaikovsky and Rimsky-Korsakov.

The opera Mazeppa was composed between June 1881 and April 1883. The libretto was based on Poltava, a narrative poem by Alexander Pushkin.The premiere performance took place on 15 February 1884 at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, and four days later it premiered in St. Petersburg at the Mariinsky Theatre conducted by Eduard Nápravník. Tchaikovsky's concerns were not unfounded as in both performances, the work was brilliantly staged but marred by the uneven vocal and acting abilities of the cast.


Estimate $ 8,000-12,000

Property from the Robert L. McKay Collection, North Tustin, California

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