"SOMETIMES I JUST WISH I COULD TURN BACK 25 YEARS AND BE THAT LITTLE TENOR" CARUSO, ENRICO. Two Autograph Letters Signed, to James O'Connell ("My dearest Don Giacomino" or "Dear Don Giacomino"), in Italian. The first, explaining that he had not decided on the baptism date for Gloria, adding that the Marquis and Marquess Cappelli have offered to be the godparents, apologizing for the miscommunication when he last visited, and asking to convey his devotion to His Eminence. 4 pages, 4to, "Hotel Knickerbocker" stationery, written on two sheets; two punch holes in upper margins with minor loss to text. The second, describing how a bomb exploded in the Havana theater where he was to perform, briefly describing his daily routine including the four hours he spends on correspondence, dreaming of again being a young tenor with no responsibilities, hoping that he and his family are well, including His Eminence, and, in a postscript, conveying his wife's greetings and adding that Gloria says hello using her new teeth. 6 pages, small 8vo, personal stationery, written on two sheets with third and sixth pages of each written vertically across interior pages; two punch holes in upper margins with minor loss to text. - New York, 12 January; East Hampton, 22 July 1920

22 July 1920: ". . . The bomb was placed in a corner of a restroom on the top level, obviously with the idea not to cause victims but rather damage to the building since it is privately owned. To everything there is a comical side and when the explosion happened, I was in my dressing room. I ran out on the stage right away but was bodily rushed out and, dressed as I was, put in a private car, escorted by a warrior on horseback . . . to my house. That was the end of the Havana visit, a visit that gave me a lot to think about because, being Italian and being down there with all the Spanish artists, I had to fight and I won honorably. . . . Time has been passing with playing tennis and bridge, going fishing and taking care of my correspondence for about four hours a day, then studying, reading the papers, taking care of my accounts, receiving visitors, and answering telephone calls from lawyers and detectives. There is no shortage of lawyers and insurance agents giving us their advice, nor of anonymous letters of insults and blackmail. So this is my pastime, aside from being the head of the family . . . . Sometimes I just wish I could turn back 25 years and be that little tenor that nobody paid any attention to! . . ."
James P.E. O'Connell (d. 1948) was the nephew of His Eminence William Henry O'Connell, Cardinal and Archbishop of Boston.