ITALIAN COMPOSERS: A good set of two A.Ls.S. and one signed postcard by three Italian Composers, comprising CARAFA MICHELE (1787-1872) Italian opera Composer and military Officer, Lieutenant of the Hussars in Napoleon´s army. A.L.S., `Mic, Carafa´, also signed `Carafa´ to the verso, one page, oblong 8vo, n.p., n.d., to Ricordi, in Italian. Carafa, referring to a Rossini score, states in part `Fammi il piacere mandarmi subito il quartetto della Bianca e Faliero di Rossini, credo aver preso una frase…´ (Translation: `Please send me right away the quartet of Bianca by Rossini, I think I caught a phrase…´) Paper attractive with watermark; BOTTESINI GIOVANNI (1821-1889) Italian Composer, Conductor and a double-bass virtuoso. Bottesini was chosen by Verdi to conduct the premiere of Aida at Cairo the 24^th December 1871. A.L.S., `Gio. Bottesini´, one page, small 8vo, Naples, 6<sup>th</sup> February 1882, to Pietro, in Italian. An excellent content letter referring to an Opera he is about to complete, Bottesini stating in part `Ho in pronto un opera comica in tre atti sul libretto di Palermi e mi piacerabbe poterla far rappresentare a Bologna…´ (Translation: `I have a three-act comic opera ready based on a libretto by Palermi and I would like to be able to have it performed in Bologna…´) Bottesini asks for his correspondent´s help when approaching the impresario Brunetti and refers to his opera main role, saying `Convenendomi per rappresentare il protagonista dell´opera suddetta il buffo Carbonetti al quale ho già fatto leggere... questo artista mi a indispensabile…´ (Translation: `Agreeing that the main role of the aforementioned opera will be the buffo Carbonetti who I have already made him read ... this artist is indispensable to me´)      With blank integral leaf, & PEROSI LORENZO (1872-1956) Italian Monsignor and Composer of sacred music. Perosi worked for five Popes, and was internationally celebrated, mostly for his acclaimed oratorios. Signed postcard `Perosi´, a large bold black ink signature alongside his own image to the front of an Italian Cartolina Postale. VG, 3       &nbs p;         &nbs p;                 &n bsp;       &nbs p;                      &nb sp;         ;        & nbsp;       &nb sp;         ;        & nbsp;       &nb sp;         ;        & nbsp;       &nb sp;         ;        & nbsp;       &nb sp;         ;        & nbsp;      

The Rossini´s opera that Carafa refers to is Bianca e Falliero, ossia Il Consiglio dei Tre (“Bianca and Falliero, or The Counsel of Three”), a two-act opera premiered in 1819.

Federico Carbonetti (1854-1916) Italian opera Singer. Carbonetti began his career as baritone, later becoming one of the most famous buffo of his time.