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Anna Moffo collection (MSS 62)
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Held at: Archives [Contact Us]1720 Locust St, Philadelphia, PA 19103
This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Archives. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.
Overview and metadata sections
Born on 27 June 1932 in Wayne, PA, Anna Moffo was an accomplished athlete and excellent student at Radnor High School before winning a place at the Curtis Institute of Music to study voice in 1950. Following her 1954 graduation, she traveled to Italy on a Fulbright Scholarship, where, soon after, her operatic career took off after a televised appearance as Cio-Cio-San in Madame Butterfly. By the early 1960s Moffo had cemented her reputation as a leading lyric-coloratura soprano, performing at, among others, the Vienna State Opera, La Scala, Teatro di San Carlo, The Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, and the Royal Opera House. Celebrated as much for her beauty as for her voice (she was christened "La Bellisima"), Moffo dominated the operatic stage for nearly a decade, particularly in her signature role as Violetta in La Traviata. However, a grueling opera schedule coupled with weekly appearances on her namesake variety show led, in 1968, to serious injury to her voice from which she never fully recovered. After formally retiring from singing in 1983, Moffo served as a board member on the Metropolitan Opera Guild and taught master classes around the world until her death in 2006 at age 73.
Memorabilia, programs, publicity materials, contracts, reviews, recordings, interviews, biographies, business and personal correspondence and documents, scrapbooks, degrees, honors, awards, and photographs collected and curated by coloratura soprano Anna Moffo (Voice '54) throughout her lifetime. Her operatic roles included:
- Adina (L'elisir d'amore)
- Amina (La Sonnambula)
- Aida (Aida)
- Cio-Cio San (Madama Butterfly)
- Clara (Porgy and Bess)
- Desdemona (Otello)
- Elvira (I Puritani)
- Gilda (Rigoletto)
- Hélène (La belle Hélène)
- Juliette (Roméo et Juliette)
- Lauretta (Gianni Schicchi)
- Leonora (Il Travatore)
- Liù (Turandot)
- Lucia (Lucia di Lammermoor)
- Luisa (Luisa Miller)
- Magda (La Rondine)
- Manon (Manon Lescaut)
- Marguerite (Faust)
- Marie (La fille du régiment)
- Mélisande (Pelléas and Mélisande)
- Mimi (La boheme) (American debut, 1957)
- Nannetta (Falstaff) (La Scala debut, 1957)
- Norina (Don Pasquale) (Spoleto debut, 1955)
- Pamina (Die Zauberflöte)
- Périchole (La Périchole)
- Rosalinda (Die Fledermaus)
- Susanna (La nozze di Figaro)
- Thaïs (Thaïs)
- Tosca (Tosca)
- Violetta (La Traviata) (Met debut, 1959)
- Zerlina (Don Giovanni)
From the estate of Nick Moffo
All audio recordings are on cassette
This collection is currently being processed. Please contact the archivist.
People
Subject
Place
- Publisher
- Archives
- Finding Aid Author
- Kristina Wilson
- Access Restrictions
-
The collection is open for research
Collection Inventory
Contracts and any accompanying correspondence are organized chronologically by performance date
Legal documents from Moffo's divorce from first husband Mario Lanfranchi
Alphabetical by character name
family of Moffo's first husband Mario Lanfranchi; marriage; life and home in Italy
Includes La traviata (1968), Una storia d'amore (1968) and Concerto per pistola solista (The Weekend Murders) (1970).
Moffo's complete filmography can be found here: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0595666/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1
Recordings maintain the general chronological order and labeling imposed by the creator
All recordings are non-commercial
Includes performances, rehearsals, television appearances, master classes, and interviews
Material Specific DetailsAll recordings are on cassette
- Rigoletto part I-II, Royal Opera House, London 2/9/1964
- I Puritani part I-II, Philadelphia Lyric Opera Company, 12/1/1967
- lesson undated
- holiday message to friend undated
- solo rehearsal undated
- concert orchestra rehearsal undated
- Una furtiva lagrima ( L'elisir d'amore) rehearsal (not Moffo) undated
- Silent Night, Christmas 1973
- Czardas (Die Fledermaus) undated
- Carmen (not Moffo) undated
- Die Zauberflöte Act I and II 12/4/1973
- La Traviata Act I-IV 12/7/1973
- Die Zauberflöte Act I-II 12/15/1973
- Die Zauberflöte (excerpts) 12/21/1973
- La Traviata Act III and IV 2/26/1976
- La Traviata Act I and II 3/11/1976
- La Traviata Act I and II 3/15/1976
- La Traviata Acts I-IV undated
- Die Fledermaus 7/7/1973
- I Pagliacci with Richard Tucker 12/3/1974
- I Pagliacci 12/14/1974
- I Pagliacci 1/18/1975
- La Traviata Act I and II 2/26/1976
- La Traviata Act III and IV 3/15/1976
- Madama Butterfly Acts I-III, Van Courtlandt Park 6/19/1976
- La Traviata with John Alexander and Robert Merrill 12/7/1973
- La Traviata Acts I-IV 1/7/1974
- Rigoletto 6/1/1974
- Rigoletto Acts I-III 6/8/1974
- Turandot 6/14/1974
- La Traviata Act III and IV 3/11/1976
- La Traviata Act I and II 9/7/1976
- La Traviata 10/17/1976
- Rigoletto undated
- interview interview with Big Wilson 12/13/1973
- Puerto Rico TV quando m'en Vo (La Bohème) 4/9/1977
- Wunder Konzert undated
- Un fiore è nato, Dunque io son (Callas and Gobbi) undated
- Un fiore è nato/In fondo ai miei occhi undated
- Un fiore è nato undated
- Italian jazz/pop recordings undated
- German lullaby undated
- Lehar talk undated
- Showboat undated
- In quelle trine morbide (Manon Lescaut) undated
- La Traviata 4/10/1973
- with John Beck, WNYC Radio 2/25/1981
- The Listening Room with Robert Merrill, WQXR 10/1/1981
- Travelin' Medley Dean Martin Show undated
- Dean Martin/Bob Newhart undated
- unidentified undated
- interview with Mike Douglas undated
- Duette unidentified singer undated
- Madama Butterfly undated
- La Traviata Acts I-IV, Trenton, NJ 1/5/1974
- La Traviata Acts I-IV, speech of Brendan Byrne, Newark, NJ 1/7/1974
- I Pagliacci 12/19/1974
- Madama Butterfly Act III, Van Courtlandt Park 6/29/1976
- La boheme Acts I-IV, Symphony Hall Newark, NJ 6/26/1977
- Ophelia 2/18/1974
- interview 4/4/1978
- orchestra rehearsal in Italian undated
- rehearsal in French undated
- lesson undated
- Una voce poco fa (Barber of Seville) rehearsal with orchestra undated
- arias with orchestra undated
- Deh vieni, non tardar (Le nozze di Figaro) rehearsal undated
- lesson undated
- The Merry Widow aria recital rehearsal undated
- Tokyo concert 4/22/1974
- Worcester Festival 10/25/1974
- Robert Merrill 12/11/1974
- Sydney Orchestra opening 10/12/1975
- NBC affiliates banquet 6/22/1976
- Requiem (Verdi) 12/1/1978
- Requiem (Verdi) Mexico City 12/3/1978
- Moffo and Merrill, Belmont Park, Garden State Orchestra 10/21/1980
- Ambler(?) Fest July 9th undated
- unidentified concert undated
- rehearsal 9/21/1974(?)
- lesson 9/30/1974
- rehearsal 11/7/1975
- Die Fledermaus Act I and II 8/5/1980
- Eugene Onegin coaching 9/1980
- The Rake's Progress undated
- rehearsal undated
- rehearsal undated
- rehearsal undated
- rehearsal undated
- rehearsal
- Osaka orchestra rehearsal 4/8/1974
- Strauss 9/16/1975
- Folger rehearsal 11/7/1975
- warm ups 1982
- Birmingham Southern College master class 5/8/1985
- Micaela (Carmen) undated
- Merrill duet rehearsal undated
- Rusalka undated
- Lucia undated
- Stiffelio undated
- Rusalka 11/7/1975
- Adriana Lecouvreur undated
- rehearsal (Stravinsky) undated
- Ravel/Boheme undated
- Iphigénie undated
- unidentified (Italian) undated
- unidentified (Italian) undated
- unidentified (Italian) undated
- unidentified singer - Japanese art song Sakura undated
- rehearsal/performance undated
- Moffo and Merrill Newark 12/12/1981
- rehearsal 12/30/1981
- rehearsal undated
- rehearsal undated
- rehearsal undated
- Ach, ich fühl's (Die Zauberflöte) undated
- lesson 11/6/1975
- Poulenc 7/14/1977
- program I/II undated
- program I/II undated
- French undated
- Italian undated
- Manon Lescaut undated
- rehearsal – Martin undated
- Italian undated
- Il Trovatore undated
- Tampa orchestra rehearsal 12/3/1975
- The Merry Widow 7/1977
- Victoria B.C. 10/1/1978 and 10/2/1978
- Gala Awards presentation part I undated
- WRJA lessons undated
- Thaïs rehearsal Seattle undated
- voice memo undated
- Russian lesson undated
- with Robert Merrill 11/19/1977
- Taming of the Shrew 6/7/1979
- Macbeth undated
- Naughty Marietta undated
- Russian song undated
- Vanessa recital undated
- Italian aria undated
- Vitellia (La Clemenza di Tito) (reading) undated
- Cosi fan Tutte undated
- lesson on Debussy and Strauss undated
- Air de Lea undated
- lesson 9/15/1975
- encores, rehearsal 10/11/1975
- La Traviata 1/26/1980
- Die Fledermaus Act III 8/6/1980
- Die Fledermaus rehearsal undated
- Czardas (Die Fledermaus) undated
- Nagoya 4/24/1974
- Melbourne 10/19/1975
- Perth 10/22/1975
- Adelaide 10/26/1975
- San Juan 4/13/1977
- Joint recital Philadelphia 12/12/1978
- Carnegie Hall 1/17/1979
- Paul Mellon Arts Center, Wallingford, CT 4/21/1979
- Teatro La Fenice, Venice 9/4/1979
- Paris 9/29/1980
- Fort Lauderdale undated
- New Rochelle 3/4/1975 >
- Tampa Symphony 12/4/1975
- Jackson, Tennessee 2/4/1976
- Pensacola 1/1/1979
- Scranton, PA 4/4/1981
- Wayne, PA 5/8/1981
- Carnegie Hall 2/21/1984
- Iceland undated
- rehearsal undated
- recital undated
- Queens College, NY undated
- lesson teaching 10/2/1975
- The Merry Widow 8/1977
- Spanish and Cuban/operetta arias 12/10/1984
- unidentified male recital undated
- Stiffelio rehearsal undated
- Philadelphia Opera award presentation undated
- rehearsal/lesson(?) undated
- German with orchestra undated
- Russian lesson undated
- French song with piano undated
- Moffo sings Robert Stolz (3 songs) undated
- Thaïs Seattle, WA 3/8/1976
- general rehearsal 9/5/1976
- La Traviata 10/17/1976
- Tosca 3/19/1977
- La boheme Newark, NJ 6/26/1977
- unidentified singer (not Moffo) undated
- La boheme with Luciano Pavarotti undated
- The Merry Widow undated
- Dubarry piano rehearsal undated
- Tosca with Rubén Domínguez and Richard Fredericks undated
- Stiffelio Boston, MA undated
- Thaïs premiere, Seattle, WA 6/5/1976
- Tosca Act II, Caracas, Venezuela 1/1977
- Tosca Act III, with Ruben Dominguez, Richard Fredericks, San Carlo Opera, St. Petersburg Orchestra, Anton Coppola conductor 3/19/1977
- Stiffelio premiere, Act I 2/15/1978
- Don Pasquale Acts I-III, with Gimi Beni and John Sandor, St. Petersburg Opera Company 11/24/1978
- Don Pasquale undated
- La Fille du Régiment Miami Opera undated
- La Fille du Régiment Acts I and II undated
- Stiffelio Act III undated
- Peter Alexander Show 10/1976
- Peter Alexander Show 10/1976
- with Bob Sherman/Ginori tv ad 12/26/1978
- Arlene Francis Show WOR-AM 1/12/1979
- Radio ad for Carnegie Hall recital 1/17/1979
- WDET FM 7/27/1979
- Im Prater Bluhm, Qual Fiamma avea nel guardo (I Pagliacci), Summerfume, Funiculì, Funiculà undated
- Showboat Nos. 2, 4, and 5 undated
- Napolitani Orchestra undated
- Silent Night undated
- French song undated
- Accord Film - Lehar (dialogue) undated
- Pavarotti recital at the Met 2/12/1978
- Stiffelio Acts I and II undated
- Die schöne Galathée rehearsal undated
- Dubarry rehearsal undated
- French songs undated
- Japanese songs undated
- Strauss undated
- The Rake's Progress undated
- unidentified opera (illegible label) undated
- Madama Butterfly Acts I-III, Garden State Arts Center 6/24/1978
- La boheme Acts I-IV, Wichita Symphony Opera 1/11/1980
- La boheme Acts I-IV, Wichita 1/13/1980
- The Merry Widow Acts I-III, Connecticut Opera 3/7/1980
- La Traviata Waterloo Village, NJ 8/11/1984
- Gene 10/13/1979
- lesson undated
- Rusalka undated
- Die Fledermaus medley undated
- rehearsal undated
- Sempre Libera undated
- Eugene Onegin undated
- rehearsal undated
- lesson undated
- Act III 8/5/1980
- La Belle Hélène rehearsal 5/16/1981
- rehearsal undated
- La Traviata undated
- unidentified opera undated
- rehearsal undated
- Thaïs (excerpts) undated
- rehearsal undated
- New Britain Symphony Orchestra 11/2/1980
- Franco Corelli, NJ Garden Arts Center concert 7/9/1981
- Manon Lescaut, Faust, Dinorah 10/29/1981
- First Hearing sample program WQXR 4/24/1983
- Wedding performance 6/25/1983
- La Traviata NJ State Opera 9/9/1984
- guest speaker, Met Opera class for young singers 4/11/1985
- Gala Awards presentation part II undated
- Talk at NYU Summer musical theatre undated
- Die Fledermaus undated
- Metropolitan Center Opening Gala, Boston 12/5/1980
- Moffo and Merrill, Boston Symphony Orchestra 7/18/1981
- Allentown, PA 3/18/1984
- Saint Patrick's Cathedral 7/3/1986
1981
- Carmen undated
- lesson undated
- Addio del Passato rehearsal (La Traviata) undated
- lesson undated
- Vissi d'arte (Tosca) undated
- piano acc. undated
- lesson undated
- La Rondine undated
- Thaïs rehearsal undated
- message from Rudy Heymann undated
- rehearsal undated
- voice lesson (teaching) undated
- voice lesson (teaching) undated
- voice lesson (teaching) undated
- voice lesson (teaching) undated
- voice lesson (teaching) undated
- voice lesson (teaching) undated
- Una voce poco fa practice (Barber of Seville) undated
- Worcester chorus and orchestra '81 musical festival
- Birmingham Southern College master class 5/8/1985
- Twin Cities Symphony undated
- Tosca Acts I-III 11/29/1981
- Tosca Acts I-III 12/1/1981
- Tosca Acts I-III 12/4/1981
- Tosca Acts I-III 12/6/1981
- interview 10/10/1991
- excerpts from Met marathon 11/30/1991
- Moffo and Karel Gott undated
- Profile - Anna Moffo (commercial recording) undated
- recital Skidmore College 5/3/1982
- recital, Theatre of the Performing Arts San Antonio 5/31/1983
- Crown American party, Plaza Hotel 1/9/1984
- Zimbalist Memorial concert at Curtis Institute 4/1/1985
- Smithsonian National Museum of American History 10/12/1985
- Joy to the World Pops concert undated
- master class 2/26/1984
- Cami Hall (incomplete) 11/15/1985
- interview with Lucas Ernst 4/13/1986
- Wakeup Call WNCN radio 7/3/1986
- performance 10/9/1986
- promo for WHYY FM 11/1986
- Curtis Institute 11/7/1986
- Moffo medley
- Suzanne Danco- soprano Italian songs
- Moffo piano rehearsal
- German songs with orchestra
- voice lesson
Comprised of newspaper clippings spanning Moffo's career. Scrapbooks covering the height of her career are fully represented while those of her later years were sampled. .
Early career successes; articles on Moffo's Metropilitan debut as Violetta in La Traviate
(2) volumes
(2) volumes