Collection 41 - Ricordi costume and set designs collection

Identity area

Reference code

OTUFM 41

Title

Ricordi costume and set designs collection

Date(s)

  • [195-] (Accumulation)
  • 1932, 1937, 1951 (Creation)

Level of description

Collection

Extent and medium

20 drawings + 1 page of textual records

Context area

Name of creator

(1954-1999)

Administrative history

G. Ricordi & Co. (Canada) Ltd. was the Canadian branch of the Italian firm (Casa Ricordi, established in Milan in 1808). In the early 1950s, Gordon Wry was Ricordi's agent, before Bruno Apollonio (a former music publisher in Trieste) took over this position in 1953. In 1954, he established G. Ricordi & Co. (Canada) Ltd. in Toronto. He served as the managing director of the company until his death in 1983. His wife, Wally Apollonio, was in charge of promotion for the publishers. As well as distributing and promoting works by the parent firm, Ricordi (Canada) also published orchestral works by Canadian composers, including Murray Adaskin, Robert Aitken, Harry Freedman, Steven Gellman, Otto Joachim, Pierre Mercure, Oskar Morawetz, Francois Morel, André Prévost, and Harry Somers.

In 1963, Leeds Music (Canada) took over sales of Ricordi's printed music, including Canadian publications, followed by Boosey & Hawkes in 1980.

Archival history

This collection of set and costume designs was given to Bruno and Wally Apollonio by Ricordi. Their son, Bruno Apollonio (a Toronto architect), donated the collection to the University of Toronto Music Library in 2016.

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Collection consists of set and costume designs by Nicola Benois for the following Teatro alla Scala productions: the premiere production of La Fiamma (The Flame) by Ottorino Respighi; Respighi's ballet Gli Uccelli; and Madama Butterfly by Giacomo Puccini.

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Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

OTUFM

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