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Anne Roselle Collection, 1898-1989

 

Summary

Creator:
Roselle, Anne
Extent:
3.09 Linear Feet 1 Five Inch Legal Standard Document Box and 4 16x20 Oversize Flat Boxes
Language:
English

Background

Scope and content:

This collection contains biographical material, photographs, and sheet music related to Anne Roselle's career as a soprano during the early to mid twentieth century. Most of the sheet music dates from the turn of the century through the 1940s. Biographical information includes awards, lists of performances, news articles, and personal recollections by Ms. Roselle. Promotional material is also included, as well as official portraits and candid photographs.

Biographical / historical:

Anne Roselle (born Gyenge Anna; March 20, 1894 – July 31, 1989) was a Hungarian/American operatic dramatic soprano. Daughter of a Hungarian military officer, the dramatic soprano was married as a young girl and came to New York City, where she received the bulk of her vocal training. Baritone Antonio Scotti was credited with her discovery and her initial contract with the Metropolitan Opera. She sang her debut there in December of 1920 as Muestta in La Boheme. Unhappy with the light roles assigned to her, she left the company in 1922 to tour with Scotti in such roles as Tosca and Butterfly, as well as Nedda and Micaela. In 1925 her Viennese Butterfly debut excited international attention, and in 1926 her milestone engagement in Dresden as the first German-language Turandot (under Fritz Busch) made operatic history. She remained for six seasons in Dresden while intermittently appearing in Berlin, Vienna, London, and Paris. In 1928 Toscanini selected her to sing Turandot at La Scala, and in 1930 the French government conferred upon her the title of Madame for "service in expanding French art." She went to San Francisco for Turandot in 1927 and to Covent Garden for the same role in 1928 and 1929. It was Philadephia and the year 1931 that brought her next milestone: Marie in the American premiere of Wozzeck under Leopold Stokowski. This highly successful production was immediately repeated at the Metropolitan. The next year she sang Elektra--which she had studied extensively with Richard Strauss himself--under Fritz Reiner in Philadelphia. Her musical associations with Alban Berg and Richard Strauss were longstanding and productive--the latter devoting great time and care to her in performance of Don Giovanni (Donna Anna) and his own Die Frau ohne Schatten and Salome. Soon after the dealth of her husband and adviser David Rosner, she moved to the Frank Lloyd Wright campus of Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida, to teach voice and opera studies from 1955 until her retirement in 1967.

(Biographical information from collection)

Acquisition information:
This collection was transferred to the archives from the music department. It is unknown when this occured, although it was definitely prior to 2014.
Arrangement:

The collection is divided into the following series: Biographical, Photos, Sheet Music, Song Books, and Instructional Material. There is an LP Album in Box 5.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

This collection is open for research. Researchers must contact McKay Archives in advance for access to unprocessed born digital materials in this collection. Collection restrictions, copyright limitations, or technical complications may hinder the archive's ability to provide access to unprocessed born digital materials.

Terms of access:

The Anne Roselle collection is owned by Florida Southern College. This collection is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).

Please inquire if you have questions - archives@flsouthern.edu

Location of this collection:
Florida Southern College
111 Lake Hollingsworth Dr.
Lakeland
FL
33801
USA