Opera was so popular in Italy at
the turn of the century that the publishing companies of Alterocca-Terni,
Ricordi, and C.A. Pini recognized the financial value of mass producing black
and white cards of the popular and new operas. These postcard sets often
contained bars of music from the operas. Some of the characters featured on the
cards were actors, some were cartoonish characters and if you're lucky, some
were legitimate stars. What to look for? Look for the postcards in the Zazà
set (original cast), individual postcards without music featuring stars such as
Mary Garden, the Manon set featuring Gemma Bellincioni, the Cavalleria
Rusticana and Santa Lucia sets featuring Gemma Bellincioni and her
husband Roberto Stagno, and the Chopin set (original cast).
The following is a list of opera-related
Alterocca-Terni opera postcards identified so far (Note: Postcards that do not
relate to an opera or opera singer are not mentioned here):
1393 - Rosina Storchio - soprano
1394 - Elisa Severi (actress)
1762 - Manon Loty
1824 - Unknown woman in chair, left hand at cheek.
1827 - Lucy Nanon
Zaza (Leoncavallo) - Alterocca - Terni (this set
features the premiere cast: Storcio, Sammarco, Garbin) I have founds postcards
from this set under 3 different numbering systems. I'm not going to post the
lyrics here because I can't read them.
2090 (Storchio and Sammarco)
2091 ?
2092 (Storchio and Sammarco)
2093 (Storchio and Sammarco)
2094 (Storchio and Sammarco)
2095 (Sammarco and ?)
2096 (Storchio and Garbin)
2097 (Storchio and Garbin)
2098 (Storchio and Garbin)
2099 (Storchio and Garbin)
2105 (Garbin and ?)
2106 (Original cast of Zaza including Leoncavallo)
Zaza (Leoncavallo) - Alterocca - Terni (this set
features the premiere cast: Storcio, Sammarco, Garbin) This set can also be
found under 3 or 4 different numbering systems. I'm not going to post the lyrics
here because I can't read them.
2126 (? and Storchio)
2380 - Marino Mancinelli (Italian conductor)
2540 - Ponte Verde (Un Saluto da Parma)
2768 - Miss Madge Perry
2770 - Gemma Bellincioni
2785 - Nice Barbareschi - soprano
Tosca (Puccini) - Alterocca - Terni (authorized by
Ditta Ricordi)
2822 - Gia. Mi dicon venal ma a donna bella (Quanto?)
2823 - non feci mai male ad anima viva! (Vissi d'arte)
2824 - ... e troppo amante
2825 - Ma libero all'istante lo voglio
2826 - Questo e il bacio di Tosca [goodbye, Scarpia,
it's been nice knowin' ya]
2827 - Ah! e morto ... E avanti a lui tremava tutta
Roma!
2828 - (Act II finale, candles, cross, the works)
Germania
2329 - Germania: Amedeo Bassi (Loewe)
2830 - Germania: Maggi, Uffreduzzi, and Bassi.
2831 - Germania: Lina Maggi (Jebel)
2832 - Germania: Giuseppina Uffreduzzi (Ricke)
2833 - Germania: Uffreduzzi and Maggi
2835 - Germania: Guglielmina Marchi
2836 - Germania: Guglielmina Marchi
2837 - Germania: Lina Maggi (Jebel)
2838 - Germania: Giuseppina Uffreduzzi (Ricke)
2839 - Germania: Uffreduzzi and Bassi.
2840 - Germania: Amedeo Bassi: Epilogo
2841 - Germania: Aurelio Viale (Crisogono)
2842 - Germania: Aurello Viale (Crisogono)
2849 - Germania: Bassi and Uffreduzzi.
2880 - Paulette Fillian
2956 - Stazione di Termini
Chopin ( ) - Alterocca - Terni (features the
original cast: Amadeo Bassi, Alice Zeppilli, Ferruccio Corradetti, Mdm
Adami-Corradetti)
3008 - Chopin: Amedeo Bassi (Chopin)
3011 - Fritz, ti comprendo e t'amo (Corradetti,
Bassi)
3012 - Mia fedele seguace (Corradetti, Bassi)
3013 - Veleggia fra i sogni (Bassi, Zeppilli)
3014 - Dice la primavera (Adami-Corradetti,
Corradetti, Bassi)
3015 - Chi sa! (as above)
3016 - Oh, la tua bionda testa ... (Adami-Corradetti,
Bassi)
3017 - Sera ineffabile canto (as above)
3018 - Luce dell'anima (Bassi)
3019 - Grazia, mia dolce bimba! (Adami-Corradetti)
3020 - Ma tu piangi ... (Adami-Corradetti, Bassi)
3021 - Chopin - Act III prelude? (Adami-Corradetti, Bassi,
Corradetti)
3022 - Tocco di lenta campana (Bassi, Corradetti)
3023 - Ti rammenti? (Bassi, Corradetti)
3045 - Prima della RiVista (military people washing tin
pans?)
3070 - Unidentified soprano
Tosca (Puccini) - Alterocca - Terni
3183 - che i di passati a pregar qui venla
3184 - Il carcere mi ha dunque assai mutato!
3185 - l'arte di farti amare
3186 - Cavaradossi? Chi sa dove sia
3187 - La su quel palco ...
3188 - Gia. mi dicon venal, ma a donna bella (Quanto?)
3189 - Questo e il bacco ? Tosca! [grab that knife!]
3190 - Ti soffoca il saugue? [the unkindest cut]
(Muori! muori!)
3191 - Or ali perdono! [cross, candles]
3192 - Finale
Aida (Verdi) -
3193 (features unidentified Amneris)
3197 - Gilda Darthy as Marguerite de Bourgogne
3198 - Gilda Darthy as Marguerite de Bourgogne
La Boheme (Puccini) - Alterocca - Terni set authorized
by Ricordi.