- physdesc
-
{"format"=>"structured", "physdesc_components"=>[{"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"4.5 linear feet", "unit"=>"linear feet"}, {"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"12 boxes", "unit"=>"containers"}], "supress_display"=>true}
- unitid
-
{"value"=>"JPB 03-13", "type"=>"local_call"}
{"value"=>"20291", "type"=>"local_mss"}
- unitdate
-
{"value"=>"1894-1990", "type"=>"inclusive", "normal"=>"1894/1990"}
- date_inclusive_start
-
1894
- date_inclusive_end
-
1990
- keydate
-
1894
- unittitle
-
{"value"=>"Alberta Masiello papers"}
- repository
-
{"value"=>"<span class=\"corpname\">The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. <span class=\"subarea\">Music Division.</span></span> <div class=\"address\"> <span class=\"addressline\">New York, New York</span></div>"}
- abstract
-
{"value"=>"The papers of Alberta Masiello document her career as an opera vocal coach, as well as her early performing years. A significant portion of the collection, however, is a record of the opera careers of her grandfather and mother - Giuseppe and Giuseppina La Puma."}
- prefercite
-
{"value"=>"<p>Alberta Masiello Papers, JPB 03-13, Music Division, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.</p>"}
- origination
-
{"value"=>"Masiello, Alberta", "type"=>"persname"}
- bioghist
-
{"value"=>"<p>Alberta Masiello (c.1916-1990) was born in Milan, Italy, to a family of renowned opera singers. Her grandfather, Giuseppe La Puma, began singing at an early age, and worked with many famous opera singers and conductors (e.g. Caruso, and Toscanini). He had a repertoire of about 100 roles for the baritone voice. In addition to singing, he founded the Mascagni Center of Culture, where he taught piano and voice with his daughter (and Masiello’s mother), Giuseppina La Puma. She inherited her father’s gift for singing, and after his death in 1940, continued to prepare students for traditional Grand Opera performances.</p> <p>Masiello was considered a child prodigy on piano, and earned a degree from the Royal Conservatory of Music in Milan in 1932. Although she intended to follow in her mother’s footsteps as a singer in America, she first attended Juilliard for several years. She also taught there as an assistant instructor and accompanist, working with Paul Althouse and Mme. Anna Schoen-Rene, while doing private vocal coaching at home. During World War II she found some success in New York City as a folk singer, adopting a Spanish persona named “Yola.” Her singing career continued after the war with major mezzo-soprano roles at the New York City Opera, Fort Worth Opera, and Wagner Opera Company. But within a few years she turned to the coaching and accompaniment side of opera, and worked for the Dallas Civic Opera and Chicago Opera (where she established a professional relationship with Maria Callas). She then began a long tenure (over 20 years) at the Metropolitan Opera House, and earned the title of Assistant Conductor. However, she remained a vocal coach, and did not conduct any operas for the Met. She continued to give private lessons, and taught master classes at the Mannes College of Music and Juilliard. But opera audiences perhaps best knew Alberta Masiello as a guest panelist on the <span class=\"title\">Texaco Opera Quiz</span>, a radio program that ran during intermission of Metropolitan Opera radio broadcasts.</p> <p>Source: <span class=\"title\">New York Times</span> Obituary, New York Times Company, January 14, 1991</p>"}
- scopecontent
-
{"value"=>"<p>The Alberta Masiello Papers contain very little insight into her personal life. Approximately half the collection focuses on her mother and grandfather, and much of the other materials offer only short summaries about her early years. However, this is a comment on the English language material - there is a significant amount of material written in Italian, which may offer more information about Masiello. Also, while there is a record of her professional opera career, the collection does not contain any original work such as notes or preparatory items.</p>"}
{"value"=>"<p class='list-head'>The Alberta Masiello papers are arranged in five series:</p>\n<ul class='arrangement series-descriptions'>\n<li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mus/20291#c554027'>Series I: Correspondence,</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>undated</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>.625 linear feet (1.25 boxes)</p> <p>Arrangement: alphabetical</p> <p>The majority of this series dates from the 1970s - 1980s and consists of fan letters to Masiello. Each letter usually garnered a reply, which was often brief or obligatory in nature, but occasionally resulted in multiple letters from the correspondent over the course of several years. For these cases, the correspondents have a folder devoted to them within the larger alphabetical arrangement. Masiello's business relationships are also documented in this series, but to a lesser extent. Of note here is a folder with three letters from Maria Callas, written in Italian.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mus/20291#c554067'>Series II: Personal and Family Papers,</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>undated</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>.315 linear feet (.75 box)</p> <p>The majority of material relates directly to Masiello’s career, with an exception being the first folder of clippings, which are photocopies of loose pages from scrapbooks kept by Giuseppe La Puma.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mus/20291#c554086'>Series III: Photographs,</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>undated</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>1 linear foot (2 boxes)</p> <p>Arrangement: Alphabetical</p> <p>The photographs found here represent a spectrum of popular opera singers from the first thirty years of the twentieth century. Many of the portraits are signed, and often include sentiments to either Giuseppe or Giuseppina La Puma. The size of these photographs range from postcards to cabinet cards, and condition varies as well (the more fragile ones are housed in mylar). The La Puma family is also well documented in this series, including photographs of Masiello’s other relatives who helped to distinguish the family name. Please note that while a majority of the photographs date to before 1943, there are undated photographs and negatives that document Masiello’s later career.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mus/20291#c554122'>Series IV: Scrapbooks,</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>undated</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>2 linear feet (7 boxes)</p> <p>The scrapbooks series contains two different types of scrapbooks: personal clippings and related posters or programs, and clippings from the periodical <span class=\"title\">Opera News</span>. Of the former type, the language is predominantly Italian, and most of the books are fragile (please handle with care). These scrapbooks were compiled either by or for Giuseppe La Puma and serve as a record of his vast number of performances.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mus/20291#c554139'>Series V: Oversize Materials</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1915-1940</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>0.165 linear feet (1 box)</p> <p>This series consists of oversize items from other series in this collection. There is one photograph, and two folders of loose scrapbook pages that belonged to Giuseppe La Puma.</p></div></li></ul>\n", "type"=>"arrangement"}
- arrangement
-
{"value"=>"<p>The Alberta Masiello Papers are organized in the following series:</p> <p> <ul> <li>Series I: Correspondence, 1940-1990, undated</li> <li>Series II: Personal and Family Papers, 1905-c.1989, undated</li> <li>Series III: Photographs, 1895-1943, undated</li> <li>Series IV: Scrapbooks, 1894-1962, undated</li> <li>Series V: Oversize Materials, 1915-1940</li></ul></p>", "supress_display"=>true}
- acqinfo
-
{"value"=>"<p>Gift of Tammi Laurance</p>"}
- userestrict
-
{"value"=>"<p>For permission to publish, contact the Chief, Music Division, The New York Library for the Performing Arts.</p>"}
- langmaterial_code
-
ita
- langmaterial
-
{"value"=>"The collection contains a substantial amount of correspondence and clippings in Italian"}
{"value"=>"English"}
- processinfo
-
{"value"=>"<p>Processed by Anastasia Karel; Machine-readable finding aid created by Anastasia Karel.</p>"}
- extent_statement
-
4.5 linear feet (12 boxes)
- date_start
-
1894
- date_end
-
1990