Herbert von Karajan (1908–1989).

A lovely collection of family letters recounting her early days at the opera houses in Ulm and Aachen. The letters, tender and affectionate, are addressed to his parents Ernst von Karajan (1868–1951) and Martha von Karajan, née Kosmac. Writing from Ulm in January 1934, he states his wish to remain in Germany (‘ich in Deutschland bleiben will’), despite the offer from the Mozarteum. He explains his financial situation to his parents in detail. He also touches on domestic matters, such as the laundry and sending his washing to his mother… He speaks of his work as Staatskapellmeister and his busy schedule, his plans for Salzburg, and the operas he is conducting: Schwanda (by Weinberger), Fidelio, Cavalleria rusticana, Der Rosenkavalier… He takes a seaside holiday in Noordwijk, Holland. In September 1934, he is in Aachen, hoping to secure the post of the new Konzertmeister. He conducts Fidelio with an exceptional choir (“einen ganz hervorragenden Chor”) of 100 people. He is overseeing a major recruitment drive for the theatre and will conduct the Meistersinger Overture ahead of the season ticket campaign; the next opera will be Die Walküre. Then come Lohengrin, Figaro and Parsifal. He reports on the rehearsals, his symphonic concerts and the successes hailed by the 75802

; he outlines his plans for Berlin, Salzburg (mentioning Clemens KRAUSS’s manoeuvres at the Festspielhaus), Bayreuth... etc. Enclosed are 6 telegrams, plus a typed letter.