St. Paul Opera Association records
Scope and Content Note
The collection contains administrative materials, such as Board of Directors minutes and financial reports, as well as production files and publicity. The collection also contains scrapbooks and notebooks which include newspaper and magazine clippings concerning performances, publicity and social events of the St. Paul Opera Association, local performances at the St. Paul Auditorium, and miscellaneous city and national news.
Dates
- 1933-1975
Creator
- St. Paul Opera Association (Organization)
Language of Materials
English
Restrictions on Access
The collection is open and available for use in the Andersen Library Reading Room.
Restrictions on Use
Contact the archivist regarding copyright of these materials.
Historical Note
The Saint Paul Civic Opera Association (Saint Paul Opera) was formed in in 1933 in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The organization was formed by a small group of local citizens, and the company opened its first season with a production of the opera Samson and Delilah. The company produced about three operas a year with the purpose of offering grand opera performances to those who would otherwise not be able to see and hear live grand opera in the Twin Cities. The Saint Paul Opera continued to produce classic opera, as well as a summer pops series, until the early 1970s. For much of this time the company operated under the leadership of Phil Fein a former vaudeville artist and notable stage director for musical presentations. By the mid 1970s, under finacial duress and faced with a changing landscape for opera and opera audiences, the Saint Paul Opera merged with the Minnesota Opera, which shortly moved its operations to Saint Paul.
Extent
10 Linear Feet (5 record cartons and 24 scrapbooks)
Abstract
Collection contains scrapbooks, clippings, programs and publicity, photographs, and administrative materials.
Physical Location
Mezzanine
Acquisition
The collection was donated to the archives by Sr. Alberta Huber on April 10, 1975.
- Opera -- Minnesota Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Opera producers and directors. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Photographs Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Scrapbook. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Title
- St. Paul Opera Association records
- Author
- Karen Spilman
- Date
- February 2005
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- English
Collecting Area Details
Contact The Performing Arts Archives Collecting Area
