Title and statement of responsibility area
Title proper
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- Textual record
- Graphic material
- Architectural drawing
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Edition area
Edition statement
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Class of material specific details area
Statement of scale (cartographic)
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Statement of scale (architectural)
Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)
Dates of creation area
Date(s)
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1931-1992 (Creation)
- Creator
- Della Pergola, Edith, 1915-2009
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1931-1992 (Creation)
- Creator
- Della Pergola, Luciano, 1910-1991
Physical description area
Physical description
1.4 linear metres of multiple media
Publisher's series area
Title proper of publisher's series
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Archival description area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Edith Della Pergola (nee Leb) was born 12 June 1915 in Cluj, Rumania. She studied voice at the Bucharest Royal Academy of Music, where her teacher was Luciano Della Pergola. They were married in in 1935. She graduated from the Bucharest Royal Academy of Music in 1939, at which point she recieved a scholarship to study in Florence, where she debuted as Mimi in "La Bohème". From 1936 to 1947, she also performed as the lead soprano with the Bucharest Opera.
In 1942, the Della Pergolas founded the Alberto Della Pergola Conservatory, where they taught between 1942 and 1947. Between 1947 and 1955, the Della Pergolas sang in different parts of Europe. Edith sang in Vienna at the Vienna Staatsoper, Zurich at the Stadttheatre, and at the Teatro San Carlo from 1950-1952.
The Della Pergolas immigrated to Montreal in 1955, and they founded the McGill Opera Studio in 1956, where they taught and directed together until 1977. Edith continued the workshop until her own retirement in 1989, when both were appointed professor emeritus at McGill University.
Edith Della Pergola was invested as a member of the Order of Canada in 1994, and in 2002 she was inducted into the Canadian Opera Hall of Fame. She passed away 2 July 2009.
Name of creator
Biographical history
Luciano Della Pergola was born 23 June 1910 in Bucharest, Rumania, to Italian cantor and tenor Alberto Della Pergola, one of the founders of the Bucharest Opera. He attended the Bucharest Royal Academy of Music, from which he graduated in 1931. In this same year, he debuted as Spoletta in "Tosca", and became a teacher at the academy. He and his student Edith Leb were married in 1935.
In 1942, the Della Pergolas founded the Alberto Della Pergola Conservatory, where they taught between 1942 and 1947. Between 1947 and 1955, the Della Pergolas sang in different parts of Europe. Luciano sang at Teatro Alla Scala from 1947-1948, Teatro San Carlo from 1948-1951, and then again at Teatro Alla Scala from 1951-1955.
The Della Pergolas immigrated to Montreal in 1955, and they founded the McGill Opera Studio in 1956, where they taught and directed together until 1977, although he continued to direct productions after. He and Edith were both appointed professor emeritus at McGill University in 1989.
Luciano Della Pergola passed away on 13 May 1991.
Custodial history
Scope and content
This fonds contains materials pertaining to the life and work of Edith and Luciano Della Pergola, with an emphasis on their opera career. Material in this collections is related to their careers in Italy and Romania prior to 1955, as well as their work with the McGill Opera Studio and Temple Emanu Al-Beth Shalom in Montreal. This includes correspondences, photographs, concert invitations, playbills, individual programs and season program books, cast lists, stage directions, sheet music, scores, arrangements, original compositions, and creative writing.
Notes area
Physical condition
Fair, some aging in paper, some items left in scrapbook due to delicacy.
Immediate source of acquisition
Arrangement
Physical arrangement remains as originally donated. Intellectually organized into topical series.
Language of material
- English
- French
- German
- Hebrew
- Italian
- Romanian
Script of material
- Hebrew
- Latin
Location of originals
Availability of other formats
Restrictions on access
Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication
Musical scores restricted under current copyright legislation. Luciano Della Pergola memoir and manuscript restricted under current copyright legislation.
Finding aids
Associated materials
Accruals
Alternative identifier(s)
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Standard number
Access points
Place access points
Name access points
- Opera McGill (Subject)
- McGill University (Subject)
- Temple Emanu-El-Beth Shalom (Subject)