PUCCINI, ELVIRA. (1860-1930). Wife of Italian composer Giacomo Puccini. ALS. (“Elvira”). 1½pp. Small 8vo. N.p., December 12, 1924. On black-bordered mourning stationery. To Puccini’s niece Alba Franceschini, daughter of Puccini’s favorite sister Ramelde Puccini Franceschini. In Italian with translation.

“I thank you with all my heart for your kind words and the affectionate sadness you feel over the death of my poor, adored Giacomo. It was a terrible blow, and I am amazed that I have not succumbed to it. I do not feel part of the real world at all – my head feels empty and it is as if I were living in a permanent dream.

My poor Giacomo, so good and so full of life – to see him go so tragically, when we had all opened our hearts to hope once more! It was too, too cruel! Sorry if I have written incoherently, but my mind is dull. My own health is more or less as usual. The weather is cold now, too, and the cold is my great enemy...”

With an ALS. (“C. Nasi(?)”), 4pp. 8vo. N.p., N.d. Puccini’s lawyer, Carlo Nasi, writes the composer concerning the autopsy of Doria Manfredi, the young servant girl whom Elvira accused of carrying on an affair with her husband, penned shortly after Manfredi’s suicide.

“Dear Giacomo, I am writing from Torre, where I arrived… night, and where, I repeat, we will remain … - ready, however, to return should it become necessary.

In very little time I was able to see Bettolacci and confer at length with Emilio and the doctor, so I got a clear idea of the situation.

I won’t hide from you that I was very worried by the rumor (… in a letter which I will show you), that it was an abortion, etc. … But now any last lingering doubt has now been put to rest and the absolute integrity of the poor creature has been proved [i.e., Doria was a virgin]. Which is saying a lot, from everybody’s point of view – hers, yours, and that of your wife and her future. And it is the latter who we must think of seriously and in depth. (I have not spoken about it with either son or brother-in-law because Bettolacci is an excellent spokesman in every way and I am suspect).

This is how things stand:

The whole town is inveighing with excessive force against your wife and expressing sentiments of extreme hostility towards her. Conversations, quarrels, etc. have become general knowledge. It is therefore absolutely necessary for her to keep away from here. There would be the most terrible row if she came. This is not the case with you, however, who are most welcome. The relatives not only want to involve your wife in a terrible scandal, but they have already consulted two lawyers, who I do not know and who for the moment I think it more prudent not to meet. Bettolacci, however, assures me they are fairly well disposed towards us. A … scandal? scandal? Never! Initially they were thinking of accusing your wife of exciting the girl to suicide. Nonsense, of course, even in legal terms. Now they are limiting themselves to a libel action. Also nonsense, but we have to contest it soon and … Bettolacci and I agree about this. He will deal with it, together with … who knows the lawyers (… Modigliano, of Livorno).

Of course it will be necessary to sacrifice some money – but you are already prepared to do that out of the kindness of your heart. I have informed the son that you are not involved with … and that if necessary, we will provide him with whatever he wants.


If we take this course of action, after a few weeks or months, the threat to sue will be withdrawn and the whole thing will be finished… a harrowing episode, but over!

Then we will be left with the rest – and with regard to that my opinion has only been strengthened by events. There must be an official separation – a legal one, even if on amicable terms – carried out by the decree of a priest [?], following careful discussion.

Your wife can never return here. You, on the other hand, should come to stay, after an … interval. It is impossible to go on living with daily poison. Not sorting the matter out properly would be madness.

I have already said as much to your wife, who telegraphed me asking me to go to talk to her at Ciandai. I went. She had two telegrams… on the table, on which she was commenting. I told her not to move. I have repeated this to her in writing, adding only what I have also told you: that a separation is essential (… all the more so now, as I have already said).

I think I have told you everything. To conclude –

Stay in Rome for as long as you can. Be comforted by the knowledge that the general mood here is very favorable towards you. However we must – for your sake and hers – avoid any kind of scandal. (We will deal with that)

Work and forget, if you are able, and remember you can always rely on your old, affectionate...”

Included is a telegram sending condolences from Antonio and Fosca Puccini, Puccini and Elvira’s son and Elvira’s daughter (Puccini’s stepdaughter), postmarked Pescia, November 29, 1924, the day Puccini died.

“Devastated at news of recent death of poor father. Antonio Fosca”

Torre del Lago in Tuscany had become Puccini’s refuge in 1891 after he created an enormous scandal by running away with the married Elvira Gemignani and fathering a son, Antonio, with her. This refuge, however, became the scene of another scandal in 1909 when Elvira, now Puccini’s wife, became jealous of their servant-girl Doria Manfredi. Having found past suspicions of her husband’s infidelities justified, Elvira tormented the girl by publicly accusing her of carrying on a relationship with her husband. Not wanting to increase Elvira’s anger by giving her cause for suspicion, Puccini chose not to protect Doria from Elvira’s rage, which soon drove the servant from the couple’s home. Elvira’s ongoing accusations and cruelty were so devastating that on January 28, 1909, Doria swallowed poison and died. A post-mortem examination revealed that she was still a virgin, and therefore innocent of Elvira’s accusations. Subsequently, her family brought charges against Elvira for persecution and defamation. In the ensuing trial Elvira was found guilty. However, she was not sentenced, and Puccini rectified the situation by paying damages to the Manfredis. The entire episode delayed the composition of The Girl of the Golden West for over nine months, but a triumphant premiere took place at New York’s Metropolitan Opera on December 10, 1910.

A longtime smoker, Puccini underwent experimental radiation therapy in Belgium in 1924 following a diagnoses of throat cancer. The seriousness of his condition was withheld from Elvira, with only Antonio aware of his father’s prognosis. The composer died from complications from the treatment on November 29, 1924 in Brussels.

Elvira’s letter is folded with a small tear and browning at the intersection of two folds and chipped at the edges. In fair condition with some restoration. Nasi’s letter is stained, folded and torn letter, with a noticeable missing section that affects the text. The telegram is folded and in good condition. An uncommon collection of documents revolving around difficult events for Puccini and his family.