[Letter to Bessie (?Abott)]
by RUSSELL Ella (Contessa de Righini
Hendon [Greater London]: The Elms, January 51897. . 8vo bi-folium Ella Russell (1864Ð1935) was an American-born, English Soprano. She was born in Ohio but spent much her life in England. She studied with Madame de la Grange. She made her debut in Italy as Leonora in Il Trovatore. She sang at Covent Garden, and at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, Toured England, Ireland and Australia. Other roles included Suzel in ÒAmico FritzÓ, Santuzza in ÒCavalleria RusticanaÓ, Violetta in ÒLa TraviataÓ, Senta in ÒFliegende HollanderÓ and Margurite in ÒFaustÓ. Her son was the bass Camillo Righini . She is writing to "Bessi"e, who might be the American soprano Bessie Abott, but she asks if Bessie has found a ÒmasterÓ and suggests Wilhelmye which could possibly refer to the Master violinist August Wilhelmj, saying he is Òsimply divineÑhe looks exactly like Isaye [?Eugne YsaØe another violist] only of course is much olderÓ, so it is uncertain who the correspondent is. whoever she is she was preparing to go to Brussels and Ella Russell suggests that she might come down for the night to see them. Also wonders if they could not meet in Bayreuth in the beginning of August. (Inventory #: 2756)