Mark Palkovic, Head of the CCM Library, with the bust of Pietro Floridia

It’s a total bust!  Really.  A bronze sculpture of composer Pietro Floridia has been donated to the University of Cincinnati and has found a home in the Gorno Memorial Music Library in the Blegen Library Building.  The setting is entirely appropriate because back in 2004, the UC Libraries were about to add the 3,000,000^th volume to its collections, with the desire that this addition be suitably rare and unusual, and, reflect the University’s historical ties to the City of Cincinnati.  Dean Victoria A. Montavon marked this noteworthy event by designating the purchase of a collection of music, costume drawings, and documents of the opera, Paoletta, composed by Floridia as the official “Three Millionth.”  The materials joined the collections in the UC Libraries’ Archives & Rare Books Library. Continue reading →