Paoletta Opera Collection
US-04-05
The opera, Paoletta, was written by Pietro Floridia as a commission from the city of Cincinnati on the occasion of the 1910 Cincinnati Exposition. The opera opened on August 29, 1910, and ran for nearly a month. No expense was spared and it was a true visual spectacle. The Paoletta Collection contains 124 exquisite costume drawings by Australian-born Will R. Barnes, correspondence related to the opera and Edith Showalter, one of the two women who played Paoletta during its run of performances. It also includes some musical scores and the character Jacinta's belt.
The collection was chosen by University Libraries to represent the acquisition of its 3 millionth volume. Its significance is manifold for the University. Floridia was a member of the College of Music, now a part of UC as the College-Conservatory of Music. The industrial expositions were closely tied to the Ohio Mechanics Institute, College of Applied Sciences, which is also now a part of the UC family. Additionally, the Archives & Rare Books Library collects a wide array of materials documenting the growth and development of the urban environment, with Cincinnati as a focal point. The collection is housed in Archives & Rare Books and is available for scholarly research.
View images from the opera and the exposition and find out more about both.