Overview of the Collection
UUS_CAINE
COLL MSS 30
The Salt Lake Opera Company Records
1897-1906
Whitney, Horace G.
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives
Manuscript Collection
Merrill-Cazier Library
Utah State University
3000 Old Main Hill
Logan, UT 84322-3000
Phone: 435 797-8248
Fax: 435 797-2880
Email: scweb@usu.edu
1 box
.5 linear ft
This collection contains the correspondence
received by Horace G. Whitney, the former manager of the Salt Lake Opera Company,
from costumers, theatres, actors, and music companies in Utah, Idaho and
Wyoming.
Material in English
Processed in May of 1998
Purchased in 1998 from a manuscript dealer.
No restrictions on use, except: not available through interlibrary loan.
It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright
clearances.
Permission to publish material from the The Salt Lake Opera Company Records must
be obtained from the Special Collections Manuscript Curator and/or the Special Collections
Department Head.
Initial Citation: The Salt Lake Opera Company Records
USU_CAINE Coll Mss 30, Box [ ]. Special Collections and Archives. Utah State
University Merrill-Cazier Library. Logan, Utah.
Following Citations:USU_CAINE Coll Mss 30, USUSCA.
Biographical Note
Horace G. Whitney (1858-1921) was music and dramatic critic writing for the Salt Lake
Herald and the Deseret News.
Letters received by Horace G. Whitney (1857-1921), manager of the Salt Lake Opera
Company between 1897 and 1906 from costumers, music companies, actors and theatres
in Utah, Idaho and Wyoming. The letters reveal the complicated logistics (securing
permissions, booking a theatre, agreeing on the division profits, costumes, props,
the orchestra, etc.) Of taking an opera on the road at the turn-of-the-century.
Roughly half of the letters were written by managers of theatres in Evanston, Rock
Springs, Pocatello, Park City, Provo, Ogden and Logan in order to entice Whitney to
bring the company to their town. The other large group of letters are from
costumers, and the Whitmark Music Company of New York. The letters from Whitmark are
especially interesting because of their discussion of copyright issues and the
payment of royalties. These letters reveal that Whitney sometimes paid hundreds of
dollars less in royalties than other theatres to perform copyrighted plays and
music. The third, and smallest group of letters are from actors and discuss their
availability for roles in upcoming productions.
Historical Note
The Salt Lake Opera Company was organized in 1897 by Heber S. Goddard, Willard E.
Weihe, John D. Spencer with Horace G. Whitney as the manager. Goddard, a singer, was
something of a celebrity and Whitney and Spencer were well-known locally as members
of the Home Dramatic Club. The Company gave its last performance in 1912. The
Company performed at the historic Salt Lake Theatre. It also took the show on the
road to Pocatello, Logan and other towns throughout the region.
The Company performed thirteen operas in its time. These were: "The Mascot,"
(February 25, 1897) "Patience," "Chimes of Normandy," "Said Pasha," "The Queen's
Lace Handkerchief," "A Trip To Africa," "Madeline," "The Mandarin," Fatitza," "The
Wedding Day," "Martha," "The Jolly Musketeers," "The Girl and the Governor," "Robin
Hood." The March 8, 1912 performance of "Robin Hood" at the old Salt Lake Theatre
was the last performance given by the Company.
For more information see George D. Pyper's book
The Romance Of
An Old Playhouse.
Collection is not arranged in any particular order.
Music
Performing Arts
Correspondence
Whitney, Horace G.
Correspondence.
Theaters West (U.S.)
Whitney, Horace G.
Salt Lake Opera
Company Archives.
Theatrical
managers--West (U.S.)--Correspondence.
Opera
companies--Utah--Salt Lake City--Archives.
Costume
designers--West (U.S.)--Correspondence.
Actors--West
(U.S.)--Correspondence.
Musicians--West
(U.S.)--Correspondence.
Theaters--West
(U.S.)
Opera--Production and
direction--Utah--Salt Lake City.
Salt
Lake City--Utah
1
1
Opera House Club Rooms and Saloon
Evanston, Wyoming
undated
(1 piece)
1
2
Grand Hotel and Opera House Company Rock
Springs, Wyoming
undated
(2 pieces)
1
3
Union Opera House, Rock Springs, Wyoming
undated
(3 pieces)
1
4
Opera House, Pocatello, Idaho
undated
(4
piece)
1
5
Grand Opera House, Butte, Montana
undated
(1
piece)
1
6
Provo Opera House, Provo, Utah
undated
(12
pieces)
1
7
R.R. Irvine and Sons, Provo, Utah
undated
(2
pieces)
1
8
S.S. Jones, Provo, Utah
undated
(12
pieces)
1
9
Grand Opera House, Ogden, Utah
undated
(15
pieces)
1
10
The Reed, Ogden, Utah
undated
(3
piece)
1
11
Thatcher Opera House, Logan, Utah
undated
(23
pieces)
1
12
Hanks Hotel, Logan, Utah (5
pieces)
undated
1
13
Salt Lake Theatre, Salt Lake City, Utah,
statements
undated
(7 pieces)
1
14
ivoli Opera House, San Francisco,
California
undated
(45 pieces)
1
15
Arthur W. Tams Music, New York City
undated
(20
pieces)
1
16
Inter Mountain Theatrical Circuit, Denver,
Colorado
undated
(5 pieces)
1
17
Goldstein and Company Costumers, San
Francisco, California
undated
(14 pieces)
1
18
Salt Lake Costuming House, Salt Lake City,
Utah
undated
(8 pieces)
1
19
Samuel French, New York City
undated
(2
pieces)
1
20
Whitmark Music Library New York
City
undated
1
21
Whitmark Music Library New York
City
undated
1
22
Whitmark Music Library New York
City
undated
1
23
Whitmark Music Library New York
City
undated
1
24
T.J. McLaughlin, Park City, Utah
undated
(12
pieces)
1
25
Schalchi Tour, New York City
undated
(1
piece)
1
26
Letters from prospective cast members and
miscellaneous
undated