Finding aid for the Cleveland Opera Association Records


Title:
Cleveland Opera Association Records
Repository:
Western Reserve Historical Society
Phone: 216-721-5722
http://www.wrhs.org
Creator:
Cleveland Opera Association
Dates:
1931-1971
Quantity:
0.40 linear feet (2 containers)
Abstract:
The Cleveland Opera Association was incorporated in 1944 as a non-profit organization to promote and present concerts in Cleveland, Ohio. The founder, Giacomo Bernardi, served as managing director until his death in 1966. After his death, his wife, Harriet, served as manager. Board of trustee members included Harry F. Payer, William Stinchcomb, Benjamin Nicola, Willard W. Brown, Thomas A. Farwick, and Chisholm Halle. Performers were both classical and popular musicians and artists. These included the Bolshoi Ballet, Jose Greco, Yehudi Menuhin, Vladimir Horowitz, Andres Segovia, Jan Pierce, Lily Pons, Marian Anderson, Charles Laughton, Victor Borge, and Simon and Garfunkel. Most of the performances took place in Music Hall. The predecessor of the Cleveland Opera Association was the Cleveland Concert Association, organized by Giacomo Bernardi in 1919 and operated by him until its demise in 1932. The collection consists of newspaper clippings, letters, and other materials relating to Giacomo Bernardi; association financial reports; minutes of meetings; and scrapbooks of performances. The scrapbooks contain both programs and newspaper clippings.
Identification:
MS 4739
Location:
closed stacks
Language:
The records are in English

History of the Cleveland Opera Association

The Cleveland Opera Association (1944-1971) was incorporated June 2, 1944, as a non-profit organization to promote and present public concerts. The initiating and guiding spirit of the association, Giacomo Bernardi, served as managing director until his death in 1966. For the remaining five years of the association's existence, Bernardi's wife, Harriet, served as manager. Among the active members of the board of trustees were prominent Clevelanders from industry, business, and legal and public affairs such as Harry F. Payer, William Stinchcomb, Benjamin Nicola, Willard W. Brown, Thomas A Farwick, and Chisholm Halle.

Impresario Bernardi brought to Cleveland audiences renowned musicians and artists from the entire catalog of performing arts, spanning the cultural spectrum from classical to popular. Among these were Ballet Theater, Bolshoi Ballet, Jose Greco, Yehudi Menuhin, Vladimir Horowitz, Andres Segovia, Jan Pierce, Lily Pons, Marian Anderson, Charles Laughton, Victor Borge, and Simon and Garfunkel.

From an annual concert series of seven attractions in the mid-1940s, the number of events doubled in a few years and, by 1960, grew to twenty or more. The 3,000-seat Music Hall (East 6th Street and St. Clair Avenue) was engaged for most of the performances; additionally, as needed, other performing spaces were rented, such as Public Hall (East 6th Street and Lakeside Avenue), the Arena (3717 Euclid Avenue), or the Masonic Hall (3615 Euclid Avenue).

The predecessor of the Cleveland Opera Association was the Cleveland Concert Association, organized by Giacomo Bernardi in 1919 and operated by him until the Depression led to its demise in 1932.


click here to view the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History entry for Giacomo Bernardi

Scope and Content

The Cleveland Opera Association Records, 1931-1971, consist of newspaper clippings, letters, and other materials relating to Giacomo Bernardi; association financial reports; minutes of meetings; and scrapbooks of performances. The scrapbooks contained both playbills and newspaper clippings; the latter had severely deteriorated. Consequently, this record contains the original playbills and copies of only a portion of the clippings.

This collection is of value to researchers studying the commercial operation of non-profit performing arts organizations in the United States, and, in particular, Cleveland, Ohio, and music history and performances in the city.

Statement of Arrangement

The collection is arranged alphabetically by subject and then alphabetically by document types. Documents are chronologically arranged.

Restrictions on Access

None.

Separated Material: Separated Material

Photographs have been removed to the photograph and print collections.


Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

Subjects:

Bernardi, Giacomo.
Cleveland Opera Association.
Concerts -- Ohio -- Cleveland.
Music -- Ohio -- Cleveland -- Performance.
Music -- Ohio -- Cleveland -- Societies, etc.
Music -- Ohio -- Cleveland.
Opera -- Ohio -- Cleveland.

Preferred Citation

[Container ___, Folder ___ ] MS 4739 Cleveland Opera Association Records, Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio

Acquisition Information

Frank Bernarde, 1986; and Harriet Bernardi, 1987.

Processing Information

Processed by Louis Rosenblum in 1996


Detailed Description of The Collection



Cleveland Opera Association Records, 1931-1971

Box 1 / Folder 1
Bernardi, Giacomo, memorial scrapbook, 1966




Box 1 / Folder 2
Bernardi, Giacomo, miscellaneous, 1931-1964




Box 1 / Folder 3
Cleveland Opera Association, financial statements, year ending, 1964




Box 1 / Folder 4
Cleveland Opera Association, minutes of meetings, 1944-1969




Box 2 / Folder 5-20
Cleveland Opera Association, scrapbooks of concert seasons, 1945-1971