| Repository: | Western Reserve Historical Society |
| Creator: | Cafarelli, Carmela |
| Title: | Carmela Cafarelli Photographs |
| Dates: | 1870-1979 |
| Extent: | 0.20 linear feet (1 container) |
| Abstract: | Carmela Cafarelli (ca. 1880-1979) was an Italian-American opera star, founder of an opera company, and accomplished harpist from Cleveland, Ohio. Her father, Rocco Cafarelli, was a renowned Italian harpist who had immigrated to Cleveland in the 1880s, and was his daughter's earliest teacher. At the age of eight, she began study with master harpist Henry B. Fabiani in Cleveland. As a harpist, she toured the United States and abroad. She also became a solo harpist for the Cleveland Orchestra. Cafarelli studied voice with William Saal in Cleveland, and later attended the Conservatorie Santa Lucia and the Reale Accademia Filarmonica Romana in Italy, earning diplomas in both voice and harp. After her return to the United States in 1924, she undertook additional musical studies with Benjamino Gigli and Pietro Audisio of the New York Metropolitan Opera. In 1929, she returned to Cleveland, and in 1934, founded the Cafarelli Opera Company. This group toured throughout the United States and put on many charitable performances in Northeast Ohio. Cafarelli stopped performing in 1945, but continued to head her opera company and became a leading philanthropist and promoter of the arts in Cleveland. The collection consists of individual portraits of Carmela Cafarelli, including publicity and performance photographs, family photographs including portraits of her father, Rocco Cafarelli, and portraits of Cafarelli family friends and associates. |
| PG Number | PG 469 |
| Location: | closed stacks |
| Language: | The records are in English |
Carmela Cafarelli (ca. 1880s-1979), was an Italian-American opera star and accomplished harpist who founded her own opera company in 1934. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Miss Cafarelli began her musical education at the age of four under the tutelage of her father, Rocco Cafarelli, a renowned Italian harpist who had immigrated to Cleveland in the 1880s. When Carmela was eight years old, master harpist Henry B. Fabiani settled in Cleveland and became her mentor and tutor until his death in the 1920s. Carmela's talent as a harpist led to important engagements in the United States and abroad; she also became a solo harpist for the Cleveland Orchestra. In addition to harp studies, Carmela studied voice, in Cleveland, with William Saal. Desiring a more demanding education in music, Carmela traveled to Italy to attend the Coservatorio Santa Lucia and the Reale Accademia Filarmonica Romana, earning diplomas in both voice and harp. Returning to the United States in early 1924, Madame Cafarelli studied under Benjamino Gigli and Pietro Audisio, of the New York Metropolitan Opera, who both devoted themselves to preparing her for a career in opera. In 1924, Carmela found herself to be a "woman without a country" when she applied for an American passport to return to Milan, Italy, for an opera performance, and was informed that she was an Italian citizen by right of her husband's allegiance. In 1918, Carmela married Allesandro Chiostergi, an Italian born attorney who had immigrated to Cleveland to study law at Western Reserve University. Although Carmela was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and her husband had become a naturalized American citizen in 1923, she was denied citizenship in both countries under the 1922 Immigration and Naturalization Law which stated that a wife must become a citizen of her husband's country. A legal battle ensued that was not resolved until 1925 when Carmela's status as an American citizen was finally returned to her. Madame Cafarelli obtained numerous honors and awards for her musical talents including the "Serata d'Onore" (Night of Honor), a prestigious Italian opera award. Following the crash of the American stock market in 1929, Carmela returned home to Cleveland and began preparations to open her own opera company. The Cafarelli Opera Company (f. 1934) toured all over the United States and held many charitable performances in Cleveland and other Northeast Ohio locations. Although Carmela Cafarelli stopped performing in 1945, she continued to lead her opera company and became a leading philanthropist and promoter of the arts in Cleveland, until her death in 1979.
click here to view the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History entry for Carmela Cafarelli
The Carmela Cafarelli Photographs, ca. 1870-1979 and undated, consist of individual portraits of Carmela Cafarelli, including publicity and performance photographs, family photographs including portraits of her father, Rocco Cafarelli, and portraits of Cafarelli family friends and associates. The collection includes 69 black and white photographs of varying sizes.
This collection will be useful to researchers studying the history of the Italian immigrant community in Cleveland, Ohio. It will also be useful to researchers studying women's history, women's education, and the participation of women in the fine arts in Cleveland and abroad. The Cafarelli photographs also provide insight into the training, education, and development of a multi-talented vocalist, musician, and teacher and into the musical life of Cleveland, Ohio, during the early to mid-twentieth century.
None.
Related MaterialThe researcher should also consult MS 4719 Carmela Cafarelli Papers.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
[Container ___, Folder ___ ] PG 469 Carmela Cafarelli Photographs, Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio
These photographs were removed from MS 4719 Carmela Cafarelli Papers. Gift of Arlene F. Sego in 1995.
Processed by Kristen A. Earnhardt in 1995.
Carmela Cafarelli Photographs ca. 1870-1979 undated |
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| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 1 | 1 | Portraits, Carmela Cafarelli, including image of Carmela as a child with her parents 1915-1916 undated | |||||||||
| 1 | 2 | Portraits, Carmela Cafarelli, including performance and opera publicity portraits 1909-1940s | |||||||||
| 1 | 3 | Portraits, Madam Cafarelli, including publicity shots and informal candid images ca. 1950s-1970s | |||||||||
| 1 | 4 | Portraits, Signor Rocco Cafarelli, including formal portraits and candid performance images ca. 1870s-1910s | |||||||||
| 1 | 5 | Portraits, Signor Rocco Cafarelli and his daughter 1920 undated | |||||||||
| 1 | 6 | Portraits, friends and associates, including two pictures of Carmela's teachers, Pietro Audisio and William Joal 1917-1927 undated | |||||||||