IL TROVATORE; (THE TROUBADOUR.) BY VERDI. RENDERED INTO ENGLISH BY T.T. BARKER. Oliver Ditson and Company - Ditson's Edition of Standard Operas.

184 pages. Hardcover: H 28.5cm x L 23cm. Spine perished with underlying worn paper backstrip fully exposed lengthwise and quire tips visible at ends; toned, soiled, and rubbed paper over boards with edges worn particularly at corners; rear board detached with front board quite tenuous. Most of front free endpaper torn out with rear free endpaper missing; old ownership inscription of Macon, Mississippi resident at front flyleaf's top right corner with pencil inscription and signature of a New Orleans resident on rear pastedown and opposing rear flyleaf. Toning and foxing to interior leaves with occasional pencil notes; binding shaken between pages 50-55 with pages 51-54 pulled. Page 3 has "Biographical Sketch of Verdi" with page 4 having "Dramatis Personae" list followed quick synopsis of the opera's four acts. Pages 5-184 feature music scores and lyrics. A poor copy but redeemed by the presence of a large music dealer ticket on front pastedown "From | Louis Grunewald's | Music Store, | 26 Chartres Street, | New Orleans, | Importer of Pianos, | Guitars, Violins, Flutes, Banjos | French & German Accordeons, | English and Italian Strings of the Best Quality | Sheet Music, Instruction Books and all kinds of Musical Merchandise, | Music Neatly Bound." Ticket amended by handwritten ink correction to street address as 129 Canal. Publisher Oliver Ditson rarely re-dated its publications so, despite copyright page specifying 1857 (in worn type), this book was probably printed a few years later. Louis Grunewald (1827-1915) operated his music publishing business and music store at 26 Chartres Street in 1861 and moved to 129 Canal Street in 1863 so either the book and/or the ticket were in inventory before the move. It is quite likely that the book was sold during General Benjamin Butler's Civil War occupation of New Orleans.