Autograph Collection.- Theatre Interest

Collection of letters to Mr John Higgins from various opera and theatre prominent figures, comprising: Vanessa Redgrave (typed note declining Higgins's invitation to write an article, one page, 24 December 1970); Ian McKellen (autograph letter saying that his first ambition was to be a journalist, two pages, 11 October 1971); Hugh Green (two autograph letters, mentioning an article he wrote, two pages, 13 October and 24 October 1971); Boris Christoff (one postcard in Italian and one autograph thank-you note, 11 December 1971); Alan Bates (typed letter declining Higgins's offer as "I am working, or starting to work, on a film script with a writer in the day-time, and for me that is such an involved, rather tortuous process, that i don't feel I can commit myself to reading extra curricula material", one page, 28 January 1972); Rudolf Bing (typed thank you note for "your nice cable", one page, 1 May 1972); Hal Prince (two typed notes, one mentioning the Tony Award "I carry some guilt respecting how one should respond to awards. It's nice to be able to report that this set of them caused us to have long lines at the box office", one page, 1 May 1972); Leon Goossens (two typed letters, one saying "Thank you for the splendid profile by Alan Blyth. I thought it was very well compiled...I hope someone will be able to attend the 'Prom' in which I will appear in the 2nd half to play the Mozart concerto, one page, 16 June 1972); Richard Hughes (typed letter mentioning introductory sentences to an extract from his book The Wooden Shepherdesses, one page, 29 March 1973); Renato Capecchi (autograph letter in Italian, regarding a production of Il Barbiere that premiered at Covent Garden, one page, 17 June 1973); Alfredo Kraus (thanking Higgins for his kindness "when we met during rehearsals of Traviata, one page, 27 January 1975); John Gielgud (autograph letter returning some proofs for an article he has written, one page, 20 February 1977); Colin Davies (autograph note saying "it is a rare thing to find such a sympathetic and sensitive person in your profession", one page, 22 September n.y.; Dirk Bogarde (typed letter thanking Higgins for a very generous excerpt from his book A Postillion Stuck By Lighting, one page, 19 March 1977); Peter Hall (two greeting cards, one postcard and two handwritten notes, one thanking Higgins for "your perception and understanding. It's meant a great deal to me. The Ring will now (indeed is) getting better", 17 August 1983); Jose Carreras (typed note saying how much he liked the interview, one page, 10 February 1984), v.s., with copies of typed letters from John Higgins (32)