VERDI, GIUSEPPE. (1813-1901). Italian opera composer. ALS. (“G. Verdi”). 1½pp. 8vo. Civitavecchia, March 15, 1859. To his friend ANTONIO CAPECELATRO, DUKE OF CASTELPAGANO (1826-1918) brother of Neapolitan composer Vincenzo Capecelatro. In Italian with translation.
“I have not replied before because as you well know, when one is on the move and leaving a country one has many things to do right up to the last moment. Now I am here in lovely Civitavecchia waiting for a good ship and a good sea to Genoa and I am taking the opportunity of this calm to thank you for the kind and affectionate words you spoke about me. They were very dear to me because I know they came from your heart – if I do not reply to you with as much grace do not put it down to my friendship for you but to some clumsiness which makes me unable to express what I feel very affectionately and I am very sensitive to how much someone else…
Peppina made a long face because we were not going back to Naples, but you will know that at the moment my presence at home is very necessary to organize affairs…”