a letter of recommendation for a nineteen-year-old opera singer from Pest, who wishes to study with her in Florence; Liszt remarks that the unnamed girl is attractive, endowed with a fine wide-ranging voice, has a good musical intelligence, and has the means to stay on in Florence with her mother for as long as necessary in order to prepare her for a career on the stage ("...Une jeune personne de dix-neuf ans, fort bien elevée, d'un extérieur avantageux, donnée d'une voix étendue qui me parait belle, et d'une intelligence musicale perfectible, ambitionne d'obtenir vos conseils et de se placer sous votre direction...")

2 pages, 8vo (21.2 x 13.5cm), integral blank, with a modern manuscript translation, the Vatican, 29 September 1865, integral detached

Sale in these rooms, 26 May 2000, lot 160

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing where appropriate.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Caroline Ungher (1803-1877) was an Austrian mezzo soprano who, like Liszt, came from what is now part of Hungary. She sang at the premieres of Beethoven's Missa Solemnis and Ninth Symphony, later creating roles in operas by Bellini, Donizetti and Mercadante. In 1841 she married the writer François Sabatier.