This series primarily comprises Rosing's political, aesthetic, and autobiographical writings, including his essays, dramatic works, memoirs, and novel. Most of these writings exist in the form of typewritten or handwritten drafts (contained in notebooks, loose paper, and stapled groupings), and date from after Rosing permanently emigrated to the United States during World War II; however, select published essays on operatic aesthetics, written for the Musical Courier in 1923, are also present. Much of this material corresponds to Rosing's memoirs, which contain recollections of his personal, professional, and political life from the 1890s to the 1920s. This series contains racial caricatures and depictions of targeted violence (particularly towards the Jewish and LGBT communities). Various materials in this series have been produced, reproduced, or mediated by Ruth Rosing and Richard Rosing. Ruth collaborated with Vladimir on many materials in this series, as an editor, co-author, and typist, and many materials contain her handwritten corrections. Many of Vladimir's manuscripts have been labeled, edited, transcribed, and word-processed by Richard, which are dispersed throughout the series in the order that he filed them - usually alongside the manuscripts that they correspond to.
Box 1 Folder 5
A draft of Vladimir Rosing, Musical Genius: An Intimate Biography, by Ruth Glean Rosing, circa 1993
A bound, typewritten manuscript (eventually published by Sunflower University Press in 1993).
Box 1 Item 1
"Vladimir Rosing: Digital Files", undated, 1 compact disks
Box 1 Item 2
Richard Rosing's Telestory documentary Finding Dzhulynka: A Family's Search in Another Place for Another Time, 2004, 1 DVDs
The documentary follows Richard Rosing's journey to document Vladimir Rosing's flight from Revolutionary Russia.
Box 2 Folder 1
Rosing's memoir, Vladimir Rosing: Memoirs of a Social, Political, and Artistic Life, transcribed, edited and annotated by Richard Rosing, 2009
One bound, wordprocessed copy.
Box 2 Folder 2
Timeline of Rosing's life (manuscripts and transcriptions), undated
Removed from its original binding; handwritten, typewritten, and wordprocessed material. Loose pad paper containing a draft of a piece containing Rosing's recollections of George Bernard Shaw, a stapled, annotated, typewritten draft of the same material, and a stapled, wordprocessed transcription of this material (all three titled "G.B. Shaw"); a stapled, annotated, typewritten draft of a piece containing Rosing's recollections of various singers (titled "Opera: The Golden Age of Opera, Contemporary Singers to 1922"). This material was originally held in folders titled "Vladimir Rosing: Lists + Outlines" and "Vladimir Rosing: GB Shaw + Intimate Opera."
Box 2 Folder 3-4
Material relating to "The Early Years" chapter of Rosing's memoir, undated, 2 folders
These materials have been removed from their binding. A wordprocessed, bound transcription of the "Early Life" chapter of Rosing's memoirs (edited from handwritten notes penned in London in the mid-late 1930s). This material was originally held in a folder titled "Vladimir Rosing: Memoirs; Brown Book." A small pad containing a handwritten draft of a chapter of Rosing's memoirs, titled "V. Rosing: The Early Years"; a wordprocessed, bound transcription of these notes titled "The Early Years, 1901." The spine on the pad has completely given way. This material was originally held in a folder titled "Vladimir Rosing: Golden West Tablet; The Early Years." A typewritten, annotated draft titled "V. Rosing: Early Life"; bound, wordprocessed transcription of the typewritten draft titled "Early Life: To G.L. with Love and Gratitude." This material was originally held in a folder titled "Vladimir Rosing: Memoirs, Coordinated Transcript." The second folder contains a bound notebook containing handwritten notes and drafts, labeled "C - Early Years." Includes post-it notes with annotations. Drafts include: recollections of the Russian Revolution; recolletions of Rosing's time in Switzerland (post-it note reads "Chebres [sic.], Glion, Caux"); recollections of Imperialist Russia circa 1897-1905; notes and sketches for theatrical productions.
Box 2 Folder 5
Rosing's recollections of meeting Vladimir Lenin, his recital career, undated, 1956-1963
A lined legal pad containing Rosing's handwritten drafts. Includes word-processed, stapled transcriptions of these notes (interleaved among the pad's pages). Drafts include: a piece titled "My Recital Career" (a lecture, per the transcriber); a list of complaints about Wayne Dailard, organizer of the Fiesta del Pacifico, which produced a revival of Rosing's production of The California Story (labelled "Letter on notes for conversation with Meredith," likely Meredith Willson, who wrote the music for The California Story); notes for a story about Vladimir Lenin (titled "Desire to Murder: Story of Meeting Lenin on a Train" in red ballpoint pen on the manuscript; titled "Notes about encounter with Lenin on a train in Switzerland"); a piece titled "On the Wings of Song" (a TV scenario, according to annotator); a letter titled "Dear Minn, Sam"; a letter titled "Dear Mr. Hoover" (Herbert Hoover, per the annotator). Also includes two loose pages of legal pad with a handwritten draft of a piece titled "Shell of a Long, Remy[?] German Gun"; a typewritten, annotated draft of "A Desire to Kill"; a typewritten draft of the same material, annotated "An Impulse to Kill: Ruth's Rewrite." This material was originally held in a folder titled "Vladimir Rosing, Legal Pad: Recital Career; Lenin Train Story; Letter to Hoover."
Box 2 Folder 6
Rosing's recollections of the Russian Revolution, George Bernard Shaw, other singers, undated
A stapled, typewritten, annotated draft of a piece titled "Revolutionary Memoirs: Red Sunday" (typed on the back of an advertisement for Rosing's musical The Kansas Story) and a stapled, wordprocessed transcription of the typewritten draft. This material was originally held in a folder titled "Vladimir Rosing: Revolutionary Memoirs; Letter/Memo to Stalin; Articles on Communism (1961)."
Box 2 Folder 7
Notepads containing drafts of Rosing's memoirs, undated
A thin, lined notebook containing handwritten drafts and notes, labeled "My Story" on the front. Drafts include: a fragment of scenes 2 and 3 of a play script (possibly about Vladimir Lenin); notes for a project on Stalin; a list of "musical events"; a list of "people I met"; notes for "Season 1962-1963," Rosing Productions Inc. This material was originally held in a folder titled "Vladimir Rosing: Small Green Notebook." A legal pad containing drafts and notes. Includes drafts for pieces titled: "Men's Clubs, London"; "St. Petersburg"; "Music of Russia." A stapled, handwritten draft of an account of a performance of Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin for Tsar Nicolas II and a stapled, wordprocessed transcript of this material (manuscript titled "Gala performance: Eugene Onegin" and transcript titled "Gala Performance of Eugene Onegin for the Tsar"). Two stapled, handwritten drafts outlining Rosing's political beliefs. This material was originally held in a folder titled "Vladimir Rosing: Legal Pad, Pages 96-125." A legal pad containing drafts and notes (mostly recollections, possibly for a memoir). Includes drafts for pieces titled: "London and Thames?"; "WAR!" The first few pages of the pad have come loose. This material was originally held in a folder titled "Vladimir Rosing: Legal Pad, Pages 125-154." A spiralbound notebook titled "My Story," containing handwritten drafts and notes, interleaved with wordprocessed transcriptions of this material (loose and stapled). Drafts include: a letter to Khrushchev; Rosing's assorted recollections (titled "Notes Towards a Preface: Another Version" by transcriber); financial notes; an essay about Swiss doctor Roger Vittoz (titled "Dr. Vittoz and His Methods" by the transcriber). This material was originally held in a folder titled "Vladimir Rosing: Deluxe Penworthy Notebook." A spiralbound notebook containing handwritten drafts. Interleaved among the pages are stapled, typewritten drafts of the same material, and stapled, wordprocessed transcriptions of the same material. Drafts include: Rosing's recollections of his early recitals in London and the British attitude towards Russians during the Russian Revolution (manuscript and transcription are titled "Savishna," likely a reference to Modest Mussorgsky's song "Darling Savishna," which Rosing recorded); Rosing's recollections of the First World War in England (including the shooting of a German zeppelin), his journey to the United States, and his tour with the American Opera Company (typewritten draft is titled "England -- Am Opera"; transcript is titled "England to American Opera Company"). A typewritten, annotated draft and a stapled, wordprocessed transcription of an essay about the American Opera Company and Rosing's campaign to popularize English translations of opera (the manuscript is titled "American Opera Company + a boost for opera in English" and the transcription is titled "The American Opera Company - a boost for opera in English"). This material was originally held in a folder titled "Vladimir Rosing: Green Sprial Notebook + Transcripts."
Box 2 Folder 8
Typewritten and wordprocessed transcriptions of autobiographical material, undated
It is likely that most material relates to Rosing's memoirs. Includes: a stapled, typewritten, annotated draft of pages 12A through 12I, and a stapled, wordprocessed transcription of the same material (the transcription is titled "Insert Page 12"); a stapled, typewritten, annotated draft of a chapter titled "Recital Career"; two stapled, typewritten, annotated drafts of the chapter titled "Early Life" (pages 1-15 and pages 46-67); a loose, typewritten page and a loose wordprocessed transcription of the same material (transcription titled "Notes Toward a Preface"). This material was originally held in a folder titled "Vladimir Rosing: Misc. Memoir Transcripts."
Box 3 Folder 1
Draft of Ruth Glean Rosing's script for The Arizona Story, circa 1963
Bound, typewritten script. Tucked inside are tearsheets of an article on The Arizona Story in Arizona Days and Ways Magazine 1963 April 14.
Box 3 Folder 2
Draft of Vladimir and Ruth Glean Rosing's script for The Kansas Story, circa 1961
Bound, typewritten script.
Box 3 Folder 3
Draft material for Rosing's play The Crown Changes Hands, circa 1952
Drafts and notes for Rosing's play The Crown Changes Hands. Includes: a bound, typewritten script; a spiralbound notebook containing the handwritten manuscript for Act II of The Crown Changes Hands; a spiralbound notebook containing notes and draft fragments for Act III of The Crown Changes Hands, an untitled project with Frances McCann [for the BBC?], and an essay on politics in Russia (contains post-it notes with annotations). This material was originally held in a folder titled "Vladimir Rosing: Notes for The Crown Changes Hands Play."
Box 3 Folder 4
Draft material for Rosing's novel House of Rosanoff, circa 1950s
Includes a bound, typewritten manuscript (signed, with handwritten edits and annotations); tucked into the cover are various typewritten drafts and outlines, also with handwritten edits and annotations. This material was originally held in a folder titled "Vladimir Rosing, The House of Rosanoff: Novel + Outline."
Box 3 Folder 5
Draft material for Rosing's play Lenin, circa 1950s
Includes: a loose-leaf, typewritten draft on onionskin paper labeled "final draft" (with handwritten edits and annotations); a photocopy of Rosing's draft outline (stapled); a partially stapled, partially loose-leaf, typewritten draft labeled "first rough draft" (with handwritten edits and annotations; this item was typed on the back of reused paper, which may contain other content; interleaved within this draft are handwritten fragments on pad paper); typed draft fragments (typed on the back of reused paper, which may contain other content); handwritten draft fragments (on pad paper). This material was originally held in a folder titled "Vladimir Rosing, Lenin Play: 1st Draft + Final Draft + Notes + Outline."
Box 4 Folder 1
Draft material for Rosing's teleplay Stalin, circa 1961
Includes: a clip-bound, typewritten draft labeled "1961, final version" (includes typed edits; one page is loose from the binding); a partially stapled, partially loose-leaf, typewritten draft, unlabeled (includes handwritten edits; envelope labeled "version 1"); a loose-leaf, typewritten draft on onionskin paper labeled "Stalin: corrected" (includes handwritten edits and annotations; includes part of the original postmarked envelope; storage envelope labeled "Stalin: corrected sketch; version 2; corrections included in 'copywright' [and] 'working title' copy"). This material was originally held in a folder titled "Vladimir Rosing, Stalin Play + Notes: Version 1, Version 2 + Final Version."
Box 4 Folder 2
Draft material for various theatrical projects, undated
Includes: a lined composition book containing handwritten notes and draft fragments for a project about the American Civil War and a play about the Russian Revolution (contains post-it notes with annotations); a ringbound notebook containing handwritten notes and draft fragments for a project titled "Prologue. Scene: an average American home" and for a play about the Russian Revolution (contains post-it notes with annotations). Also includes four seperate groupings of loose pages, which were originally paperclipped together, but which the processing archivist has separated using printer paper. These groupings relate to theatrical project(s) about Russian history and are labelled "Trial of VL Oulianof [Alexander Ulyanov, dit Vladimir Lenin?]"; "Crowd of people cheering madly"; "Stalin's office"; "The Terror of Purges." This material was originally held in a folder titled "Vladimir Rosing: Notes for a Play on Russian Revolution + Other Notes."
Box 4 Folder 3
Draft material for plays about Modest Mussorgsky, the Russian Revolution, Casanova, undated
Includes: a spiralbound notebook containing handwritten notes and draft fragments for a play about Modest Mussorgsky (there are folded, loose pages of a draft fragment from the same play tucked in the cover of the notebook; contains post-it notes with annotations); a spiralbound notebook containing handwritten notes and draft fragments for an unknown theatrical project (contains post-it notes with annotations); a spiralbound notebook containing notes and drafts for a play about Giacomo Casanova (the first few pages comprise a list of Casanova's lovers, their family members, and their locations). This material was originally held in folders titled "Vladimir Rosing: Mussorgsky Play Notebook; Russian Play Notebook" and "Vladimir Rosing, Casanova: Notes for Play."
Box 4 Folder 4
Essays on aesthetics, 1923, 1963
Includes: a wordprocessed transcription of "Idealism in Art," Musical Courier 1923 May 10; wordprocessed transcription of "Interpretation in the Art of Singing: Part I" Musical Courier 1923 October 11; wordprocessed transcription of "Interpretation in the Art of Singing: Part II" Musical Courier 1923 October 18; a aandwritten manuscript (stapled pad paper, includes cuts and edits by Rosing) and wordprocessed transcription of Rosing's 1963 manifesto Notes on Opera. These materials were originally held in folders titled "Vladimir Rosing: Articles" and "Vladimir Rosing, Notes on Opera."
Box 4 Folder 5
Essays on politics, circa 1945-1950, 1961
Includes: Handwritten manuscript and wordprocessed transcription of Rosing's poem, "Prayer and Elegy at the End of World War II"; handwritten draft of a piece on the Russian Revolution (labeled on a post-it note as "Frangments of an Essay on the Russian Revolution: written as 'memo' to Stalin") and a wordprocessed, stapled transcription (labeled as "Fragment of An Essay on the Russian Revolution - Written as a letter to Stalin"). (in envelope) materials relating to articles in the Arizona Republic and Gazette, including: a typewritten letter to Mr. Willard Worcester, the paper's manager, dated 1961 October 25 from Mrs. Val Rosing [likely Ruth Rosing née Scates]; three stapled, typewritten essays on onionskin paper, titled "Do Communists Favor Our Social Reforms? No," "Is the United States Guilty of Weakness," and "Is Khrushchev Interested in Peaceful Co-Existence with the Western World?"; stapled, annotated notes (typewritten and handwritten) for the Gazette articles (titled "Suggested subjects"); a typewritten draft of a piece about Stalin's death (titled "Poem"), stapled together with a typewritten draft titled "Copy of Suggested Subjects for Other Articles"); a stapled, wordprocessed transcription of these materials. These materials were originally held in folders titled "Vladimir Rosing: Prayer + Elegy at the End of WWII" and "Vladimir Rosing: Revolutionary Memoirs; Letter/Memo to Stalin; Articles on Communism (1961)."
Box 4 Folder 6
Draft material for an essay on art and politics, undated
A series of plastic sheaths (bound together) containing a handwritten manuscript by Rosing and a wordprocessed transcription of some of this material titled "Vladimir Rosing: Art and politics - a dual interest - the life of a rebel."
Box 5 Folder 2
Articles for The Musical Courier, 1923
Complete issues of the Musical Courier: Weekly Review of the World's Music from 1923 containing articles by Rosing. Issues include: Thursday, May 10, 1923, Vol. 86, No. 19, containing Rosing's article "Idealism in Art" on page 6; Thursday, October 11, 1923, Vol. 87, No. 15, containing Rosing's article "Interpretation in the Art of Singing: Article 1" on page 6; Thursday, October 18, 1923, Vol. 87, No. 16, containing Rosing's article "Interpretation in the Art of Singing: Article 2" on page 7.