Martha Lipton papers, 1939-2006, bulk
1939-1977
A Guide to her Papers at the Indiana University Archives
Finding aid prepared by Cynthia L.
Pemberton
Summary Information
Repository
Indiana University Archives
1320 East Tenth Street
Herman B Wells Library E460
Bloomington, IN 47405-7000
Phone: 812-855-1127
Email: archives@indiana.edu
http://www.libraries.iub.edu/archives
Creator
Lipton, Martha.
TitleMartha Lipton papers, 1939-2006, bulk
1939-1977
Collection No.
C30
Extent
1.4 cubic feet
(2 boxes)
Language
Materials are primarily in English but some materials are in German, Spanish,
and French.
Abstract
Martha Lipton was a prolific performer
at the New York Metropolitan Opera as a mezzo-soprano for sixteen seasons. She was a
soloist who sang under the direction of many renowned conductors before coming to
Indiana University Bloomington as a Professor of Voice in 1960. This collection
contains professional promotional materials, clippings and performance programs
spanning her career.
Access Restrictions
Collection is open for research. Advance notice required.
Biographical Note
Born in New York City on April 6, 1913, Martha Lipton went on to win a scholarship to
the Julliard School, graduating in 1942 and the following year becoming an Honorary
Member of Delta Omicron, a worldwide music fraternity at the Cincinnati Conservatory
of Music. In 1944 she made her debut with the New York Opera Company and went on to
also perform with the New York Metropolitan Opera. Her 401st and last performance
with the Met was in 1961. During her career Lipton performed three dozen roles in
four languages. She also sang under famous conductors such as Bruno Walter, Leonard
Bernstein, and Leopold Stowkowski.
Lipton came to Indiana University as a professor of voice in 1960 where she also
performed in many IU opera productions. The most notable being Puccini’s “Aida” in
which she played the role of Amneris in IU's outdoor stage production at Memorial
Stadium in July and August of 1963. While she officially retired from teaching in
1983 with the rank of professor emeritus, she continued to teach part-time until her
death on November 28, 2006.
Arrangement
Collection is organized into three series: Biographical, Correspondence, and
Professional files.
Scope and Content Note
Spanning the years 1939-1987, the Martha Lipton papers are organized into three
series: Biographical, Correspondence, and Professional files.
The Biographical series includes clippings of reviews of her performances and
biographical interviews (undated, 1939-2004). There are a few clippings from the
Bloomington Herald Times. The Indiana University Emeritus Club Honors file (1983)
contains the certificate award naming her as a member.
The Correspondence series (1966-2006) includes primarily personal correspondence with
her father and mother, and from current and former students in support of her
nomination for distinguished professorship.
The Professional files series includes performance programs (1939-1987) of
performances she played in various venues and countries. The Promotional Materials
file (undated) contains posters promoting her talent and roles performed with
reviewers’ quotes from newspapers and magazines. The Stage Sets and Performance
Notes (undated) is a small notebook with sketches of stage props performer’s
locations and movement directions on the sets of three productions; Samson, Tristan
and Isolde, and The ballad of Baby Doe. Notes are written in French, German, and
English.
-
Indexing Terms
-
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in
IUCAT, the IU Libraries'
online catalog. Materials about related topics, persons or places can be found by
searching the catalog using these terms.
-
-
Separated Material
A hand fan used in a performance was pulled from the collection and is housed in the
Archives memorabilia cabinet.
191 photographs of family, performances, and promotional head shots were pulled from
the collection and transferred to the Archives Photograph Collection.
Related Material
Related photographs may be available in the University Archives Photographs Database:
http://webapp1.dlib.indiana.edu/archivesphotos/
Administrative Information
Acquisition Information
Accession 2012/152
Usage RestrictionsThe donor(s) of this collection have not transferred their copyrights for the materials to the Trustees of Indiana University.
For more information, please contact the Indiana University Archives staff.
The Indiana University Archives respects the intellectual property rights of others and does not claim any copyrights for
non-university records, materials in the public domain, or materials for which we do not hold a Deed of Gift. Responsibility
for the determination of the copyright status of these materials rests with those persons wishing to reuse the materials.
Researchers are responsible for securing permission from copyright owners and any other rights holders for any reuse of these
materials that extends beyond fair use or other statutory limitations.
Digital reproductions of archival materials from the Indiana University Archives are made available for noncommercial educational
and research purposes only. If you are the copyright holder for any of the digitized materials and have questions about its
inclusion on our site, please contact the Indiana University Archivist.
Preferred Citation
[Item], Martha Lipton papers, Collection C30, Indiana University Archives, Bloomington.
Provenance
Transferred from the IU Music Library in 2012.
Appraisal
Multiple copies of promotional materials were pulled from the collection and
recycled.
Processing InformationProcessed by Cynthia L. Pemberton.
Completed in 2013.
Folder List
Series:
Biographical, 1939-2004
Box 1
Clippings,
1939-1987
1947-2004
Indiana University Emeritus Club Honors, 1983
Scrapbooks,
Box 2
1938-1939
1944-1952
1956-1957
Series:
Correspondence, 1966-2006,
undated
Box 1
Personal, 1966-2006
Students,1975-1977,
undated
(RESTRICTED)
Series:
Professional Files, 1939-1987,
undated
Performance Programs,
Box 1
1939
1941
1944
1945
1946
1947
1948
1949
1950
1951
1952
1953
1954
1955
1956
1957
1958
1960
1987
Promotional materials, undated
Performance prop, hand fan from "Rigoletto,"
undated
Stage Sets and Performance Notes, undated
(Located in IU Archives Memorabilia Cabinet)
RESTRICTED FILES
