Collection Summary
Harry Ransom Center, The University of Texas at Austin
Catán, Daniel,
1948-2011
Daniel Catán Papers,
1949-2014
14 document boxes, 24 oversize boxes (osb) (15.96 linear feet), 1 oversize
folder (osf), and 546 electronic files (1.9 GB)
The Daniel Catán papers consist
of audio files, awards, certificates, clippings, diplomas, electronic files, photographs, posters,
printouts of web pages, programs, scores, scrapbooks, serial publications, sheet
music, and video files documenting the career of Daniel Catán, Mexican-born
composer of operas and other musical works.
English and
Spanish
Manuscript Collection
MS-05283
Acquisition:
Gifts, 2012 (12-05-005-G, 12-09-013-G), 2015 (15-01-016-G)
Access:
Open for research. Some materials restricted because of fragile condition; digital
surrogates are available.
Researchers must create an online Research Account and agree to the Materials Use
Policy before using archival materials.
To request access to electronic files,
please email Reference.
Use Policies
Ransom Center collections may contain material with sensitive or confidential
information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and
regulations. Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information
pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in the collections without
the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of
action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an
individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a
reasonable person) for which the Ransom Center and The University of Texas at Austin
assume no responsibility.
Restrictions on Use
Authorization for publication is given on behalf of the University of Texas as the
owner of the collection and is not intended to include or imply permission of the
copyright holder which must be obtained by the researcher. For more information
please see the Ransom Center's Open Access and Use Policies.
Certain restrictions apply to the use of electronic files. Researchers must agree to the
Materials Use Policy for Electronic Files before accessing them. Original computer disks and
forensic disk images are restricted. Copying electronic files, including screenshots and
printouts, is not permitted.
Processed by:
Richard Workman, 2013, 2016
Born digital materials processed, arranged, and described by Chance Adams and Brenna Edwards, 2015-2022.
Biographical Sketch
Daniel Catán was born April 3, 1949, in Mexico City. He owed his early interest
in music to his parents: his mother encouraged him to take piano lessons, and his
father was an enthusiastic admirer of popular music, particularly Cuban sones.
At the age of 14, Catán was enrolled in boarding school in England. He continued
his studies in that country, receiving degrees in philosophy from the University of
Sussex and in music from the University of Southampton. He then moved to the United
States and in 1977 earned his doctorate in composition from Princeton University,
where he studied under Milton Babbitt.
Following graduation, Catán returned to Mexico City, where he worked as a music
administrator at the Palacio de Bellas Artes. During this period he founded and
conducted the Camerata de la Nueva España, a chamber orchestra that gave
concerts in Mexico City, including the premiere of his chamber opera,
Encuentro en el ocaso, in 1980.
While he continued to write chamber works and orchestral and vocal pieces, opera
steadily drew more and more of his creative energies. His second opera, based on an
adaptation by Octavio Paz of the Nathaniel Hawthorne short story,
Rappaccini's Daughter, was La hija de Rappaccini, which premiered in 1991 in Mexico City. After a
disappointing reception by critics, the work gained new appreciation when Paz won
the Nobel Prize for literature, and a subsequent production in San Diego,
California, brought Catán increasing visibility.
His next opera,
Florencia en el Amazonas, was
commissioned jointly by Houston Grand Opera, Los Angeles Opera, and Seattle Opera,
and premiered in Houston in 1996 to critical and popular acclaim. Houston also
premiered Salsipuedes: A Tale of Love, War, and
Anchovies in 2004. This was followed by the highly successful Il postino, based on the 1994 film of the same name
directed by Michael Radford. The first performance was by Los Angeles Opera. The
role of Pablo Neruda was written for and created by tenor Plácido Domingo.
Catán died suddenly on April 8, 2011, in Austin, Texas, where he was serving as
composer in residence at the Butler School of Music of the University of Texas at
Austin. At the time of his death he was working on a commission from the university
to write a new opera based on the 1941 Frank Capra film,
Meet
John Doe.
Sources:
Biography. Daniel Catán,
http://www.danielcatan.com/biography (accessed 21 September 2016).
Daniel Catán. Music Sales Classical,
http://www.musicsalesclassical.com/composer/long-bio/Daniel-Catán (accessed 21
September 2016).
Scope and Contents
The Daniel Catán Papers consist of audio files, awards, certificates, clippings,
diplomas, photographs, posters, printouts of web pages, programs, scores,
scrapbooks, serial publications, sheet music, and video files documenting the career
of Daniel Catán, Mexican-born composer of operas and other musical works. The
papers are arranged in two series: I. Musical Works, 1973-2012, undated; and II.
Personal and Career-Related Materials, 1949-2014, undated.
The papers cover the entirety of Catán's professional career, from the period
when he returned to Mexico after receiving his PhD until his death; however, the
archive is not complete. For example, there are few materials relating to
Catán's personal life and there is little correspondence. Also missing are the
scores of a number of his smaller compositions such as his chamber works, his score
for the film
I'm Losing You, his work-related
diaries, materials prepared for his published collections of essays, and the score
for his last, uncompleted opera, Meet John Doe.
Series I. Musical Works is the largest portion of the archive and fills 24 oversize
boxes plus four document boxes. It is divided into two subseries: A. Operas,
1973-2012, undated; and B. Other Musical Works, 1975-2007, undated. Within each
subseries works are arranged in alphabetical order and within each title, insofar as
possible, manuscripts are arranged chronologically. This arrangement has been made
difficult by the fact that Catán almost never dated any of his manuscripts;
internal evidence, such as the sequence in which corrections have been made to
scores, has been used where dates are lacking. Dates following the titles of works
are the dates given in the catalog of his works by his publisher G. Schirmer
Inc./Associated Music Publishers, in
Grove Music
Online, and in Catán's own list of his compositions found in the
folder titled Curriculum.
Throughout this finding aid, the following terminology has been used. Vocal score refers to a score showing all vocal
lines, but with the accompaniment arranged for keyboard. A close score is a score giving all the parts on a
minimum number of staves, normally two, as with hymns. Condensed score refers to a score giving only the principal musical
parts on a minimum number of staves generally organized by instrumental
sections.
Subseries A. Operas contains material related to the composition of Catán's five
completed operas. Catán frequently used sticky notes and flags to call
attention to the locations of corrections in successive versions of his opera
scores. For preservation reasons, these have been removed from his manuscripts.
Where any of these tags bore writing, it has been photocopied in place and the
photocopy inserted before the original manuscript page.
Subseries B. Other Musical Works contains the scores of his non-operatic output. Many
of these scores are represented only as photocopies of the original manuscripts. Due
to the age and condition of these photocopies, and the fact that the toner used has
in some cases turned sticky over time, some portions of these scores have been
interleaved to prevent pages from adhering together. Also, many of these scores were
originally bound using plastic comb or coil bindings. Over time, many of these
bindings have broken or deteriorated to the point where they were potentially
harmful to the manuscripts. To better preserve the scores, many of these bindings,
as well as any paper envelopes or ring binders that contained scores, have been
removed; where the original cover bore any writing, a photocopy has been inserted in
its place.
Series II. Personal and Career-Related Materials contains 10 boxes of awards,
certificates, clippings, correspondence, diaries, diplomas, notebooks, posters,
printouts of web pages, programs, scrapbooks, and serial publications. Much of this
material arrived in file folders individually labeled. It is not certain that
Catán had any part in arranging or labeling these folders, but their
organization has been preserved, as have the folder titles, which are shown in
single quotes.
Because the subject folder titles do not always clearly identify the contents, the
following notes may be helpful.
Actas holds
birth, naturalization, and divorce records. Basic
Set contains materials relating to the first performance of Florencia en el Amazonas. Curriculum contains a biographical sketch and list of Catán's
compositions. Family contains medical records.
Florencia also contains materials relating
to Salsipuedes and other works. IInd Round Reviews relates to the revival of Florencia en el Amazonas in Houston in 2004. Journals refers to periodicals, not to diaries.
Visita Baja California refers to a stint
teaching orchestration at the Universidad Autónoma de Baja California in 1997.
There is a great deal of overlap among the folders, with the same printed material
often appearing in more than one file.
Files labeled
Letters contain correspondence to
and from Catán, mostly having to do with his opera productions or the
recommendations necessary for acquiring permission to work in the U.S. Included are
copies of a number of letters from Catán to Octavio Paz, with whom he
collaborated on the opera La hija de Rappaccini, as
well as a photocopy of one reply from Paz.
Photographs primarily depict Catán himself and the staging of his operas
La hija de Rappaccini and Florencia en el Amazonas, but there are also photographs of mostly
unidentified groups of people.
The material cataloged as
Scrapbooks consists of
five albums containing clippings, copies of concert programs, and some photographs.
Because these albums employed a system of adhesive-coated pages with clear plastic
overlays that has deteriorated over time, the albums are fragile, and consequently
their use requires permission from a curator. The albums have been digitized and
printouts are available for viewing.
A small number of unmarked published scores and two published books by Catán
were transferred to the Ransom Center Library and are listed in the University
of Texas Library Catalog.
A silver medal presented to Catán by the Academia Medalla Mozart in 2009 was
transferred to the Center's Personal Effects holdings.
Digital media, including CD-ROMs and DVDs containing digital photographs of costume
and production designs, and PDF and SIB (the format of the music notation software
Sibelius) files of opera scores, have been transferred to the Center's Electronic
Records Collection.
Unpublished DVDs containing video recordings of opera performances were transferred
to the Moving Image Collection.
CD-ROMs, DVDs, and an LP containing unpublished audio recordings of various
rehearsals and performances of Catán's operas and other compositions as well as
a 2004 interview in Spanish and English were transferred to the Sound Recordings
Collection.
Index Terms
People
Catán, Daniel.
Domingo, Plácido, 1941-
.
Paz, Octavio, 1914-1998.
Organizations
Houston Grand Opera.
Los Angeles Opera.
Sarah & Ernest Butler School of
Music.
Seattle Opera.
Subjects
Composers.
Music--Manuscripts.
Operas--20th century.
Operas--21st century.
Document Types
Awards.
Clippings.
Electronic documents.
Photographs.
Programs.
Scores.
Scrapbooks.
Sheet music.
Preferred Citation
Harry Ransom Center, The University of Texas at Austin. Daniel Catán Papers
(Manuscript Collection MS-05283).
Container List
Series I. Musical Works, 1973-2012, undated
Subseries A. Operas, 1973-2012, undated
Encuentro en el ocaso (1979)
Handwritten full score, including Preludio, bound,
undated
26.2
Photocopy of handwritten full score without Preludio,
bound, undated
1.1
Handwritten vocal score, incomplete, undated
26.5
Florencia en el Amazonas
Opera (1996)
Printout of full score with handwritten corrections,
bound in 3 volumes, undated. Imprint of Boosey & Hawkes
on cover only
1.2-4
Printout of full score with handwritten corrections
and handwritten manuscript inserted into first volume, bound
in 2 volumes, undated. Two copies of the second volume, one
signed
2.1-3
Handwritten corrections to score with cover letter
signed Tim,
1997
32.1
Aracdio’s aria, New
version
Handwritten full score, 2006
26.4
Photocopy of handwritten full score,
undated
3.1
1205005G_007
Arcadio’s new aria. 1 electronic file: Sibelius Score, October 2005
Printed full score, with handwritten corrections,
bound in 2 volumes, printed 25 October 2006
3.2-3
Vocal score
Photocopy of handwritten manuscript score,
undated
4.1
Reproduced handwritten score with handwritten
alterations, undated
32.2
Printed score with extensive corrections,
undated
32.3
Printout corrections to score, 1997,
undated
32.4
Stage directions, Spanish with English translation,
undated
32.5
Photographic slides of various productions, 1996,
undated
32.6
1205005G_005, 1205005G_006
Production photographs. 12 electronic files: JPG, undated
Thesis (L’opéra et le réalisme magique:
Florencia en el Amazonas de Daniel Catán [1996]) by
Maria Josefa Velasco, 2009
32.7
Promotional material for Mexican Cultural Days in
Heidelberg, 2006
32.8
Orchestral Suite based on the Opera (2003)
5 printouts of full score, undated
4.2-5, 32.9
Published score with extensive handwritten
corrections, bound, printed 14 July 2003
4.6
Published score with handwritten corrections, bound,
printed 2004, Last
printing
4.7
La hija de Rappaccini (also titled Rappaccini’s Daughter,
1989)
Photocopies of portions of libretto with handwritten
notes, undated
5.1
Handwritten full score, undated
5.2-5
Reproduced handwritten score, bound, undated
32.10
Photocopy of handwritten score for two pianos and harp,
incomplete, undated
6.1
Printouts of score for two pianos, harp and percussion
with handwritten corrections
Imprint of G. Schirmer, Inc., undated
6.2-5
Imprint of Associated Music Publishers, Inc.,
undated
7.1-4
Various scenes, undated
8.1-9
Printouts of score adapted by Mark Robson for two pianos,
harp, percussion, and recorders with handwritten corrections,
incomplete, undated
8.10-12
Photocopy of handwritten and printout close score with
text in both Spanish and English, undated, with cover letter
from Gordon Ostrowski dated 23 August 2001
9.2
Printouts of various instrumental parts,
undated
9.3-7
Photocopy of handwritten vocal score, undated
9.1
Published vocal score with handwritten revisions,
undated
26.3
Scrapbook (production photographs, slides, and
publications--binder removed), 1995, undated
33.1
1205005G_008, 1205005G_009
University of Illinois production. 337 electronic files: Adobe PDF, JPG, 2009
1205005G_005, 1205005G_006
Production photographs. 8 electronic files: JPG, undated
Il postino (2010)
Notes (includes some notes for Salsipuedes),
undated
33.2
Screenplay of the 1995 film, undated
33.3
Synopsis, undated
33.4
Musical sketches, undated
26.1, 27.1
Libretto
English, undated
33.5
Spanish, undated
33.6
Handwritten full score, undated
27.2-4, 28.1-4
Handwritten full score for insert to Act III,
undated
28.5
Photocopy of handwritten and printout full score,
undated
9.8-9, 10.1-5
Printout of full score with extensive handwritten
corrections, August 2009
11.1-4
Photocopy of conductor Grant Gershon’s copy of the
printed full score, undated
29.1
Printout of vocal score, 10 November 2008. New aria included & printed out
fully
12.1
Printout of vocal score, March 2009
12.2
Printed copy of vocal score with handwritten revisions, 9
September 2009
33.7
Printed copy of vocal score with extensive handwritten
revisions, 23 June 2010
33.8
1205005G_010
Photographs. 11 electronic files: JPG, February 2006
Keepsake photo book presented to Andrea Catán,
2012
34.1
Correspondence from Nan Caro, undated
34.2
Dossier of production documents for Los Angeles Opera
production, 2009, undated
34.3
1501016G_001
Los Angeles Opera production. 35 electronic files: Adobe PDF, 2009-2011
Salsipuedes: A Tale of Love, War and Anchovies (also titled
Las bodas de Salsipuedes, 2004)
Research, 1973
34.4
Notes for libretto, 1999, undated
34.5
Synopses and libretto by Eliseo Alberto,
undated
34.6
Synopsis and libretto by Eliseo Alberto and Francisco
Hinojosa, undated
34.7
Handwritten musical sketches, undated
29.2-4, 34.8
Various printouts, photocopies and handwritten
manuscripts of portions of the full score, instrumental parts,
sketches, and notes, many with handwritten corrections and
annotations, 8 April 2003, undated
12.3, 13.1-3
Handwritten full score, undated
30.1-5, 31.1-5
Houston Grand Opera, 2004-2005
1205005G_001
Costumes design and set photographs. 74 electronic files: JPG, 2004-2005
1205005G_002, 1205005G_004
Photographs and web clips. 26 electronic files: JPG, Windows Media Video, 2004-2005
Photocopy of full score with handwritten corrections,
undated
13.4, 14.1-2
Printout of full score with occasional handwritten
corrections, Revised and
corrected 25 July 2008
14.3-4, 15.4
Photocopy of printed full score with handwritten
revisions, 2004
34.9-10
Printout of vocal score, undated
15.1-3
Photocopy of printed vocal score with English translation
added, 2004
35.1
Printed vocal score for German performance,
2008
35.2
Printed libretto, 22 June 2005
34.11
1205005G_005, 1205005G_006
Production photographs. 22 electronic files: JPG, undated
Song from the opera arranged for piano,
undated
34.12
1205005G_003
Vocal score. 20 electronic files: Sibelius Score, September 2005
Subseries B. Other Musical Works, 1975-2007, undated
Antonieta, musical play (1992-1993)
Libretto by Catán and Francisco Segovia,
1992
35.3
Synopsis and copies of songs registered for Mexican
copyright, 1993, undated
35.4
El árbol de la vida for orchestra (1980), photocopy of
handwritten score, undated
16.1
Ausencia de flores, ballet (1983), 3 photocopies of
handwritten score, undated
16.2
Caribbean Airs for percussion soloists and orchestra
(2007)
Handwritten and photocopied condensed score, incomplete,
undated
16.3-5
Printout of full score with handwritten corrections,
incomplete, 5 December 2006
16.6
Printout of full score with handwritten corrections, 5
February 2007
31.6
Printout of full score with handwritten corrections,
undated
17.1-3
Printout of full score with handwritten corrections,
undated. Final
17.4-6
Comprendo, song, lyrics and printed music, 2006,
undated
35.5
Concertino for harp and string quartet (2005), printout,
undated
35.6
Contristada, song
Version for tenor and orchestra, various printouts and
handwritten vocal scores and sketches, undated
17.7
Version for voice and piano, copy registered for Mexican
copyright, 1992
35.7
Cuando bailas, Leonor, for flute, oboe, cello and piano
(1984), photocopy of handwritten score, undated
17.8
Divertimento for string quartet (2005), printout of full
score and parts, undated
35.8
Don Porfirio: vals de El vuelo
del águila for piano (1994), printout,
undated
17.9
En un doblez del tiempo (also titled A Fold in Time: Scherzo
for orchestra, 1982)
Photocopy of handwritten full score, May 1982
35.9
Printout of full score, undated
17.10
Hail the world’s soul and mine!, printout of score for voice
and piano with handwritten corrections and handwritten sketches,
undated
17.11
Hetaera Esmeralda, tone poem for orchestra (1975), photocopy
of handwritten full score with handwritten corrections,
undated
17.12
Mariposa de obsidiana for soprano, chorus and orchestra
(1984)
Photocopy of full score, undated
17.13
Photocopy of close score with handwritten corrections,
undated
17.14
El medallón de Mantelillos, musical play for singers,
dancers, actors and chamber orchestra (also titled Historia de
Mantelillos, 1982)
Photocopy of typed libretto, undated
18.1
Handwritten full score, undated
18.2
Photocopy of handwritten full score, undated
18.3
O Pardon Me, Thou Bleeding Piece of Earth, for male chorus
and timpani (2006), handwritten sketches and research notes,
undated
18.4
Ocaso de medianoche for voice and orchestra (1977),
handwritten full score, undated
18.5
A Prayer for Tiffany for orchestra
2 printouts of full score, undated
18.6
Printout of full score with inserted handwritten musical
sketches, undated
36.1
Saxos, for wind ensemble and piano, printout of full score
and parts, undated
36.2
Tierra final for soprano and orchestra (1988), photocopy and
printed facsimile of handwritten full score, 1989 and
undated
18.7
Untitled exercise for percussion, printout,
undated
36.3
Series II. Personal and Career-Related Materials, 1949-2014, undated
Diaries and notebooks, photocopied handwritten pages (in
Spanish)
Chile, 1997
36.4
Japan, 1986
36.5
Thailand, 1989
36.6
Subject files
Actas,
1949-2007
36.7
Articles before premiere,
1996-1998, undated
19.1
Artículos en
español, 1982-2004
19.2
Awards, 1998-2000,
undated
19.3
Basic set, 1991-2000,
undated
19.4
Clippings
About Catán,1983-1988
36.8
By Catán, 1983-1992
36.9
Curriculum, 1998,
undated
19.5
Divertimento,
2003-2004
19.6
Escritos, 1991,
undated
36.10
Español,
1996
19.7
Family, 2003
36.11
Film, 1999
19.8
Florencia, 2000-2008,
undated
19.9-10, 20.1
Florencia CD reviews,
2002-2003, undated
20.2
Florencia reviews,
1996-2000, undated
20.3
Florencia Seattle, 2005,
undated
20.4
General Catán
Publicity, 1997-2009
20.5-7
Guggenheim,
1982-2000
36.12
Homenaje a Octavio Paz, CD insert, paste-ups,
1991
21.1
Houston Grand Opera press clippings, 1996
21.2
IInd round reviews,
2001-2003
21.3
Internet,
2001
21.4
Journals,
1996-2004
21.5-7, 22.1
Lectures,
1995-2004
22.2
Letters, 1983-2012,
undated
36.13, 37.1-3
List of publications, Written
Works, 1995-2011, undated
37.4
Magazines, 1985-2011,
undated
37.5-6
Newspaper cuttings and concert
programs, 1975-1981
22.3
Notes and draft of an interview with Japanese composer Toru
Takemitsu, undated
37.7
Photographs, 1997, undated
22.4, 37.8
Posters, certificates, awards, diploma, 1977-2010
osf 1
Il Postino,
2004-2010
22.5-6
Printed material (programs, clippings, articles, flyers,
etc.), 1984-2014
22.7, 37.4, 38.1-5
Rappaccini’s reviews,
1997-2003, undated
23.1
Reviews (Rappaccini),
1991-1994
23.2
Reviews Florencia
international, 1994-1997, undated
23.3
Salsipuedes, 2004,
undated
23.4
Schirmer,
2001-2004
23.5
Scrapbooks, 1979-1983 [Digital copy printout in Folder 23.6;
originals in Boxes 24-25 may be viewed with curatorial
approval]
23.6
Suite Florencia,
2003-2004
23.7
Visita Baja California,
1997
23.8
Restricted materials (Do not page without curatorial
approval)
24-25