Scope and Content Note
The Trude Rittmann Papers span from the 1880s to 2005, with the bulk of material dating from 1957 to 2001.
Correspondence to and from Rittmann, including much of her draft correspondence. Topics include Rittmann's career -- compositions, arrangements, and productions -- as well as reminiscences with colleagues, friends, and family. Notable correspondents include Agnes de Mille, Frederick Loewe, David Diamond, Mary Rodgers Guettel, and Wendy Toye.
Holograph scores of Rittmann's arrangements and compositions chiefly comprise the Music series.
The Business Papers consist mostly of contracts for Rittmann's work in various shows and productions. Also included is business-related correspondence and materials related to Frederick Loewe's estate.
Within Subject Files are many materials related to Rittmann's career, including newspaper clippings, programs and publicity materials, and her writings. The series also contains a collection of Steinway correspondence and translations Rittmann made for author Richard Lieberman, as well as work-related files and other miscellaneous documents.
The Personal Papers series contains Rittmann's works lists and biographies, including one written by friend and collaborator Agnes de Mille. Also included are materials about Rittmann's family, vital records such as her passport, birth certificate, and naturalization paperwork, and other materials pertaining to Rittmann's life.
Photographs and Artwork in the collection consist of candid shots of productions and photographs of Rittmann and friends, colleagues, and family.