▁was ▁probably ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁ever ▁close - to - ▁authentic ▁performances ▁of ▁the ▁work . ▁ ▁The ▁American ▁stage ▁premi ere ▁was ▁given ▁by ▁Vincent ▁La ▁Sel va ▁and ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁Grand ▁Opera ▁on ▁ 4 ▁June ▁ 1 9 7 6 ▁at ▁the ▁Brook lyn ▁Academy ▁of ▁Music ▁with ▁Richard ▁Taylor ▁as ▁St iff el io ▁and ▁Norm a ▁French ▁as ▁L ina . ▁The ▁opera ▁was ▁also ▁given ▁by ▁Sarah ▁C ald well ▁and ▁the ▁Opera ▁Company ▁of ▁Boston ▁on ▁ 1 7 ▁February ▁ 1 9 7 8 . ▁ ▁The ▁St iff el io ▁aut ograph ▁found ; ▁The ▁Met ▁presents ▁the ▁" new " ▁St iff el io ; ▁the ▁critical ▁edition ▁prepared ▁▁ ▁In ▁his ▁book , ▁Div as ▁and ▁Sch ol ars , ▁Philip ▁G os sett , ▁the ▁General ▁Editor ▁of ▁the ▁critical ▁ed itions ▁of ▁the ▁Ver di ▁oper as ▁published ▁by ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Chicago , ▁tells ▁the ▁story ▁of ▁how ▁" to ▁[ his ] ▁immense ▁joy " ▁the ▁original ▁Ver di ▁materials ▁came ▁to ▁be ▁seen ▁by ▁him ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 9 9 2 ▁when ▁the ▁Car r ara ▁Ver di ▁family ▁allowed ▁access ▁to ▁the ▁aut ograph ▁and ▁to ▁copies ▁of ▁about ▁ 6 0 ▁pages ▁of ▁supp lement ary ▁sketch es . ▁Some ▁aspects ▁of ▁the ▁original ▁Ver di ▁edition ▁were ▁able ▁to ▁be ▁shared ▁with ▁Edward ▁Down es ▁for ▁his ▁ 1 9 9 3 ▁st aging ▁in ▁London , ▁but ▁these ▁included ▁only