Luisa Tetrazzini Suggest updates
Luisa Tetrazzini-Scalaberni.
Born Florence, 29 June 1871.
Died Milan, 28 April 1940.
Italian soprano.
Luisa Tetrazzini was one of the most famous and popular sopranos of the early twentieth century, and was one of the early stars of the gramophone. Her technique was particularly noted for an amazing fluency in coloratura and the purity of her high notes. However, Tetrazzini was not noted for acting ability.
While she did not sing staged opera outside London, Tetrazzini made numerous concert tours of Britain including dates in Scotland. The programme below, taken from the OperaScotland collection, illustrates a performance in St Andrew's Hall, Glasgow, on 18 October, 1911.
Tetrazzini trained in Florence and made her debut there in 1890 as Inez L'Africaine. Her career was divided between Italy and South America until she had a great success in 1904 at San Francisco.
Her first performances at Covent Garden in 1907 as Violetta and Lucia led to regular appearance there to 1912. Tetrazzini also sang frequently in New York, at the Manhattan Opera 1908-10, and the Met 1911-12.
From the First World War until her retirement in 1934 Tetrazzini concentrated on recitals, touring widely in the UK.
