Olga Poletti (Soprano)

 

The Grand Opera Season

Olga Poletti, who is declared by many critics to be one of the two greatest living interpreters of ‘’Traviata’’. Her voice is of the light lyric coloratura type. She made her debut as Gilda in ‘’Rigoletto’’ in Florence eight years ago.  

I wish to thank Giovanni Malevolti for this picture (Olga Poletti as Violetta)

The Sydney Mail, Wednesday, March 7, 1928

Cheap Opera

Yesterday I decided to test the cheap seats advertised for the opera, and was delighted to- find In the New Princess upper circle separate padded seats with movable backs, for' all who chose to boole seats at 2s. 5ld: ' Better than that, these seats, at least a'thousand of them, were filled by a musical .crowd; the real Intelligence who,.though poor In pence, were rich In appreciation of beautiful music. The opera was "Lucia di Lammermoor," and in Olga Poletti as Lucia and in Alessandro Rota as 'Edgar of Ravenswood, the company was indeed blessed. I have heard everyone worth while, from Melba onwards, even to Totl Dal Monte, do the mad scene from "Lucia," but only one woman, Olga Poletti gave me a lump In my throat. With only a fair production and the scenery a little crude, Slgnorla Poletti yet was able to give the perfect artistry and fullest meaning to Donizetti's music, while Rota, who made such a decided impression on the open- ing night with Manrico in "II Trova tore," was just the robust type of tenor which is required in the part. With John Brownlee be certainly stands out from the tenors o£ both companies for his virility and earnest artistic zeal. In the evening the Gonzalez people gave "Ernanl," which was interesting to stu- dents of music; and the WilHamson Melba Company repeated "Aida," which to Melbourne's fickle taste is at present the most popular opera.

The Mercury, Monday, June 4, 1928

Chronolgoy of some appearances

1922 Novara Teatro Coccia Boheme (Mimi)

1923 Catania Anfiteatro Gang Traviata (Violetta)

1924 Malta Teatro Reale Carmen (Micaela)

1925 Catania Arena Verdi Faust (Valentina)

1926 Genova Politeama Genovese Traviata (Violetta)

1927 Palermo  Teatro Biondo Traviata (Violetta)

1928 Sidney Teatro St. James  Barbiere di Siviglia (Rosina)

1945 Livorno Teatro Goldoni Carmen (Filina)

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

Gramophone, Milano 1926-11-12 (el)
Traviata (Verdi): Addio del passato  R 5311 7-253154

Fonografia Nazionale, Milano
Bohème (Puccini): Quartetto with Bergamaschi, Tagliabue & Fumagalli-Riva 2138
Amico Fritz (Mascagni): Duetto delle ciliegie, pt 1 with Guido Volpi  5273
Amico Fritz (Mascagni): Duetto delle ciliegie, pt 2 with Guido Volpi 5274

Manon (Massenet): A Parigi noi andrem with Guido Volpi  5276

Traviata (Verdi): libiamo ne lieti calici with Guido Volpi 5285
Traviata (Verdi): Parigi, o cara with Guido Volpi  5286