Maria Capuana (Mezzo-Soprano) (Fano 1891 - Cagliari 1955)

She was the older sister of the conductor Franco Capuana (1894-1969). She studied song and piano play at the San Pietro a Majella Conservatory in Naples andmade her debut in 1916 aty the Teatro San Carlo, Naples as Amneris in Verdi’s ‘’Aida’’. In 1918 she made guest appearance at the Teatro San Carlo, Naples as Urbain in ‘’Les Huguenots’’ of Meyerbeer. In 1920 she had at the Teatro Regio in Turin big success as Brangania in ‘’Tristan and Isolde’’. She sang the same role at the Theatre of the Champs Élysées in Paris, in Reggio Emilia (1920), in Trieste and later also at La Scala. The Brangania counted as a special star role in her repertoire as she was one of the leading Italian Wagner's interpreters. In 1922 she came to La Scala (beginning role: Ortrud in ‘’Lohengrin’’). In 1923 she sang at La Scala as Herodias in ‘’Salome’’ of R. Strauss, from 1925-27 as Fricka in ‘’Walkure’’, as Amneris in ‘’Aida’’ and as Rubria in Boito’s ‘’Nerone’’. At the Teatro Carlo Felice in Genoa  she appeared in 1924 as Brangania, in 1936 as Ortrud in ‘’Lohengrin’’, at the Teatro San Carlo, Naples in 1927 in ‘’Nerone’’ of Boito, in 1930 in ‘’Conchita’’ of Zandonai. In 1925 she appeared at the Teatro Colon of Buenos Aires as  Amneris, other guest performances in Barcelona, Lisbon, Cairo, South Africa, at the festival of Verona (1923 as Adalgisa, in 1926 as Rubria in ‘’Nerone’’) and in the big Italian stages. In 1926 she sang in Bergamo in the premiere of the opera ‘’Ivania’’ of Pizzi. Likewise in 1926 she guested at the Teatro Regio Parma, in 1931 and 1934 at the Teatro Massimo, Palermo. In 1931 she took part in one of the first Italy tours of the traveling opera Carro di Tespi in which she appeared as Amneris in ‘’Aida’’. She also travelled around Chile and guested in 1935 in Vichy in France. In addition she was highly respected as a concert singer.

Chronology of some appearances


1914 Napoli Teatro San Carlo Conchita (Madre)
1916 Reggio Emilia Teatro Municipale Aida (Amneris)
1918 Madrid Teatro Reale Amleto (Regina)
1920 Trieste Teatro Verdi Tristano e Isotta (Brangania)
1922 Lisbona Coliseo Recrejos Aida (Amneris)
1924 Torino Teatro Regio Gioconda (Laura)
1926 Milano Teatro La Scala Aida (Amneris)
1928 Il Cairo Kedivhiale Gioconda (Laura)
1930 Santiago del Chile Teatro Municipal Boris Godunov
1932 Napoli Teatro San Carlo Tristano e Isotta (Brangania)
1934 Palermo Teatro Massimo Aida (Amneris)
1936 Genova Teatro Carlo Felice Ballo in Maschera (Ulrica)
1939 Brescia Teatro Grande Hansel e Gretel (Strega)

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

Columbia, Milano

Don Carlo (Verdi): O don fatale D18043 BX159
Carmen (Bizet): Duetto finale   act 4, pt 1  with Giuseppe Taccani CQX16554 WBX273

Carmen (Bizet): Duetto finale   act 4, pt 2 with Giuseppe Taccani CQX16554 WBX275

Orfeo (Gluck): Che faro senza Euridice D16432  WBX281
Carmen (Bizet) Scena delle carte D5747 WB1568

Columbia, Milano 1928-11

Complete Aida (Verdi) with Aroldo Lindi, Giannina Arangi-Lombardi, Armando Borgioli and Tancredi Pasero