Maria Roggero (Soprano) (Torino 1886 - ?)

She studied singing under Francolucci in Turin, then with  Sangiorgi in Milan. She appeared first as a concert singer. In 1909 her stage debut took place at Vicenza in ''Mignon'' of  A. Thomas. During the same year she again appeared as Mignon, but this time at the Teatro Donizetti in Bergamo. In 1909 she also guested with great success at the Teatro Regio of Turin, where she performed in 1910 in the Italian première of ''Salome'' of Richard Strauss. Till 1925 she was to be found over and over again in Turin. In  the summer of 1909 she sang at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires the role of Nedda in ''Pagliacci'' as a partner of Enrico Caruso and Mario Sammarco; also in 1913 and 1915 she appeared at the Teatro Colón, among other things as Micaela in ''Carmen''. In 1911 she made guest appearance at the Teatro Politeama in Genova in the title role of Puccini's ''Manon Lescaut''. At the Teatro Dal Verme in Milan like at the Covent Garden in London she was successful as  Mimi in ''Bohème''. She gave guest performances and concerts in France, Spain, Portugal and in South America, appearing in in Cuba, Peru and Santiago de Chile (1917). In 1913 she sang at the Opera House of Rio de Janeiro as Sieglinde in ''Die Walkure'', Micaela in ''Carmen'',  Nedda in ''Pagliacci'' and Marguerite in '''Damnation de Faust'' of Gounod. In 1915 she appeared at the Teatro Costanzi in Rome in the part of Minnie in ''Fanciulla del West'' of Puccini, in 1920 as  Maddalena in ''Andrea Chénier'' of Giordano, one of her star roles which she also reported in 1917 at the Teatro Liceo in Barcelona. In 1920 sang at the Teatro Eliseo in Barcelona, in 1922 at the Teatro Petruzzelli of Bari. In 1924 she performed at  the Opera House of Lyon (as  Francesca da Rimini of Zandonai), in 1931 at the Teatro Carlo Felice in Genova. Her career at the famous Italian provincial stages lasted till 1935. After her retirement she worked at the Liceo Musicale in Como. She is not to be mistaken with the American Mezzo-soprano Margaret Roggero. 

Chronology of some appearances

1909 Venezia Opera House Mignon (Mignon)
1909 Bergamo Teatro Donzietti (Mignon (Mignon)
1909 Buenos Aires Teatro Colón  Pagliacci (Nedda)
1910 Torino Teatro Regio Salome (Salome)
1911 Genova Teatro Politeama Manon Lescaut (Manon Lescaut)
1913 Rio de Janeiro Opera House Die Walkure (Sieglinde)
1915 Rome Teatro Costanzi Fanciulla del West (Johnson)
1917 Barcelona Teatro Liceo Andrea Chénier (Maddalena)
1924 Lyon Opera House Francesca da Rimini (Francesca)

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

Edison Cylinder, Milano 1912
Wally (Catalani): Ebben? ne andrò lontana Unpubl. 44761

Gramophone, Milano 1914-04-04
Ruy Blas (Marchetti): Grazie Signor with Bernardo de Muro 054478 752½m
Ruy Blas (Marchetti): O dolce voluttà with Bernardo. de Muro 054479 753m

Gramophone, Milano 1917-04-28
Trovatore (Verdi): Ah! che la morte ognora (Miserere) with Bernardo De Muro 2-054070 3172c

Gramophone, Milano 1917-05-19
Trovatore (Verdi): Prima che d'altre vivere with Bernardo de Muro and Ernesto Badini 2-054076 3184c