Luella Paikin (Soprano) (Warrington, England July 1, 1896 - ?)

First she studied under Marie Brema in Manchester, then in Italy. She began her stage career in 1920 at the Teatro San Carlo in Napoli. There she appeared in 1922 in the premiere of Alberto Franchetti's opera ‘’Glauco’’. In 1923 she made her debut at La Scala under Toscanini as first boy in "Zauberflöte". Under the name Olga Paikin she sang there also the part of Cupid in Gluck’s ‘’Orpheus’’. After she had appeared at different leading provincial operatic stages in Italy, she came to England and became a member of the British National Opera Company and Carl Rosa Company. She was a real prima donna of this company . In 1928 she appeared temporarily in musical Comedies. In 1938 she sang just once at Covent Garden in London as Gilda in ‘’Rigoletto’’. She often appeared on the English broadcasting company BBC and in concerts, limited her activity by guest performances in English theaters. However, she also guested abroad; thus she sang in 1927 at Opéra-Comique in Paris the title part in ‘’Lakmé’’ and was engaged in the 1932-1933 season at the Opera House in Dusseldorf. Her husband was the famous italian tenor Angelo Minghetti.

Chronology of some appearances

 

1920 Napoli Teatro San Carlo

1922 Napoli Teatro San Carlo

1923 Milano La Scala

1927 Paris Opéra-Comique

1932 Dusseldorf Opera House

1938 London Covent Garden

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

Vocalion, London 1925?
Phoebus and Pan (Bach): Air of Momus A-0250

Vocalion, London 1926?
Falstaff (Verdi): Nanetta's aria A-0267
Ballo in maschera (Verdi): Saper vorreste A-0267

HMV, London 1926-06-16
Rigoletto (Verdi): E il sol dell'anima with Minghetti DB952 (2-054163)