Forgotten Opera Singers

Forgotten Opera Singers

Jun 22, 2013

Anna-Maria Guglielmetti (Soprano) (? 1895 – Turin 1982)

 



Probably she made her debut in 1915. Already in 1920 she sang in Ravenna the role of Leila in ‘’Pêcheurs de perles’’ of Bizet. She appeared in Italy among other things in Naples and Turin, in Verona and in Bari and gave guest performances in Barcelona, Cairo, Budapest, Ostend and in Switzerland. In 1925 she travelled around them Central Europe, above all Germany, with the opera troupe of Max Sauter. In 1926 she undertook an England tour with an opera society. In 1927 she made guest appearance (unsuccessfull) at the Covent Garden as Marguerite de Valois in Meyerbeer’s ‘’Gli Ugonotti’’. After the sudden loss of her voice she studied again under Giuseppina Finzi-Magrini in Turin. Then she married the Swiss impresario Henri Giovanna and sat down in Geneva. In Geneva she again sang after 1930, above all as Mimi in ‘’La Bohème’’, but also in other parts from the lyrical repertoire. She also continued her appearances, among other things at the Grand Opéra, Paris (1931 as Gilda) and at the Paris Opéra-Comique (1931 as Mimi), in Berlin (1929 at the Concert Hall) and in 1931 like in 1938 in Budapest. From 1946 to 1975 she worked as a pedagogue at the Geneva Conservatory.

Guglielmetti sang several times even in the period of her harder time with singing. Hungarian conductor Vilmos Komor conducted her in Budapest and by his memories, later once Guglielmetti told him, she had had a strong illness in her ears, so had sang nearly deaf which had caused the horrible situation and lasted so long.
When she recovered, could go on her carrier successfully again.
This was at the time of her Budapest guest appearance as Violetta in La Traviata, 1/12/1934.
This is in the book of great Hungarian conductor about Guglielmetti, mentioning her as a brilliant star of opera from that period.
It can be an addition to her carrier, life. (Ágnes Komor: Apám, Komor Vilmos/ My father, Vilmos Komor  - Edition Balassi, Budapest 1985, 2009.)


I wish to thank Botond Szentmártoni for providing me this information

Chronology of some appearances

1917 Viareggio Politeama Rigoletto (Gilda)
1917 Modena Teatro Storchi Rigoletto (Gilda)
1918 Alessandria  Teatro Municipale Rigoletto (Gilda)
1918 Piacenza  Politeama Rigoletto (Gilda)
1918 Casale Monferrato Teatro Italia Rigoletto (Gilda)
1918 Napoli  Teatro Bellini Rigoletto (Gilda)
1918 Asti  Politeama Nazionale Rigoletto (Gilda)
1919 Monza  Teatro Sociale Rigoletto (Gilda)
1914 Barcellona  Teatro Liceo Rigoletto (Gilda)
1915 Barcellona  Teatro Liceo Rigoletto (Gilda)
1925 Torino  Teatro Regio Don Pasquale (Norina)
1925 Lugano  Teatro Apollo Barbiere di Siviglia (Rosina)
1926 Losanna  Grand Theatre Barbiere di Siviglia (Rosina)
1926 Ginevra  Grand Theatre Barbiere di Siviglia (Rosina)
1926 Nice  Jetee Mediterranee Barbiere di Siviglia (Rosina)
1927 Losanna  Grand Theatre Don Pasquale (Norina)
1927 Parigi  Champs Elysees Barbiere di Siviglia (Rosina)
1929 Nice  Palais Mediterranee Barbiere di Siviglia (Rosina)

RECORDINGS FOR SALE









Columbia, Milano 1927-04-13
Sonnambula (Bellini): Come per me sereno D1583 B1300
Sonnambula (Bellini): Sova il sen D1583 B1301

Columbia, Milano 1927?
Carnevale di Venezia (Benedict) D14692

Columbia, Milano 1927-08-29
Traviata (Verdi):  Ah! fors'e lui D1603 B1520
Rigoletto (Verdi): Tutte le feste D1603 B1531
Rigoletto (Verdi): Caro nome D18039 WBX151 

Columbia, Milano 1927-09-01
Sonnambula (Bellini): Ah, non credea mirarti D18039 WBX156 

Columbia, Milano 1927-11-21
Variazioni (Proch) L2045 WBX203

Columbia, Milano 1927-11-24
Zauberflöte (Mozart): Gli angui dell'inferno L2045 WBX206

Columbia, Milano 1928-05-08 
Don Pasquale (Donizetti): Quel guardo il Cavaliere D12592 WB1968
Don Pasquale (Donizetti): So anch'io la virtù magica D12592 WB1970

Columbia, Milano 1928-05-11
Variations on a theme by Mozart, pt 1 (Adam) D1650 WB1988
Variations on a theme by Mozart, pt 2 (Adam) D1650 WB1989

1 comment:

  1. found today University of Auckland
    Music School Library - de-accessioned --to add to your list of known recordings her Columbia 04086 recording of Rossini - Il Barbiere di Siviglia- Rosina's Qui La Voce/Io son docile --- matrix nos BX 138 & BX140 sounds like early electric recording I guess about the time of her stage performances as Rosina

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