GABRIELLA BESANZONI (ROME, ITALY, 20 SEPTEMBER, 1888 – ROME, ITALY, 8 JULY, 1962)
She trained at the Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome under Alessandro Maggi and Ibilda Brizzi. Initially debuting as a soprano in 1911 in Viterbo, she later retrained as a mezzo-soprano and made her debut in 1913 at the Teatro Costanzi in Rome as Ulrica in Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera. That same year, she appeared at the Teatro Costanzi in the premiere of Alberto Gasco’s opera La Leggenda delle sette Torri.
Her career flourished in Italy and Spain, and in 1914, she performed at the Teatro Regio in Turin in the premiere of Zandonai’s Francesca da Rimini. She expanded her international presence during the 1919–1920 season, debuting at the Metropolitan Opera in New York as Amneris in Verdi’s Aida. At the Met, she also sang Isabella in Rossini’s L’Italiana in Algeri.
In 1920, while performing as Amneris opposite Enrico Caruso during a guest appearance in Havana, a bomb exploded in the auditorium during the second act, though fortunately, no harm came to the performers. In the 1920–1921 season, she achieved further success at the Chicago Opera. She returned to the Teatro Costanzi in Rome during the 1921–1922 season, where she performed leading roles such as Carmen and Dalila.
From 1918 onwards, she appeared almost annually at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, where she was highly acclaimed in roles such as Carmen, Mignon, Amneris, Dalila in Samson et Dalila, and Glorianda in the 1918 world premiere of Marinuzzi’s Jacquerie. Her successes extended to other major South American opera houses, particularly in Rio de Janeiro, where she performed regularly from 1922 to 1935.
In the 1923–1924 season, she sang at La Scala in Milan, appearing as Orpheus in Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice and as Amneris. She returned to La Scala in 1932, performing as Carmen and Mignon. Her final stage appearance took place in 1939 at the Terme di Caracalla Festival in Rome, where she once again portrayed Carmen.
After retiring from the stage, she lived for a time in Rio de Janeiro before settling in Rome, where she became a respected singing teacher.
Chronology of some appearances
1911 Viterbo Teatro Norma (Adalgisa)
1913 Roma Teatro Costanzi Un Ballo in maschera (Ulrica)
1919-1920 New York Metropolitan Opera Aida (Amneris)
1920 Havana Opera Aida (Amneris)
1921-1922 Roma Teatro Costanzi Carmen (Carmen)
TRACKLIST
Victor, Camden NJ 1920-02-20
Carmen (Bizet): Habanera 74613 C23582
Victor, Camden NJ 1920-03-09
Trovatore (Verdi): Stride la vampa 64875 B23581
Gioconda (Ponchielli): Voce di donna 64876 B23583
Victor, Camden NJ 1920-03-10
Samson et Dalila (Saint-Saëns): Aprile foriero 74617 C23766-2
Victor, Camden NJ 1920-03-11
Samson et Dalila (Saint-Saëns): S’apre per te 64877 B23584
Victor, Camden NJ 1921-03-02
Favorita (Donizetti): O mio Fernando 74680 C24959
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