Cloe Elmo
Encyclopedia
Cloë Elmo was an Italian operatic contralto
, particularly associated with the Italian repertory.
She was born in Lecce
and began singing at an early age. By the age of seventeen, she had begun her studies at the Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome with Edwige Chibaudo, and later with Rinolfi and Pedreni. Due to her wide vocal range, she was initially thought to be a soprano.
She made her debut in Cagliari as Santuzza in Cavalleria rusticana
in 1934. Within a year, she joined the Teatro alla Scala in Milan as Meg Page in Verdi's Falstaff
. Soon she was given the part of Azucena in Il trovatore
, which quickly became her signature role and was her debut role at the Metropolitan Opera
in 1947. Other roles there included Santuzza, Ulrica in Un ballo in maschera
, Mrs Quickly in Falstaff—the latter she recorded in 1950, opposite Giuseppe Valdengo
—and Herva Nelli
, with Arturo Toscanini
conducting.
She sang Wagnerian roles in Italian, as was the custom during this time period, including Brangaene at La Scala to the Isolde of Giuseppina Cobelli. She made a notable recording (singing in Italian) of Brangaene's watch from Act 2. She also made recordings (also in Italian) of lieder by Brahms and Strauss.
She returned to Italy, and sang at La Scala until 1954 when she abandoned her stage career. She accepted a teaching position in Ankara
, where she remained until her death in 1962.
She was known for her warm and natural voice, with its ample lower-register and full high-notes, as well as for her great temperament and passion.
Contralto
Contralto is the deepest female classical singing voice, with the lowest tessitura, falling between tenor and mezzo-soprano. It typically ranges between the F below middle C to the second G above middle C , although at the extremes some voices can reach the E below middle C or the second B above...
, particularly associated with the Italian repertory.
She was born in Lecce
Lecce
Lecce is a historic city of 95,200 inhabitants in southern Italy, the capital of the province of Lecce, the second province in the region by population, as well as one of the most important cities of Puglia...
and began singing at an early age. By the age of seventeen, she had begun her studies at the Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome with Edwige Chibaudo, and later with Rinolfi and Pedreni. Due to her wide vocal range, she was initially thought to be a soprano.
She made her debut in Cagliari as Santuzza in Cavalleria rusticana
Cavalleria rusticana
Cavalleria rusticana is an opera in one act by Pietro Mascagni to an Italian libretto by Giovanni Targioni-Tozzetti and Guido Menasci, adapted from a play written by Giovanni Verga based on his short story. Considered one of the classic verismo operas, it premiered on May 17, 1890 at the Teatro...
in 1934. Within a year, she joined the Teatro alla Scala in Milan as Meg Page in Verdi's Falstaff
Falstaff (opera)
Falstaff is an operatic commedia lirica in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi, adapted by Arrigo Boito from Shakespeare's plays The Merry Wives of Windsor and scenes from Henry IV. It was Verdi's last opera, written in the composer's ninth decade, and only the second of his 26 operas to be a comedy...
. Soon she was given the part of Azucena in Il trovatore
Il trovatore
Il trovatore is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Salvadore Cammarano, based on the play El Trovador by Antonio García Gutiérrez. Cammarano died in mid-1852 before completing the libretto...
, which quickly became her signature role and was her debut role at the Metropolitan Opera
Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...
in 1947. Other roles there included Santuzza, Ulrica in Un ballo in maschera
Un ballo in maschera
Un ballo in maschera , is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi with text by Antonio Somma. The libretto is loosely based on an 1833 play, Gustave III, by French playwright Eugène Scribe who wrote about the historical assassination of King Gustav III of Sweden...
, Mrs Quickly in Falstaff—the latter she recorded in 1950, opposite Giuseppe Valdengo
Giuseppe Valdengo
Giuseppe Valdengo was an Italian operatic baritone. Opera News said that, "Although his timbre lacked the innate beauty of some of his baritone contemporaries, Valdengo's performances were invariably satisfying — bold and assured in attack but scrupulously musical."-Biography:Valdengo first...
—and Herva Nelli
Herva Nelli
Herva Nelli was an Italian-born operatic soprano.-Biography:Named after the French socialist Gustave Hervé, she was born in Florence, where she attended a convent school...
, with Arturo Toscanini
Arturo Toscanini
Arturo Toscanini was an Italian conductor. One of the most acclaimed musicians of the late 19th and 20th century, he was renowned for his intensity, his perfectionism, his ear for orchestral detail and sonority, and his photographic memory...
conducting.
She sang Wagnerian roles in Italian, as was the custom during this time period, including Brangaene at La Scala to the Isolde of Giuseppina Cobelli. She made a notable recording (singing in Italian) of Brangaene's watch from Act 2. She also made recordings (also in Italian) of lieder by Brahms and Strauss.
She returned to Italy, and sang at La Scala until 1954 when she abandoned her stage career. She accepted a teaching position in Ankara
Ankara
Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after Istanbul. The city has a mean elevation of , and as of 2010 the metropolitan area in the entire Ankara Province had a population of 4.4 million....
, where she remained until her death in 1962.
She was known for her warm and natural voice, with its ample lower-register and full high-notes, as well as for her great temperament and passion.
Sources
- The Metropolitan Opera Encyclopedia, edited by David Hamilton, (Simon & Schuster, 1987), ISBN 0-671-61732-X
- Notes from Preiser CD compilation of some of her recordings.