Gilda dalla Rizza
Encyclopedia
Gilda Dalla Rizza was an important Italian
soprano
. Born in Verona
, she made her operatic debut in Bologna
(the Teatro Verdi) in 1912, as Charlotte in Werther. Especially acclaimed in the verismo repertory, she was regarded as being Giacomo Puccini
's favorite soprano, creating Magda in his La rondine
(1917). Although he created the part of Minnie in La fanciulla del West
for Emmy Destinn
, when Puccini saw Dalla Rizza in the part, he said, "At last I have seen my true Fanciulla". She also gave the first European performances of his Suor Angelica
and Gianni Schicchi
, at Rome in 1919. She also created roles in Pietro Mascagni
's Il piccolo Marat
and Riccardo Zandonai
's Giulietta e Romeo. She was also an important interpreter of that composer's Francesca da Rimini
.
She also appeared at the Teatro Colón (including Manon Lescaut opposite Aureliano Pertile
) and Covent Garden, and was a favorite at Monte Carlo and the Teatro alla Scala. One of Dalla Rizza's unexpected successes at the latter theatre was in La traviata, under the bâton of Arturo Toscanini
. The beautiful singing-actress bade Farewell to the stage in 1939, though she returned for a final Suor Angelica, at Vicenza in 1942. She was married to the tenor Tino Capuzzo, and, from 1939 to 1955, she taught at Venice's Conservatorio Benedetto Marcello. The great prima donna died at Milan's Casa Verdi, in 1975.
From 1913 to 1928, Dalla Rizza made several recordings for Columbia and Fonotipia of excerpts from various operas, including La traviata, Andrea Chénier, Madama Butterfly, Manon Lescaut, Gianni Schicchi and Tosca. In 1931, for Columbia, she recorded a complete version of Fedora.
The tenor Giacomo Lauri-Volpi
wrote of her in Voci parallele (1977): "The voice, characterised by guttural and nasal inflexions, imperfect technically, responded to the demands made of it by the actress, who employed it rather to express the emotions than for purely musical effects."
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
soprano
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
. Born in Verona
Verona
Verona ; German Bern, Dietrichsbern or Welschbern) is a city in the Veneto, northern Italy, with approx. 265,000 inhabitants and one of the seven chef-lieus of the region. It is the second largest city municipality in the region and the third of North-Eastern Italy. The metropolitan area of Verona...
, she made her operatic debut in Bologna
Bologna
Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...
(the Teatro Verdi) in 1912, as Charlotte in Werther. Especially acclaimed in the verismo repertory, she was regarded as being Giacomo Puccini
Giacomo Puccini
Giacomo Antonio Domenico Michele Secondo Maria Puccini was an Italian composer whose operas, including La bohème, Tosca, Madama Butterfly, and Turandot, are among the most frequently performed in the standard repertoire...
's favorite soprano, creating Magda in his La rondine
La rondine
La rondine is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Giuseppe Adami, based on a libretto by Alfred Maria Willner and Heinz Reichert...
(1917). Although he created the part of Minnie in La fanciulla del West
La fanciulla del West
La fanciulla del West is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Guelfo Civinini and Carlo Zangarini, based on the play The Girl of the Golden West by the American author David Belasco. Its highly-publicised premiere occurred in New York City in 1910...
for Emmy Destinn
Emmy Destinn
Emmy Destinn was a Czech operatic soprano with a strong and soaring lyric-dramatic voice. She had a career both in Europe and at the New York Metropolitan Opera.- Biography :...
, when Puccini saw Dalla Rizza in the part, he said, "At last I have seen my true Fanciulla". She also gave the first European performances of his Suor Angelica
Suor Angelica
Suor Angelica is an opera in one act by Giacomo Puccini to an original Italian libretto by Giovacchino Forzano. It is the second opera of the trio of operas known as Il trittico...
and Gianni Schicchi
Gianni Schicchi
Gianni Schicchi is a comic opera in one act by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Giovacchino Forzano, composed in 1917–18. The libretto is based on an incident mentioned in Dante's Divine Comedy. The work is the third and final part of Puccini's Il trittico —three one-act operas with...
, at Rome in 1919. She also created roles in Pietro Mascagni
Pietro Mascagni
Pietro Antonio Stefano Mascagni was an Italian composer most noted for his operas. His 1890 masterpiece Cavalleria rusticana caused one of the greatest sensations in opera history and single-handedly ushered in the Verismo movement in Italian dramatic music...
's Il piccolo Marat
Il piccolo Marat
Il piccolo Marat is a dramma lirico or opera in three acts by Pietro Mascagni, 1921, from a libretto by Giovacchino Forzano.-Performance history:...
and Riccardo Zandonai
Riccardo Zandonai
Riccardo Zandonai was an Italian composer.-Biography:Zandonai was born in Borgo Sacco, Rovereto, then part of Austria–Hungary....
's Giulietta e Romeo. She was also an important interpreter of that composer's Francesca da Rimini
Francesca da Rimini
Francesca da Rimini or Francesca da Polenta was the daughter of Guido da Polenta, lord of Ravenna. She was a historical contemporary of Dante Alighieri, who portrayed her as a character in the Divine Comedy.-Arranged marriage:...
.
She also appeared at the Teatro Colón (including Manon Lescaut opposite Aureliano Pertile
Aureliano Pertile
Aureliano Pertile was an Italian lyric-dramatic tenor. He is considered to have been one of the most exciting operatic artists of the inter-war period, and one of the most important tenors of the entire 20th century.- Life and career :Pertile was born in Montagnana, Northern Italy, 18 days after...
) and Covent Garden, and was a favorite at Monte Carlo and the Teatro alla Scala. One of Dalla Rizza's unexpected successes at the latter theatre was in La traviata, under the bâton of 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...
. The beautiful singing-actress bade Farewell to the stage in 1939, though she returned for a final Suor Angelica, at Vicenza in 1942. She was married to the tenor Tino Capuzzo, and, from 1939 to 1955, she taught at Venice's Conservatorio Benedetto Marcello. The great prima donna died at Milan's Casa Verdi, in 1975.
From 1913 to 1928, Dalla Rizza made several recordings for Columbia and Fonotipia of excerpts from various operas, including La traviata, Andrea Chénier, Madama Butterfly, Manon Lescaut, Gianni Schicchi and Tosca. In 1931, for Columbia, she recorded a complete version of Fedora.
The tenor Giacomo Lauri-Volpi
Giacomo Lauri-Volpi
Giacomo Lauri-Volpi was an Italian tenor with a lyric-dramatic voice of exceptional range and technical facility. He performed throughout Europe and the Americas in a top-class career that spanned 40 years....
wrote of her in Voci parallele (1977): "The voice, characterised by guttural and nasal inflexions, imperfect technically, responded to the demands made of it by the actress, who employed it rather to express the emotions than for purely musical effects."