Sara Scuderi
Encyclopedia
Sara Scuderi was an Italian
opera
singer. She sang widely in Italy and Europe (most notably in the Netherlands), having had a seven-year contract at La Scala
, "where she received high praise for her intepretations of the most well-known operas" .
, Sicily
, Sara Scuderi made her debut at the Teatro Lirico Coccia in Novara
playing Leonora in Il Trovatore
(November 1925). Scuderi studied under Matteo Adernò.
She was engaged in a seven-year contract with Milan's Teatro Alla Scala, where she received high praise and partnered with the most famous male artists of her time, including Benjamino Gigli and Galliano Masini
.
Her interpretations of Tosca
are particularly celebrated, with the 1937 production at the Terme di Caracalla
, with Benjamino Gigli and Luigi Montesanto being among the best known. Additionally, she premiered the operas Volte Della Vergine (Carmassi) and Giulio Cesare (Malipiero
).
Sara Scuderi sang in the most important theatres of the day, both in Italy and abroad, particularly in Amsterdam
, where she signed a seven-year contract and was a major star. She toured several times with La Scala
to Brazil
and Argentina
, where she sang Tosca with Giuseppe Lugo.
She retired from the stage at the end of the 1940s.
For the latter part of her life, she lived at the Casa di Riposo per Musicisti
, the world's first nursing home for retired opera singers, founded by composer Giuseppe Verdi
in 1896. Film director Daniel Schmid used Scuderi as a central character in his capture of the essence of the retirement home for these former glories in his Il Bacio di Tosca
, in 1984. Scuderi died three years later, in 1987.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
singer. She sang widely in Italy and Europe (most notably in the Netherlands), having had a seven-year contract at La Scala
La Scala
La Scala , is a world renowned opera house in Milan, Italy. The theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778 and was originally known as the New Royal-Ducal Theatre at La Scala...
, "where she received high praise for her intepretations of the most well-known operas" .
Biography
Born in CataniaCatania
Catania is an Italian city on the east coast of Sicily facing the Ionian Sea, between Messina and Syracuse. It is the capital of the homonymous province, and with 298,957 inhabitants it is the second-largest city in Sicily and the tenth in Italy.Catania is known to have a seismic history and...
, Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
, Sara Scuderi made her debut at the Teatro Lirico Coccia in Novara
Novara
Novara is the capital city of the province of Novara in the Piedmont region in northwest Italy, to the west of Milan. With c. 105,000 inhabitants, it is the second most populous city in Piedmont after Turin. It is an important crossroads for commercial traffic along the routes from Milan to Turin...
playing Leonora 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...
(November 1925). Scuderi studied under Matteo Adernò.
She was engaged in a seven-year contract with Milan's Teatro Alla Scala, where she received high praise and partnered with the most famous male artists of her time, including Benjamino Gigli and Galliano Masini
Galliano Masini
Galliano Masini was a leading Italian operatic tenor, particularly associated with the spinto roles of the Italian repertory.Masini was born in Livorno in humble circumstances...
.
Her interpretations of Tosca
Tosca
Tosca is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. It premiered at the Teatro Costanzi in Rome on 14 January 1900...
are particularly celebrated, with the 1937 production at the Terme di Caracalla
Baths of Caracalla
The Baths of Caracalla in Rome, Italy were Roman public baths, or thermae, built in Rome between AD 212 and 216, during the reign of the Emperor Caracalla.- History :...
, with Benjamino Gigli and Luigi Montesanto being among the best known. Additionally, she premiered the operas Volte Della Vergine (Carmassi) and Giulio Cesare (Malipiero
Gian Francesco Malipiero
Gian Francesco Malipiero was an Italian composer, musicologist, music teacher and editor.-Early years:Born in Venice into an aristocratic family, the grandson of the opera composer Francesco Malipiero, Gian Francesco Malipiero was prevented by family troubles from pursuing his musical education in...
).
Sara Scuderi sang in the most important theatres of the day, both in Italy and abroad, particularly in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, where she signed a seven-year contract and was a major star. She toured several times with La Scala
La Scala
La Scala , is a world renowned opera house in Milan, Italy. The theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778 and was originally known as the New Royal-Ducal Theatre at La Scala...
to Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
and Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, where she sang Tosca with Giuseppe Lugo.
She retired from the stage at the end of the 1940s.
For the latter part of her life, she lived at the Casa di Riposo per Musicisti
Casa di Riposo per Musicisti
The Casa di Riposo per Musicisti is a rest home for retired opera singers and musicians in Milan, northern Italy, founded by the Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi in 1896. The building was designed in the neo-Gothic style by Italian architect, Camillo Boito. Both Verdi and his wife, Giuseppina...
, the world's first nursing home for retired opera singers, founded by composer Giuseppe Verdi
Giuseppe Verdi
Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi was an Italian Romantic composer, mainly of opera. He was one of the most influential composers of the 19th century...
in 1896. Film director Daniel Schmid used Scuderi as a central character in his capture of the essence of the retirement home for these former glories in his Il Bacio di Tosca
Il Bacio di Tosca
Il Bacio di Tosca is a 1984 film directed by Daniel Schmid, a documentary of life in the Casa di Riposo per Musicisti of Milan, the world's first nursing home for retired opera singers, founded by composer Giuseppe Verdi in 1896...
, in 1984. Scuderi died three years later, in 1987.
External links
- Sara Scuderi and Salvatore Locapo re-enact the final scene of Tosca at their retirement home, from Il Bacio di Tosca
- Sara Scuderi sings Donde lieta usci
- Sara Scuderi sings Vissi d'Arte from Tosca, late 1930's
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JByIFDdlseI&feature=relatedSara Scuderi sings La Mamma Morta, from Andrea ChénierAndrea ChénierAndrea Chénier is a verismo opera in four acts by the composer Umberto Giordano, set to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica. It is based loosely on the life of the French poet, André Chénier , who was executed during the French Revolution....
, London, 1948]