Dusolina Giannini

Though her voice lacked the plushness of Rosa Ponselle’s magnificent instrument, Dusolina Giannini was a genuine dramatic soprano of rare incisiveness and histrionic fire. Certainly, many chosen her voice because of its mixing of dark timbre, leading edge, and solid best register. Hers was a musical family members: Her dad Ferruccio was an operatic tenor of some notice (he previously sung using the popular Adelina Patti) and her sibling Vittorio was destined to become composer both achieved and well-known to the general public. Giannini’s 1st lessons originated from her dad, who handled a theatre in Philadelphia. On that stage, she sang little parts and, by her early teenagers, was heard carrying out several arias. Not really until she was noticed from the famed Polish soprano Marcella Sembrich, nevertheless, were severe lessons started. Sembrich believed the young singer experienced solid potential and appropriately, trained for four years in NY. In March 1923, Giannini was thrust in to the limelight when Anna Case was struggling to maintain an engagement using the Schola Cantorum and Sembrich recommended that her pupil end up being designated the duty. Critics had been impressed and a lot more than three dozen presents followed. One of these eventually resulted in her debut in Hamburg, where she sang Aida in 1925, exhibiting a robust soprano entirely in the home in the fantastic dramatic assignments. In 1928, she sang at Covent Backyard, where United kingdom critics valued her tone of voice while selecting her interpretations of Aida, Santuzza, and Cio-Cio-San not really yet fully produced. Although she was well-received, no long-term romantic relationship was produced with the home. By the first ’30s, nevertheless, she had produced successful performances in Berlin, Geneva, Vienna, Prague, Zurich Nuremburg Oslo, and Monte Carlo, furthermore to touring Australia and New Zealand. In 1934, Giannini sang Donna Anna on the Salzburg Celebration under the path of Bruno Walter, an interpretation hailed by THE BRAND NEW York Situations’ Western european critic as “…Mozart singing such as for example is rarely heard this period, admirably encompassing the grand way and essential design of the music.” Eventually, she sang Alice Ford in the renowned Falstaffs led by Arturo Toscanini. Vienna was conquered completely, as Giannini’s performances invariably fulfilled with packed homes aswell as evaluations with Adelina Patti and personal references towards the singer’s hypnotic hang on her open public. Finally, the soprano produced her American debut on the Metropolitan Opera within a Feb 12, 1936, functionality of Aida. Although some felt which the bloom had been off her voluminous tone of voice, W.J. Henderson praised her “accurate Verdian way” and Olin Downes indicated enthusiasm on her behalf generous character and “passionate sense.” Giannini continued to be in the Metropolitan until 1941, designated only 11 additional shows as Donna Anna, Tosca, and Santuzza, as soon as even more, her fervent Aida. In 1938, the soprano sang the part of Hester Prynne in the Hamburg premiere of her sibling Vittorio’s The Scarlet Notice. From 1939, she sang in SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA, essaying an Oct 21 Santuzza on her behalf only performance, coming back in 1943 to sing the same part in two shows and carrying out the Il trovatore Leonora in LA. In 1944, Giannini sang Tosca in the 1st performance (Feb 21) distributed by the brand new York City Center Opera. For the brand new company’s spring time of year, Giannini returned in-may for Carmen, another Tosca, and Santuzza.