Description

CLAUDIA MUZIO (PAVIA, ITALY, 7 FEBRUARY, 1889 – ROME, ITALY, 24 MAY, 1936)

Her father worked as an opera director at Covent Garden in London and the Metropolitan Opera in New York, while her mother sang in the choir of the Metropolitan Opera. Claudia Muzio first studied harp, then voice with Annetta Casaloni in Turin, and later with Elettra Callery-Viviani in Milan. In 1911, she made her debut at the Teatro Petrarca in Arezzo in the title role of Manon Lescaut by Puccini. In 1912, she achieved sensational success in the same role at the Teatro Dal Verme in Milan. During the 1913-1914 season, at La Scala in Milan, she was celebrated for her performances as Desdemona in Otello and Fiora in L’amore dei tre re by Montemezzi. In 1914, she also sang the role of Mariella in the world premiere of Smareglia’s Abisso at La Scala.

In 1913, she appeared at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples, and in 1914, she made a brilliant guest appearance at Covent Garden, singing Manon, Margherita in Boito’s Mefistofele, and Mimi in La Bohème (with Enrico Caruso as Rodolfo). In 1915, she enjoyed great success at the Havana Opera. In 1916, she was engaged by the Metropolitan Opera in New York, debuting as Tosca, and remained one of its leading sopranos until 1921. On December 14, 1918, she sang Giorgetta in the world premiere of Puccini’s Il Tabarro, and in 1920, she performed the role of Tatiana in the Italian premiere of Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin. At the Met, she also took part in the first performances of Catalani’s Loreley (1922) and Giordano’s Andrea Chénier (1921). Altogether, she appeared in 152 performances at the Metropolitan Opera.

From 1922 to 1932, she sang with equal success at the Chicago Opera. During this time, she made guest appearances at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, as well as in Havana and Rio de Janeiro. In 1926, she performed the title role in Puccini’s Turandot at its South American premiere at the Teatro Colón. At the Teatro Colón, she appeared in 23 different roles and sang in 232 performances, also participating in the world premiere of the Argentine opera Ollontay by Constantino Gaita on July 23, 1926.

In 1926, she returned to Italy, performing triumphantly at leading theaters. In 1934, she was re-engaged by the Metropolitan Opera in New York, though she only sang the roles of Violetta in La Traviata and Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticana. On February 15, 1934, she created the title role in the premiere of Licinio Refice’s sacred opera Cecilia at the Rome Opera.

In 1932, she sang Tosca for the opening of the new San Francisco Opera House, where she had previously performed during the 1924-1926 seasons. During the 1935-1936 season, she undertook a South American tour. On May 24, 1936, after a brief illness, she passed away in a Rome hotel from what was officially described as heart failure at the age of 47. She is buried in the Cimitero del Verano in Rome. Her goddaughter was the soprano Claudia Pinza Bozzolla.

TRACKLIST

1. Aida (Verdi) O cieli azzurri (O patria mia) 66798 Pathé, New York 1917/1918
2. 3. Aida (Verdi) Ritorna vincitor… I sacri nomi 66539, 66540 Pathé, New York 1917/1918
3. Baciami! (Buzzi-Peccia) 68275 Pathé, New York 1917/1918
4. Ballo in maschera (Verdi) Ma dall’arido stelo divulsa 67279 Pathé, New York 1917/1918
5. Bohème (Puccini) Quando men’ vo 68271 Pathé, New York 1917/1918
6. Bohème (Puccini) Sì, mi chiamano Mimì 66541 Pathé, New York 1917/1918
7. Canzone guerresca (Giordano) 63020 Pathé, New York 1917/1918
8. Carmen (Bizet) Je dis que rien ne m’épouvante 67277 Pathé, New York 1917/1918
9. Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni) Voi lo sapete 66936 Pathé, New York 1917/1918
10. Contes d’Hoffmann (Offenbach) Belle nuit (w. Howard) 67177 Pathé, New York 1917/1918
11. Ernani (Verdi) Surta à la notte… Ernani, involami! 68270 Pathé, New York 1917/1918
12. Forza del destino (Verdi) Pace, pace, mio Dio 66681 Pathé, New York 1917/1918
13. Gianni Schicchi (Puccini) O mio babbino caro 68193 Pathé, New York 1917/1918
14. Gioconda (Ponchielli) Suicidio! 66447 Pathé, New York 1917/1918
15. Good morning, Sue! (Delibes) 67357 Pathé, New York 1917/1918
16. Guillaume Tell (Rossini) Selva opaca 67165 Pathé, New York 1917/1918
17. Inno di Garibaldi (Olivier-Mercantini) 63020 Pathé, New York 1917/1918
18. Jean (Stanton-Burleigh) 54067 Pathé, New York 1917/1918
19. Louise (Charpentier) Depuis le jour 67206 Pathé, New York 1917/1918
20. Madama Butterfly (Puccini) Ancora un passo (w. chorus) 66538 Pathé, New York 1917/1918
21. Madama Butterfly (Puccini) Un bel dì vedremo 66862 Pathé, New York 1917/1918
22. Manon (Massenet) Obéissons, quand leur voix appelle (Gavotte) 67278 Pathé, New York 1917/1918
23. Manon Lescaut (Puccini) In quelle trine morbide 66023 Pathé, New York 1917/1918
24. Manon Lescaut (Puccini) In quelle trine morbide 67203 Pathé, New York 1917/1918
25. Mefistofele (Boito) L’altra notte 66580 Pathé, New York 1917/1918
26. Mignon (Thomas) Non conosci il bel suol 66510 Pathé, New York 1917/1918
27. Mme Sans-Gêne (Giordano) Che me ne faccio del vostro castello 66579 Pathé, New York 1917/1918
28. O ben tornato, amore (Roxas) 68272 Pathé, New York 1917/1918
29. Otello (Verdi) Ave Maria 66448 Pathé, New York 1917/1918
30. Pagliacci (Leoncavallo) Ballatella 66075 Pathé, New York 1917/1918
31. Segreto di Susanna (Wolf-Ferrari) O gioia, la nube leggera 66682 Pathé, New York 1917/1918
32. Suor Angelica (Puccini) Senza mamma 68192 Pathé, New York 1917/1918
33. The angel’s serenade (Braga) 67166 Pathé, New York 1917/1918
34. Tosca (Puccini) Vissi d’arte 66043 Pathé, New York 1917/1918
35. Traviata (Verdi) Attendo, attendo… Addio del passato 66863 Pathé, New York 1917/1918
36. Trovatore (Verdi) D’amor sull’ali rosee 67205 Pathé, New York 1917/1918
37. Trovatore (Verdi) Tacea la notte 66074 Pathé, New York 1917/1918
38. Until (Sanderson) 67358 Pathé, New York 1917/1918
39. Vêpres Siciliennes (Verdi) Mercè, dilette amiche 68269 Pathé, New York 1917/1918
40. Wally (Catalani) Ebben, ne andrò lontano 66581 Pathé, New York 1917/1918