Description

 HONORIA POPOVICI (SOPRANO)

 

 

 

She was probably born in Romania and received her education in Italy. Her real name was Onoria Popovich, and she arrived in Italy around 1902. In 1903, she sang at Teatro La Fenice in Venice in Mascagni’s Guglielmo Ratcliff. Two years later, she appeared at Teatro Regio in Parma in Giordano’s Siberia. In 1907, she also performed at Teatro San Carlo in Lisbon. In Italy, she consistently sang only on the best opera stages.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1901Barcellona Teatro Liceo Aida (Aida)

1902 Milano Teatro La Scala Euryante di C. M. Weber (Eglantina)

1903 Venezia Teatro La Fenice Guglielmo Ratcliff (Maria)

1904 Alessandria d’Egitto Teatro Abbas Aida (Aida)

1905 Conegliano Teatro Accademia Siberia (Stephana)

1906 Marsala Teatro Garibaldi Aida (Aida)

1907 Lisbona Teatro San Carlos Ballo in Maschera (Amelia)

 

 

  

MARA (MARIA) D’ASTY (DIMITRESCU/DEMETRESCU) (SOPRANO) (SINAIA, PRAHOVA, ROMANIA 1871 – CURTEA DE ARGEȘ, ROMANIA 1905)

 

 

 

She first studied singing in Bucharest, then in France and Milan. In 1891, she joined the Compania Lirica in Bucharest. During the 1892–1895 seasons, she was a member of the Societă Lirică in Romania. In 1898, she made guest appearances in Naples and Florence. Between the 1901–1904 seasons, she sang with various opera troupes in Romania. Her repertoire also included some roles in operettas. Her best roles were Lucia and Violetta. She died young, and her recordings are extremely rare.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1891 Bucharest Compania Lirica

1892-1895 Romania Societa Lirica

1898 Napoli and Firenze

1901-1904 Romania Opera Troups

 

 

ELENA DRAGULINESCU-STINGHE (SOPRANO) (PLOIESTI, ROMANIA, DECEMBER 8, 1881, – BUCHAREST, ROMANIA, DECEMBER 2, 1970)

 

 

 

From 1901 to 1906, she studied singing at the Bucharest Conservatory under Charlota Laria (singing), D. Gh. Kiriac (theory, solfeggio, harmony, choir), C. Flesch (violin), and Aristizza Romanescu (diction). Additionally, she studied singing under the famous soprano Elena Teodorini and also trained in Paris. In 1902, she made her debut at the National Theatre in Bucharest as Philine in A. Thomas’s Mignon. She performed at this opera house until 1909. From 1909 to 1914, she performed successfully in Paris and other French cities. Together with French singers, she toured North America, Ukraine, Bessarabia, and Belgium. During the First World War, she returned to Romania. In the 1914–1915 season, she was a soloist at the Opera in Bucharest. She then sang at the Opera of Iași (1916–1918). At the National Opera of Bucharest, she was the lead singer for almost two decades, with the exception of one year (1927–1928) when she sang at the Opera in Cluj. Her repertoire included roles in La Mame, Madama Butterfly, Il barbiere di Siviglia, Rigoletto, Un ballo in maschera, Lucia di Lammermoor, Faust, Carmen, Don Pasquale, La Bohème, and more. In 1940, she retired from the stage. She taught private singing lessons, and between 1946 and 1948, she taught at the Conservatory “Astra” in Bucharest.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1902-1909 Bucharest National Theatre

1909-1914 Paris

1914-1915 Bucharest National Theatre

1916-1918 Iasi Opera House

1927-1928 Cluj Opera

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

1. Honoria Popovici Ernani (Verdi): Tu se’ Ernani (w. Maggi & Davi) 54443 13229b Gramophone, Milano 1909-05-11
2. Honoria Popovici Ernani (Verdi): O sommo Carlo (w. Davi & Federici) 054287 1851c Gramophone, Milano 1909-05-14
3. Honoria Popovici Poliuto (Donizetti): Al suon del’arpe (w. Paoli) 54407 13255b Gramophone, Milano 1909-05-15
4. Mara (Maria) d’Asty (Asti) (Dimitrescu/Demetrescu) Voevodul tiganilor 16146, Bukarest 1903
5. Mara (Maria) d’Asty (Asti) (Dimitrescu/Demetrescu) Fetita Dulce 16147 Pathé, Bukarest 1903
6. Elena Dragulinescu-Stinghe Rigoletto (Verdi): Caro nome 2932 Arena
7. Elena Dragulinescu-Stinghe Ochi alabastrii s’dragalasi (Spirescu) 2933 Arena