Description

ELVIRA CASAZZA (FERRARA, 1887 – MILAN, 1965)

 

 

 

 

She was born Elvira Mari in Ferrara and studied in Milan with Adele Borghi before making her operatic debut as Azucena in Il trovatore in Sanremo in 1909. During her stage career, she sang throughout Italy as well as in Latin America and Spain. Among the roles she created were Dèbora in Pizzetti’s Dèbora e Jaéle (1922) and the Commandant in Zandonai’s I cavalieri di Ekebù (1925). Known for the extension of her lower register, with an almost baritonal quality to her low notes, she has been described as a contralto in some sources. She was married to Umberto Casazza, a violinist from Busseto and a distant relative of the conductor Giulio Gatti-Casazza. The couple had one son, Girolamo, who was killed in a plane crash at the outset of World War II. Following her husband’s death a few years later, Mari retired from the stage with a final performance at the Teatro Verdi in Trieste in 1947 as the Mother in Charpentier’s Louise. She devoted her later years to teaching singing at the Rossini Conservatory in Pesaro and later at the Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1909 Sanremo Teatro Principe Amedeo Andrea Chenier (Madelon)

1912 Lisbona Coliseo Recrejos Abul di A. Nepomuceno (Shina)

1914 Roma Teatro Costanzi Canossa di G. F. Malipiero (Alaide)

1917 Savona Teatro Chiabrera Concerto

1919 Napoli Teatro San Carlo Aida (Amneris)

1921 Bologna Teatro Comunale Aida (Amneris)

1924 Milano Teatro La Scala Debora E Jaele di I. Pizzetti (Debora)

1926 Milano Teatro La Scala Hansel e Gretel (Strega)

1928 Torino Teatro Regio Hansel e Gretel (Strega)

1931 Roma Teatro Dell’Opera Ballo in Maschera (Ulrica)

1933 Genova Teatro Carlo Felice Falstaff (Quickly)

1935 Milano Teatro La Scala Falstaff (Quickly)

1939 Trieste Teatro Verdi I Quattro Rusteghi (Margarita)

1947 Trieste Teatro Verdi Louise (Madre)

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

1. Aida (Verdi) Già i sacerdoti adunansi… Misero appien mi festi (w. Bergamaschi) 2023, 2024 Fonografia Nazionale, Milano
2. Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni) Fior di giaggiolo (w. Bergamaschi & Manna) 2060 Fonografia Nazionale, Milano
3. Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni) Voi lo sapete 2102 Fonografia Nazionale, Milano
4. Favorita (Donizetti) Addio, fuggir mi lascia (w. Gigli) 2-054083 3314c Gramophone, Milano 1918-10-17
5. Gioconda (Ponchielli) Laggiu nelle nebbie remote (w. Gigli) 2-054085 3316c Gramophone, Milano 1918-10-19
6. Gioconda (Ponchielli) Voce di donna 4697 Fonografia Nazionale, Milano
7. Trovatore (Verdi) Ai nostri monti (w. Bergamaschi) 2043 Fonografia Nazionale, Milano
8. Trovatore (Verdi) Ai nostri monti (w. de Muro) 6529A Victor, USA  1917-05-02
9. Trovatore (Verdi) Condotta ell’era in ceppi 2044 Fonografia Nazionale, Milano
10. Trovatore (Verdi) Mal reggendo all’aspro assalto (w. de Muro) 6411A Victor, USA  1917-05-02
11. Trovatore (Verdi) Perigliarti ancor languente (w. de Muro) 2-054077 3181c Gramophone, Milano 1917-05-09
12. Trovatore (Verdi) Stride la vampa 1073 Fonografia Nazionale, Milano