Description

GIUSEPPINA FINZI-MAGRINI (TURIN, 5 MAY, 1878 – DESIO, 30 NOVEMBER, 1944)

 

 

 

 

She was born into a famous Jewish family. She made her debut in 1896 at the Teatro Estivo in Thiene as Oscar in Lucia di Lammermoor. During the following years, she performed at opera houses in Italy and Greece, quickly garnering attention for the beauty of her coloratura soprano. In 1900, she guest-starred at the Teatro Verdi in Padua as Sophie in Werther. Her first international success came in Chile in 1903. In 1908, she made a guest appearance at the Odessa Opera House.

In 1910, she performed at the St. Petersburg Conservatory and also appeared in Madrid (Teatro Real, Amleto), Rome (Teatro Costanzi, Rigoletto and La Traviata), Turin (Teatro Regio, Gli Ugonotti), and in Brescia, Verona, Milan, Bologna, and Genoa.

In the early 1920s, her appearances became rarer as she devoted herself to her family and became active in education in Turin. Her students included the Danish baritone Frantz Rabinowitz (1918–1948). In 1943, she went into hiding under a false name. In 1944, after a young nephew was deported to a concentration camp, she suffered a heart attack that left her mute and paralyzed. She died six weeks later from wounds received in an American air raid on Desio.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1896 Teatro Estivo Thiene Ballo in maschera (Oscar)

1900 Teatro Verdi Padua Werther (Sofia)

1910 Teatro Real Madrid Lucia di Lammermoor (Lucia)

1915 Teatro Costanzi Rome Rigoletto (Gilda)

1915 Teatro Regio Turin Ugonotti (Margherita)

1916 Teatro Costanzi Rome Traviata (Violetta)

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

Lucia di lammermoor (Donizetti) Quando rapita in estasi 53377 2232L G&T, Milano 1904-1112
Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti) Regnava nel silenzio 53378 2233L G&T, Milano 1904-1112
Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti) Rondo 53383 2266L G&T, Milano 1904-1112
Madama Butterfly (Puccini) Un bel dì D9278 11321 Columbia, Milano 1912
Puritani (Bellini) Ah! Vieni al tempio 11179 E2065 Columbia, Milano 1911
Puritani (Bellini) Qui la voce…Vien diletto D4331 11170, 11171 D4331 Columbia, Milano 1911
Puritani (Bellini) Son vergin son vezzosa E2065 11178 Columbia, Milano 1911
Rigoletto (Verdi) Bella figlia dell’amore (w. Lavin de Casas, Bucalo & Matroiani) 054045 218½m G&T, Milano 1904-1112
Rigoletto (Verdi) Caro nome 92276 XPh3411 Fonotipia, Milano 1908-09-14
Rigoletto (Verdi) Caro nome D4319 11162 Columbia, Milano 1911
Rigoletto (Verdi) Deh non parlare al misero (w. Ruffo) 89058 Victor, USA 1912-10-15
Rigoletto (Verdi) E’il sol dell’anima (w. Ventura) 39681 XPh 1902 Fonotipia, Milano 1906-05-25
Rigoletto (Verdi) Giovanna, ho dei rimorsi…. E’ il sol dell’anima (w. Armanini) 92388 XPh3520, 92389 XPh3521 Fonotipia, Milano 1908-10-15