Description

LJUBA MIRELLA (ROSTOV, 13 APRIL, 1894 – MILAN, 4 MARCH, 1972)

 

 

 

 

Her real name was Ljuba Wagenhein. She was born into a Jewish family in Rostov, Russia; her parents were Alessandro Wagenheim and Rosa Brozgol. After the First World War, she emigrated to Italy, where she achieved success at leading opera houses and in guest performances throughout the country. Her most celebrated role was Musetta in G. Puccini’s La Bohème, which she interpreted with charm and vocal brilliance. She sang this role with great success at the Teatro Regio di Parma, Teatro Regio di Torino, Teatro Comunale di Bologna, and notably at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan in 1935. At La Scala, she also appeared in the 1940–1941 season in Richard Strauss’s opera Die Frau ohne Schatten.

Outside Italy, she performed at the Teatro Liceo in Barcelona (1929) as Musetta, Micaëla in Bizet’s Carmen, Nedda in Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci, and in roles from Russian operas; at the Teatro Nacional de São Carlos in Lisbon (1926) as Musetta and Micaëla; and at the Zürich Opera House (1931) as Musetta. She spent her later years at the Casa di Riposo per Musicisti “Giuseppe Verdi” in Milan.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1925 Milano Teatro Carcano Boheme (Musetta)

1926 Genova Politeama Genovese Boheme (Musetta)

1927 Bolzano Teatro Civico Boheme (Musetta)

1928 Fiorenzuola d’Arda Teatro Verdi Boheme (Musetta)

1929 Pegognaga Teatro Del Littorio Boheme (Musetta)

1930 Luino Teatro Sociale Boheme (Musetta)

1931 Padova Teatro Garibaldi Boheme (Musetta)

1933 Milano Teatro Carcano Boheme (Musetta)

 

TRACKLIST

 

Odeon, Milano 1931-10-27

Pagliacci (Leoncavallo): Sei là? with Bertinelli 168779 Mo3380

Pagliacci (Leoncavallo): Hai tempo aridimelo with Bertinelli 168779 Mo3381

Pastorale (Cuscina) Mo 3872

Ninna nanna (Zanella) Mo 3873

 

Columbia, Milano

1928 – La Bohème (Puccini) – Rosetta Pampanini, Luigi Marini, Gino Vanelli, Ljuba Mirella: La Scala Opera Orchestra and Chorus, conductor Lorenzo Molajoli

1931 – Fedora (Giordano) – Gilda Dalla Rizza, Antonio Melandri, Emilio Ghirardini, Ljuba Mirella, Eugenio Dall’Argine: La Scala Opera Orchestra and Chorus