Description

LUISA VILLANI (SAN FRANCISCO, 1884 – MILAN, 1961)

 

 

 

 

She was the daughter of the opera singers Giuseppina Zeppilli and Vincenzo Villani. As a child, she returned to Italy, where she was trained by her father in Milan, and made her debut in 1907 at La Scala as Eurydice in Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice, with Maria Gay in the title role. She subsequently appeared at the Politeama in Pisa as Desdemona in Verdi’s Otello.

In 1910, she gave guest performances in Mexico City at the Teatro Arbeu and, in the same year, also appeared in Boston, Charleston, Dallas, and Jacksonville. In 1913, she returned to La Scala, where on April 10, 1913, she sang the role of Fiora in the premiere of Montemezzi’s opera L’Amore dei tre re, alongside Edoardo Ferrari-Fontana, Carlo Galeffi, and Nazzareno De Angelis.

From 1914 to 1917, she was a soloist with the Boston Civic Opera House. In 1918, she returned to Italy and continued to perform there until 1922. She later spent the remainder of her life at the Casa di Riposo per Musicisti Verdi in Milan.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1907 Milan La Scala Erfeo ed Euridice (Eurydice)

1908 Pisa Politeama Otello (Desdemona)

1910 Mexico City Teatro Arbeu

1913 Milan La Scala L’Amore dei tre Re (Flora)

1914 Boston Civic Opea House Amore Dei Tre Re di I. Montemezzi

1916 Buffalo Teatro Teck Amore Dei Tre Re di I.Montemezzi (Flora)

1918 Roma Teatro Costanzi Fanciulla Del West (Minnie)

1920 Varese Teatro Sociale Cavalleria Rusticana (Santuzza)

1922 Gubbio Teatro Comunale Madama Butterfly (Cio-Cio-San)

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

Aida (Verdi) O terra addio (w. Cartica) Columbia A 5331 30814 Columbia, New York 1911-08

Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni) Innegiamo (Easter chorus) (w. chorus) A5404 36382-2 Columbia, New York 1912-05-08

Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti) Sestetto (w. Cartica & Alessandroni) D 16326 30709 Columbia, New York

Trovatore (Verdi) Miserere (w. Cartica & chorus) D16326 30812 Columbia, New York 1911-08