Description

PIA TASSINARI (MODIGLIANA, 15 SEPTEMBER, 1903 – FAENZA, 15 MAY, 1995)

 

 

 

 

She studied under Alessandro Vezzani in Bologna and Manlio Marcantoni in Milan. In 1927, she made her debut in Casale Monferrato (Province of Alessandria) as Mimì in La Bohème. Following her debut, she performed at the Teatro La Fenice in Venice and the Teatro Lirico in Milan. By 1931, she had already appeared at La Scala, where she enjoyed significant success from 1931 to 1937 and again from 1945 to 1956. At La Scala, she participated in several premieres, including Felice Lattuada’s Don Giovanni, Riccardo Zandonai’s La Farsa Amorosa, and Riccardo Pick-Mangiagalli’s Notturno Romantico.

From 1933 to 1943 and 1951 to 1952, she was also a member of the ensemble at the Rome Opera House, where she notably appeared in 1942 in Niccolò Piccinni’s La Buona Figliuola.

In 1941, she married the tenor Ferruccio Tagliavini (1913–1995), and in 1943, they performed together in Amsterdam and The Hague. After World War II, the couple frequently toured South America, with notable appearances at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires starting in 1945.

During the 1947–48 season, she was engaged by the Metropolitan Opera in New York, debuting as Tosca and later performing as Mimì in La Bohème. In 1949, she appeared at the Chicago Opera as Marguerite in Gounod’s Faust. She also performed at the Verona Festival (1936–37, 1954) and the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino.

From 1952 onward, she transitioned to mezzo-soprano roles, achieving great success in this repertoire. Her notable roles included Carmen, Dalila in Saint-Saëns’s Samson et Dalila, Amneris in Aida, and Charlotte in Massenet’s Werther. Her final stage performance was in 1962 in Philadelphia as Carmen.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1927 Verona  Arena Otello (Desdemona)

1931 Torino  Eiar Lohengrin (Elsa)

1931 Genova  Teatro Carlo Felice Mefistofele (Margherita)

1931  Roma  Eiar Mefistofele (Margherita)

1932  Modena  Teatro Municipale Mefistofele (Margherita)

1932 Parma  Teatro Regio Mefistofele (Margherita)

1933  Ravenna  Teatro Alighieri Manon Lescaut (Manon)

1934  La Valletta/Malta  Teatro Reale Manon Lescaut (Manon)

1934  Roma  Teatro dell’Opera Lohengrin (Elsa)

1934 Trieste  Teatro Verdi Lohengrin (Elsa)

1935  Pola  Arena Mefistofele (Margherita)

1935  Milano  Teatro alla Scala Lohengrin (Elsa)

1935  Napoli  Teatro San Carlo Lohengrin (Elsa)

1936 Verona  Arena Otello (Desdemona)

1936 Roma  Teatro dell’Opera Lohengrin (Elsa)

1936 Roma  Teatro dell’Opera Mefistofele (Margherita)

1936  Milano Teatro alla Scala Mefistofele (Margherita)

1938 Roma  Teatro dell’Opera Lohengrin (Elsa)

1938 Roma  Teatro dell’Opera Mefistofele (Margherita)

1938 Roma  Teatro dell’Opera Werther (Carlotta)

1939  Trieste  Teatro Verdi Lohengrin (Elsa)

1940 Fano Teatro Della Fortuna Werther (Carlotta)

 

TRACKLIST

 

Pia Tassinari – Opera Recital

Label: Cetra-Soria Series – 50.033

Format: Vinyl, LP, Mono, Boxed

Country: US

Released: 1950

Genre: Classical

Style: Opera

A1 Le Nozze di Figaro – Deh vieni, non tardar

Composed By – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

A2 Adriana Lecouvreur – Io son l’umile ancella

Composed By – Francesco Cilea

A3 La Boheme – Donde lieta usci… Addio dolce svegliare

Baritone Vocals – Enzo Mascherini

Composed By – Giacomo Puccini

Soprano Vocals – Maria Huder

Tenor Vocals – Ferruccio Tagliavini

B1 Manon – Adieu notre petite table

Composed By – Jules Massenet

B2 Mignon – Connais-tu le pays

Composed By – Ambroise Thomas

B3 L’amico Fritz – Son pocchi fiori

Composed By – Pietro Mascagni

B4 L’amico Fritz – Non mi resta che il pianto

Composed By – Pietro Mascagni

B5 Cavalleria Rusticana – Voi lo sapete, o mamma

Composed By – Pietro Mascagni

Conductor not identified. Boxed edition with internal spine and libretto.

 

Tassinari And Tagliavini – Opera Duets from Traviata… Werther… Tosca

Label: Cetra – BB 25251

Series: Serie Oro (11)

Format: 3 x Shellac, 12″, 78 RPM, Album

Country: Italy

Released: Jul 18, 1948

Genre: Classical, Folk, World, & Country

A Tosca: Or Lasciami Al Lavoro

Composed By – G. Puccini

B Werther: Sogno! Incanto! Piacer! (Dream! Charm! Pleasure!)

Composed By – G. Massenet

C Tosca: Mia Gelosa (Mia Jealous)

Composed By – G. Puccini

D Werther: Ma, Che Sapete Voi Di Me? (But, What Do You Know About Me?)

Composed By – G. Massenet

E La Traviata: Parigi O Cara (Paris Or Dear)

Composed By – G. Puccini

F Werther: Dividerci Dobbiam (Divide Us Dobblam)

Composed By – G. Massenet

Conductor – M.o Arturo Basile (tracks: A to D, F), M.o Mario Rossi (tracks: E)

Orchestra – Grande Orch. Sinf. Della Radio Italiana

Soprano Vocals – P. Tassinari

Tenor Vocals – F. Tagliavini

Other (Label side A): 71159

Other (Label side B): 71163

Other (Label side C): 71160

Other (Label side D): 71162

Other (Label side E): 71178

Other (Label side F): 71161