Description

FLORICA CRISTOFOREANU (RIMNICUL SARAT, 16 MAY, 1887 – RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL, MARCH 1, 1960)

 

 

 

 

She studied piano and later voice in Bucharest and Milan, attending the Giuseppe Verdi Conservatory, where she trained with Vanerë Filippi and Bodrilla. She made her debut as Lucia in Lucia di Lammermoor at Capodistria in 1908. After extensive touring in Western Europe, she returned to Bucharest, performing in operettas from 1910 to 1913. Her growing international fame led to engagements at major opera houses across Europe, including Barcelona, and the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires.

She debuted as Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticana at La Scala, where she performed from 1928 to 1932. Highlights of her La Scala career included her portrayal of Salome under the baton of Richard Strauss, Mariola in the premiere of Ildebrando Pizzetti’s Fra Gherardo (1928), and roles such as Carmen and Charlotte in Werther.

Over her career, she mastered more than 90 roles spanning mezzo-soprano, dramatic, lyric, and coloratura parts in opera and operetta. Her performances in Bucharest as Cio-Cio-San (Madama Butterfly), Minnie (La Fanciulla del West), Kundry (Parsifal), and Adriana Lecouvreur were particularly celebrated. Renowned for her extraordinary vocal and dramatic range, her richly colored timbre, and her intense commitment to her roles, she left a lasting legacy.

Her memoirs, Amintiri din cariera mea lirică (“Memories from My Lyrical Career”), were published posthumously in Bucharest in 1964.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1922 Roma  Teatro Adriano Madama Butterfly (Cio-Cio-San)

1922 Milano  Teatro Dal Verme Madama Butterfly (Cio-Cio-San)

1922 Gorizia  Teatro Sociale  Madama Butterfly (Cio-Cio-San)

1923 La Spezia  Politeama Duca di Genova Madama Butterfly (Cio-Cio-San)

1925 Montecatini  Kursaal Boheme (Mimi)

1925 Montecatini  Kursaal Carmen (Carmen)

1925 Milano  Teatro Carcano Carmen (Carmen)

1925 Bucarest  Teatro Nazionale  Madama Butterfly (Cio-Cio-San)

1926 Lisbona  Teatro San Carlos Carmen (Carmen)

1926   Milano  Teatro Dal Verme Fanciulla del West (Minnie)

1927 Lisbona  Coliseo Recrejos Boheme (Mimi)

1927 Lisbona  Coliseo Recrejos Carmen (Carmen)

1927 Lisbona  Coliseo Recrejos Cavalleria Rusticana (Santuzza)

1927 Milano  Teatro alla Scala Boheme (Mimi)

1927 Milano  Teatro alla Scala Cavalleria Rusticana (Santuzza)

1927 Bergamo  Teatro Donizetti Carmen (Carmen)

1928 Brescia  Teatro Grande Carmen (Carmen)

1928 Roma  Teatro dell’Opera Carmen (Carmen)

1928 Bologna  Teatro Comunale Carmen (Carmen)

1928 Santiago del Cile  Teatro Municipal Carmen (Carmen)

1928 Venezia  Teatro Rossini Carmen (Carmen)

1929 Milano  Teatro La Scala Carmen (Carmen)

1929 Roma  Teatro dell’Opera Carmen (Carmen)

1929 Torino  Teatro Regio Carmen (Carmen)

1929 Modena  Teatro Storchi Carmen (Carmen)

1930 Napoli  Teatro San Carlo Carmen (Carmen)

1930 Genova  Teatro Carlo Felice Fanciulla del West (Minnie)

1930 Bergamo  Teatro Donizetti Madama Butterfly (Cio-Cio-San)

1930 Lisbona  Coliseo Recrejos Carmen (Carmen)

1930 Lisbona  Coliseo Recrejos Madama Butterfly (Cio-Cio-San)

1931 Trieste  Teatro Verdi Adriana Lecouvreur (Adriana)

1931 Bergamo Teatro Donizetti Adriana Lecouvreur (Adriana)

1932 Parma  Teatro Regio Adriana Lecouvreur (Adriana)

1932 Roma  Teatro dell’Opera Adriana Lecouvreur (Adriana)

1932 Pistoia  Teatro all’Aperto Boheme (Mimi)

1932 Pistoia  Teatro all’Aperto Cavalleria Rusticana (Santuzza)

1934 Roma  Teatro dell’Opera Carmen (Carmen)

1934 Ascoli Piceno  Teatro Ventidio Basso Adriana Lecouvreur (Adriana)

1936 Roma  Teatro dell’Opera Adriana Lecouvreur (Adriana)

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

1. Carmen (Bizet) Sei tu… Ebben io t’amo ancora…No, tu non m’ami with Ermanno Pezzutti 172148  xxPh 6634,  172147 xxPh 6635,  172147, xxPh 6635 Odeon, Milano 1930-10-21
2. Fedora (Giordano): Vedi io piango… Pt 2 with Ferdinando Ciniselli P. 56533 2-84537/8 Parlophon
3. Fedora (Giordano): Addio, addio a domani with Ferdinando Ciniselli P. 56533 2-84538 Parlophon
4. Favorite (Donizetti) O mio Fernando… Su crudeli e chi v’arresta R2169 R2169 119577 119578 Parlophon
5. Manon (Massenet): Oui, je fus cruelle et coupable with Giovanni Malipiero N24001 xxPh 6676 Fonotipia, Milano 27-11-1930
6. Manon (Massenet): N’est-ce plus ma main? with Giovanni Malipiero N24001 xxPh 6677 Fonotipia, Milano 27-11-1930
7. Carmen (Bizet) All’udir del sistro il suon (date) R2089 Mo3252 Odeon, Milano 1930-10-21
8. Carmen (Bizet) Presso il bastion di Siviglia (Séguidilla) 168572 Mo3250 Odeon, Milano 1930-10-21
9. Carmen (Bizet) Quadri! Picche!! 168572, Mo3251 Odeon, Milano 1930-10-21
10. Mignon (Thomas) Non conosci il bel suol R2089 119576 Parlophon
11. Samson et Dalila (Saint-Saëns) S’apre per te il mio cor 24002 XXPh6678 Fonotipia, Milano 1930-11-27