Rosa Ponselle

Rosa Melba Ponzillo , known as Rosa Ponselle , born in Meriden (Connecticut) the January 22nd 1897 and died with Baltimore (Maryland) the May 25th 1981, is a soprano American.

Biography

It is resulting from a family of Italian emigrants. His/her father is baker and is not interested particularly in the music. Nevertheless, as of the 10 years age, she sings with her older sister, Carmela , in the cinemas, theaters and café concerts of the small towns. The sisters Ponzillo are a certain success and interpret, even, of the airs drawn from musical comedies with Broadway. They leave in round with the Marx Brothers which are at their beginning.

Then, she studies with New York with William Thorner, a professor with the mode. With the beginning of the year 1918, it fortuitously meets Caruso which, impressed by its voice, presents it to Gatti-Casazza, the director Metropolitan Opera (Met) which engages it with the test for one season in the role of Léonore for the first of the Force of the Destiny of Verdi while saying to him: “It is the first time that I engage an American artist without it proving reliable in Europe as a preliminary, if you succeed, you will open the doors with other American singers. ”

It follows the courses of Romano Romani, one protected from Puccini and Mascagni. After five months, it takes the name of Rosa Ponselle and it begins on November 15th, 1918 at the sides from Caruso with an insane trac which will never leave it.

Then she works in particular works of Verdi, her preferred author. After the Force of the Destiny , it sings Ernani , Luisa Miller , Don Carlos , Aïda , the Trouvere , Traviatta , which are worth acclamations with the to him Covent Garden with London in 1930.

Its repertory grows rich with Cavalliera Rusticana by Mascagni, André Chénier of Umberto Giordano, Gioconda of Amilcare Ponchielli, the Love of the Three Kings of Montemezzi and the Vestale of Spontini represented at Musical May Florentin in 1933. It is good a Donna Anna in its only mozartien role but a deplorable Carmen who represents her only failure.

In 1936, it essuie a refusal of the directors of the Met, to assemble Adrienne Lecouvreur of Francesco Cilea. Furious, she resigns and bids her farewell with the public in Carmen in 1937. This same year, she marries the son of the mayor of Baltimore, C. Jackson. She withdraws herself in her Pace Villa, which became, since, the museum Rosa Ponselle. After its divorce in 1950, it takes the direction of the Civic Opera of Baltimore in 1951 and it teaches. Among his pupils the soprano colorature Beverly Sills is.

Its voice, of an exceptional richness, does of it one of the largest professional singers of the history of the song.

His/her Carmela sister, mezzo-soprano, born in Schenectady on June 7th 1888 and dead on June 13rd 1977 with New York, initially sang in the light comedy and variety before interpreting operas in itinerant companies and singing with the Met, episodically, of 1925 to 1935 in the roles of Amnéris of Aïda , of Azucena in the Trouvere of Verdi and in that of Santuzza of Cavalliera Rustica of Mascagni. She sings only once with her Rosa sister in Gioconda of Amilcare Ponchielli.

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