Dusolina Giannini
Dusolina Giannini | |
|---|---|
| Born | 19 December 1899 |
| Died | 29 June 1986 (aged 86) |
| Other names | Dusolina Giannini Richter |
| Occupations | |
| Spouse |
Elmer Alan Richter
(m. 1942; died 1974) |
| Parents |
|
| Relatives |
|
| Signature | |
Dusolina Giannini (1899–1986) was an Italian-American dramatic soprano, prima donna, opera singer, music teacher, and member of the Giannini family.[1]
Early life and education
Dusolina Giannini was born on 19 December 1899 [2] in Philadelphia, to Antonietta Briglia Giannini (1873–1934) and Ferruccio Giannini (1868–1948).[3][4][5] Giannini's birth year is commonly miscited as 1902. [3][4]
Giannini's mother, born in Marsicovetere, was a violinist.[5][6][7] Giannini's father, born in Ponte d'Arbia, was an opera singer and tenor.[8][9][10] Giannini had five siblings, three of which survived to adulthood.[11][12][13] Her siblings included Eufemia Giannini Gregory (1895-1979), a voice teacher at the Curtis Institute of Music, and Vittorio Giannini (1903–1966), a composer.[14][15] Giannini's paternal cousin was Margaret Giannini.
Giannini's first studied singing under her father, and later studied under Marcella Sembrich.[1][16]
Career
Giannini began in concert in 1923, appearing as a substitute to Anna Case in Manhattan. [17] In 1924, Giannini appeared in London and Havana.[16] In 1925, Giannini made her operatic debut in Hamburg as Aida.[1][17]
She sang at the Salzburg Festival in 1934, as Donna Anna and Alice Ford, and made her debut at the Paris Opéra in 1936, as Donna Anna. In 1938, she created, in Hamburg, the role of Hester Prynne in The Scarlet Letter, an opera composed by her brother Vittorio Giannini.
She sang at the Metropolitan Opera from 1935 to 1942, also appearing at the Chicago City Opera Company (1938–42) and the San Francisco Opera (1939–43). She also took part in the first season of the New York City Opera in 1943, as Tosca. After the war, she continued appearing in Paris, London, Berlin, and Vienna.
In the 1960s Giannini retired from the opera, and became a music teacher.[1]
Voice
Giannini's voice was a dramatic soprano, characterised by a strong temperament and fine musicianship.[1] She can be heard on a complete recording of Aida from 1928, opposite Aureliano Pertile.
Personal life and death
On the 26 December 1942, Giannini married Elmer Alan Richter (1888–1974) at her parent's home in Philadelphia.[18][19]
Giannini died in Zurich on 29 June 1986 at the age of 86.
References
- ^ a b c d e de Schauensee, Max (2001). "Giannini, Dusolina". Grove Music Online. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Retrieved 13 June 2025.
- ^ "Deuslina M Gannini [Giannini]". 1900 United States Federal Census (Census Place: Philadelphia Ward 4, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Roll: 1453, Page: 9, Enumeration District: 0082): 9. 1900.
- ^ a b "Giannini, Dusolina, 1902-1986". Library of Congress Name Authority File. Washington, D.C.: The Library of Congress. 2016. Retrieved 8 June 2025.
- ^ a b "Giannini, Dusolina (1902-1986) forme internationale". BnF Catalogue général: Notice de personne (in French). Paris: Bibliothèque nationale de France. 2010. Retrieved 8 June 2025.
- ^ a b "Antonetta Gannini [Giannini]". 1900 United States Federal Census (Census Place: Philadelphia Ward 4, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Roll: 1453, Page: 9, Enumeration District: 0082): 9. 1900.
- ^ Stankiewicz, Jerzy; Dudek-Stańdo, Gabriela (2023). "Giannini, Ferruccio (EN)". Polska Biblioteka Muzyczna. Kraków: Polskie Wydawnictwo Muzyczne. Retrieved 8 June 2025.
- ^ "51324: Antoinetta Briglia Giannini". Passport Applications, January 1, 1906 ‐ March 31, 1925 (Roll #: 358, Volume #: Roll 0358 &dash, Certificates: 51101-51500, 20 Apr 1917–27 Apr 1917). Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. 1917.
- ^ "Ferruccio Giannini". WorldCat Entities. Dublin, Ohio: OCLC. Retrieved 8 June 2025.
- ^ "Giannini, Ferruccio". DNB, Katalog der Deutschen Nationalbibliothek (in German). Leipzig; Frankfurt: Deutschen Nationalbibliothek. Retrieved 8 June 2025.
- ^ "Giannini, Ferruccio (1869-1948) forme internationale". BnF Catalogue général: Notice de personne (in French). Paris: Bibliothèque nationale de France. 2010. Retrieved 8 June 2025.
- ^ "Raymond Gianini". Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S., Death Certificates Index, 1803-1915. FHL Film Number: 1838983. Provo, Utah: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. 1900.
- ^ "Ferruccio Giannini". Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S., Death Certificates Index, 1803-1915. FHL Film Number: 1853860. Provo, Utah: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. 1902.
- ^ "Francis F Giannini". Beneficiary Identification Records Locator Subsystem (BIRLS) Death File. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
- ^ "Gregory, Euphemia Giannini, Mme., 1985-1979". Curtis Library and Archives. Philadelphia: Curtis Institute of Music. Retrieved 8 June 2025.
- ^ "Giannini, Vittorio, 1903-1966". Library of Congress Name Authority File. Washington, D.C.: The Library of Congress. 2016. Retrieved 8 June 2025.
- ^ a b "MUSIC AND DRAMA. MR. DANIEL MASTER AND SIGNORINA DUSOLINA GIANNINI". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 27, 085. New South Wales, Australia. 25 October 1924. p. 12. Retrieved 24 August 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ a b "Music: Mother's Mass". Time. New York City: Time Inc. 7 June 1937. Retrieved 8 June 2025.
- ^ "Giannini, Opera Soprano, Reveals Wedding Dec. 26". New York Times. New York City: The New York Times Archives. 15 January 1943. p. 21. Archived from the original on 8 June 2025. Retrieved 8 June 2025.
- ^ Huffman, James S. (1974). "Department of State Foreign Service of the United States of America; Report of the Death of an American Citizen; American Consulate General, Zurich, Switzerland, November 7, 1974; Elmer Alan Richter". U.S., Reports of Deaths of American Citizens Aboard, 1835–1974 [database on-line]. Maryland: National Archive at College Park.
Sources
- Le Guide de l'opéra, les indispensables de la musique, R. Mancini & J.J. Rouvereux, (Fayard, 1986), ISBN 2-213-01563-5
- Grove Music Online, Max de Schauensee, Oxford Press University, April 2008.
- Dusolina Giannini : [concert program], 1929, 1929, retrieved 24 August 2017
- Postcard: Dusolina Giannini - Desdemona : TOWN HALL, SYDNEY. / Direction: E.J. Gravestock, retrieved 24 August 2017
- Rasponi, Lanfranco (15 December 1979), "Con principio: Dusolina Giannini. (biography of American opera singer)", Opera News, v44, Metropolitan Opera Guild, Inc: 8 (4), ISSN 0030-3607