Biography

Countess Gilda Ruta Cagnazzi was born in Naples

Naples

Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...

 and studied music with her father and with the opera composer Saverio Mercadante

Saverio Mercadante

Giuseppe Saverio Raffaele Mercadante was an Italian composer, particularly of operas. While Mercadante may not have retained the international celebrity of Gaetano Donizetti or Gioachino Rossini beyond his own lifetime, he composed as impressive a number of works as either; and his development of...

. She became a noted pianist, played before Queen Margherita of Italy

Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

 at the Constanzi Theater in Rome (now Teatro dell'Opera di Roma

Teatro dell'Opera di Roma

The Teatro dell'Opera di Roma is an opera house in Rome, Italy. Originally opened in November 1880 as the 2,212 seat Costanzi Theatre, it has undergone several changes of name as well modifications and improvements...

) and won a gold medal at the International Exposition in Florence

Florence

Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....

. After being widowed at age of 27 with two children, she began composing. She moved to New York City

New York City

New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

, taught private piano lessons in Greenwich Village

Greenwich Village

Greenwich Village, , , , .in New York often simply called "the Village", is a largely residential neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City. A large majority of the district is home to upper middle class families...

, and died of a cerebral hemorrhage in Manhattan

Manhattan

Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...

at age 79.

Works

Ruta produced more than 125 works for piano and orchestra, and also composed for opera.

Selected works include:

• Scherzo for pianoforte
• Voglio guarire, melodia romantica
• Tempo di Gavotta e Musette for pianoforte
• Canto melanconico for contralto and basso
• La Gavotta per pianoforte
• Partirai!! canto for mezzo-sop and baritono
• Alle stelle melodia romantica
• Canzone marinaresca for soprano
• Allegro appassionato for pianoforte
• Per te! canto
• Dolci memorie! melodia
• Dammi un' ora d'amor! melodia romantica
• The Fire-Worshippers opera