Maria Vitale
Encyclopedia
Maria Vitale was an Italian operatic soprano
, particularly associated with the Italian repertory.
She studied with the renowned Giannina Arangi-Lombardi
in Milan. At first it was assumed that her voice was that of a coloratura
soprano, however upon the recommendation of composer Riccardo Pick-Mangiagalli, she turned to the dramatic soprano repertoire. After singing in the "Martini-Rossi" concerts on Italian radio, she appeared as a guest at the Paris Opéra
in 1950 to considerable success, singing Norma
, Leonora
, Amelia
, Aida
.
In 1951, the year of Verdi's 50th death anniversary, she sang major parts in lesser known Verdi operas for RAI
, notably; Leonora in Oberto
, Giselda in I Lombardi, Lucrezia in I due Foscari
, and Mina in Aroldo
. She continued singing in Italy, appearing in Palermo
, Florence
, Turin
, Trieste
, etc.
In 1953, she sang the title role in Elisabetta, regina d'Inghilterra
on Italian radio, and appeared at the Edinburgh Festival
, as Desdemona in Rossini's Otello
.
Other roles included Senta and Elsa
, she was also a successful interpreter of Lieder, a rarity among Italian singers, and appeared in recital in Stuttgart
, Frankfurt
, and Berlin.
Vitale never achieved the international career she had hoped for and retired, still at the height of her powers, with her husband in the small town of Munsingen
in Switzerland. Later she taught for a while in the United States, then returned to Europe and lived partly in Munsingen, partly in Milan
, where she died in 1984.
She can be heard on recordings in Spontini's La vestale
, Mercadante
's Il giuramento
, and the aforementioned, Oberto, I Lombardi, I due Foscari, and Aroldo.
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
, particularly associated with the Italian repertory.
She studied with the renowned Giannina Arangi-Lombardi
Giannina Arangi-Lombardi
Giannina Arangi-Lombardi was a prominent spinto soprano, particularly associated with the Italian operatic repertory....
in Milan. At first it was assumed that her voice was that of a coloratura
Coloratura
Coloratura has several meanings. The word is originally from Italian, literally meaning "coloring", and derives from the Latin word colorare . When used in English, the term specifically refers to elaborate melody, particularly in vocal music and especially in operatic singing of the 18th and...
soprano, however upon the recommendation of composer Riccardo Pick-Mangiagalli, she turned to the dramatic soprano repertoire. After singing in the "Martini-Rossi" concerts on Italian radio, she appeared as a guest at the Paris Opéra
Palais Garnier
The Palais Garnier, , is an elegant 1,979-seat opera house, which was built from 1861 to 1875 for the Paris Opera. It was originally called the Salle des Capucines because of its location on the Boulevard des Capucines in the 9th arrondissement of Paris, but soon became known as the Palais Garnier...
in 1950 to considerable success, singing Norma
Norma (opera)
Norma is a tragedia lirica or opera in two acts by Vincenzo Bellini with libretto by Felice Romani after Norma, ossia L'infanticidio by Alexandre Soumet. First produced at La Scala on December 26, 1831, it is generally regarded as an example of the supreme height of the bel canto tradition...
, Leonora
Il trovatore
Il trovatore is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Salvadore Cammarano, based on the play El Trovador by Antonio García Gutiérrez. Cammarano died in mid-1852 before completing the libretto...
, Amelia
Un ballo in maschera
Un ballo in maschera , is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi with text by Antonio Somma. The libretto is loosely based on an 1833 play, Gustave III, by French playwright Eugène Scribe who wrote about the historical assassination of King Gustav III of Sweden...
, Aida
Aida
Aida sometimes spelled Aïda, is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni, based on a scenario written by French Egyptologist Auguste Mariette...
.
In 1951, the year of Verdi's 50th death anniversary, she sang major parts in lesser known Verdi operas for RAI
RAI
RAI — Radiotelevisione italiana S.p.A. known until 1954 as Radio Audizioni Italiane, is the Italian state owned public service broadcaster controlled by the Ministry of Economic Development. Rai is the biggest television company in Italy...
, notably; Leonora in Oberto
Oberto
-People:* Oberto I , tenth-century Count palatine of Italy and founder of the Obertenghi dynasty* Oberto II , son of Oberto I and Count of Milan* Oberto II of Biandrate, Count of Biandrate and a participant in the Fourth Crusade...
, Giselda in I Lombardi, Lucrezia in I due Foscari
I due Foscari
I due Foscari is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave, based on a historical play, The Two Foscari by Lord Byron....
, and Mina in Aroldo
Aroldo
Aroldo is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave, based on and adapted from their earlier 1850 collaboration, Stiffelio...
. She continued singing in Italy, appearing in Palermo
Palermo
Palermo is a city in Southern Italy, the capital of both the autonomous region of Sicily and the Province of Palermo. The city is noted for its history, culture, architecture and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,700 years old...
, 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....
, Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
, Trieste
Trieste
Trieste is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is situated towards the end of a narrow strip of land lying between the Adriatic Sea and Italy's border with Slovenia, which lies almost immediately south and east of the city...
, etc.
In 1953, she sang the title role in Elisabetta, regina d'Inghilterra
Elisabetta, regina d'Inghilterra
Elisabetta, regina d'Inghilterra, is a dramma per musica or opera in two acts by Gioachino Rossini to a libretto by Giovanni Schmidt, from the play The Page of Leicester by Carlo Federici...
on Italian radio, and appeared at the Edinburgh Festival
Edinburgh Festival
The Edinburgh Festival is a collective term for many arts and cultural festivals that take place in Edinburgh, Scotland each summer, mostly in August...
, as Desdemona in Rossini's Otello
Otello (Rossini)
Otello is an opera in three acts by Gioachino Rossini to an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Berio di Salsi, based on Shakespeare's play Othello....
.
Other roles included Senta and Elsa
Lohengrin (opera)
Lohengrin is a romantic opera in three acts composed and written by Richard Wagner, first performed in 1850. The story of the eponymous character is taken from medieval German romance, notably the Parzival of Wolfram von Eschenbach and its sequel, Lohengrin, written by a different author, itself...
, she was also a successful interpreter of Lieder, a rarity among Italian singers, and appeared in recital in Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
, Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
, and Berlin.
Vitale never achieved the international career she had hoped for and retired, still at the height of her powers, with her husband in the small town of Munsingen
Münsingen
Münsingen is a municipality in the Bern-Mittelland administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.The village lies on the River Aar between the cities of Bern and Thun.-Geography:...
in Switzerland. Later she taught for a while in the United States, then returned to Europe and lived partly in Munsingen, partly in Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, where she died in 1984.
She can be heard on recordings in Spontini's La vestale
La vestale
La vestale is an opera composed by Gaspare Spontini to a French libretto by Etienne de Jouy. It was first performed at the Paris Opéra in Paris on December 15, 1807 and is regarded as Spontini's masterpiece...
, 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...
's Il giuramento
Il giuramento
Il giuramento is an opera in three acts by the Italian composer Saverio Mercadante. The libretto, by Gaetano Rossi, is based on Victor Hugo's play Angélo, tyran de Padoue...
, and the aforementioned, Oberto, I Lombardi, I due Foscari, and Aroldo.