Teresa Berganza
Encyclopedia
Teresa Berganza, born on March 16, 1935), is a Spanish mezzo-soprano
. She is most closely associated with the roles of Rossini, Mozart
, and Bizet
. She is admired for her technical virtuosity, musical intelligence and beguiling stage presence.
Teresa Berganza was born in Madrid
. She studied piano and voice at the Madrid Conservatory
, where she was awarded first prize for singing in 1954. She made her concert debut in Madrid in 1955.
Berganza made her operatic debut as Dorabella in Così fan tutte
in 1957 at the Aix-en-Provence
Festival. That same year, she made her Teatro alla Scala debut and the following year her debut at Glyndebourne. In 1959, Berganza made her first appearances at the Royal Opera House
, Covent Garden
as Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia, which became one of her signature roles. In 1967, she made her Metropolitan Opera
debut as Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro.
As a recitalist, Berganza made her Carnegie Hall
debut in 1964. Her concert repertoire includes Spanish, French, German, and Russian songs. From 1957 to 1977 Berganza was married to the composer and pianist Félix Lavilla
, with whom she recorded and performed regularly and with whom she has three children, including soprano Cecilia Lavilla Berganza.
Berganza shared the 1991 Prince of Asturias Award
for arts and letters with six other Spanish singers.
In 1992, Berganza participated in the opening ceremonies of Expo '92
in Seville
and the opening ceremonies of the 1992 Summer Olympics
in Barcelona
. In 1994, she became the first woman elected to the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando
. In 1996, she was awarded the Premio Nacional de Música
. She currently teaches singing at the Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía
, continues to perform music of Spanish composers, and gives master classes all over the world. Her students have included María Bayo and Jorge Chaminé
.
's Don Giovanni
in 1979, and both Werther and Carmen in 1980.
Mezzo-soprano
A mezzo-soprano is a type of classical female singing voice whose range lies between the soprano and the contralto singing voices, usually extending from the A below middle C to the A two octaves above...
. She is most closely associated with the roles of Rossini, Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...
, and Bizet
Georges Bizet
Georges Bizet formally Alexandre César Léopold Bizet, was a French composer, mainly of operas. In a career cut short by his early death, he achieved few successes before his final work, Carmen, became one of the most popular and frequently performed works in the entire opera repertory.During a...
. She is admired for her technical virtuosity, musical intelligence and beguiling stage presence.
Biography
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
. She studied piano and voice at the Madrid Conservatory
Madrid Conservatory
-History:The Royal Conservatory of Music was founded on July 15, 1830, by royal decree, and was originally located in Mostenses Square, Madrid. In 1852 it was moved to the Royal Opera, where it remained until the building was condemned by royal order and classes ordered to halt in 1925. For the...
, where she was awarded first prize for singing in 1954. She made her concert debut in Madrid in 1955.
Berganza made her operatic debut as Dorabella in Così fan tutte
Così fan tutte
Così fan tutte, ossia La scuola degli amanti K. 588, is an opera buffa by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart first performed in 1790. The libretto was written by Lorenzo Da Ponte....
in 1957 at the Aix-en-Provence
Aix-en-Provence
Aix , or Aix-en-Provence to distinguish it from other cities built over hot springs, is a city-commune in southern France, some north of Marseille. It is in the region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, in the département of Bouches-du-Rhône, of which it is a subprefecture. The population of Aix is...
Festival. That same year, she made her Teatro alla Scala debut and the following year her debut at Glyndebourne. In 1959, Berganza made her first appearances at the Royal Opera House
Royal Opera House
The Royal Opera House is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply "Covent Garden", after a previous use of the site of the opera house's original construction in 1732. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The...
, Covent Garden
Covent Garden
Covent Garden is a district in London on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St. Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit and vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist site, and the Royal Opera House, which is also known as...
as Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia, which became one of her signature roles. In 1967, she made her Metropolitan Opera
Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...
debut as Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro.
As a recitalist, Berganza made her Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
debut in 1964. Her concert repertoire includes Spanish, French, German, and Russian songs. From 1957 to 1977 Berganza was married to the composer and pianist Félix Lavilla
Félix Lavilla
Félix Lavilla Muñarriz is a Spanish pianist, composer and a well-known accompanist, son of a music teacher and band master of the municipal band of Errenteria in Gipuzkoa, Basque Autonomous Community. He is perhaps best known for his collaborations with the mezzo-soprano Teresa Berganza, to whom...
, with whom she recorded and performed regularly and with whom she has three children, including soprano Cecilia Lavilla Berganza.
Berganza shared the 1991 Prince of Asturias Award
Prince of Asturias Awards
The Prince of Asturias Awards are a series of annual prizes awarded in Spain by the Prince of Asturias Foundation to individuals, entities or organizations from around the world who make notable achievements in the sciences, humanities, and public affairs....
for arts and letters with six other Spanish singers.
In 1992, Berganza participated in the opening ceremonies of Expo '92
Expo '92
Expo '92 is the informal name of the World's Fair held in 1992, which had two sites:* Seville Expo '92 Universal Exposition in Seville, Spain* and the minor Genoa Expo '92 International Exposition in Genoa, Italy, opened on May 15, 1992...
in Seville
Seville
Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level...
and the opening ceremonies of the 1992 Summer Olympics
1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
. In 1994, she became the first woman elected to the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando
Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando
The Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando , located on the Calle de Alcalá in the heart of Madrid, currently functions as a museum and gallery....
. In 1996, she was awarded the Premio Nacional de Música
Premio Nacional de Música
The Premio Nacional de Música forms part of the annual National Awards in Spain....
. She currently teaches singing at the Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía
Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía
The Queen Sofía College of Music is a private music college founded in Madrid, Spain, in 1991 by Paloma O'Shea...
, continues to perform music of Spanish composers, and gives master classes all over the world. Her students have included María Bayo and Jorge Chaminé
Jorge Chaminé
Jorge Chaminé is a Portuguese operatic baritone.Of Spanish and Portuguese parentage, he began his musical studies at an early age...
.
Films
Teresa Berganza has appeared in nine motion pictures, including Il barbiere di Siviglia in 1972, as Zerlina in the Joseph LoseyJoseph Losey
Joseph Walton Losey was an American theater and film director. After studying in Germany with Bertolt Brecht, Losey returned to the United States, eventually making his way to Hollywood...
's Don Giovanni
Don Giovanni (1979 film)
Don Giovanni is a 1979 film adaptation of Mozart's classic opera Don Giovanni, based on the Don Juan legend of a seducer, destroyed by his excesses. The film stars Ruggero Raimondi in the title role. The director is Joseph Losey and the conductor Lorin Maazel. The film has generally been praised...
in 1979, and both Werther and Carmen in 1980.
External links
- Official web page
- Discography (Capon's Lists of Opera Recordings)
Interviews
- Teresa Berganza interview by Bruce Duffie, December 1, 1984