Today is Antonietta Stellas 85th Birthday. Stella sang with extraordinary commitment, italianita’, appropriate morbidezza, and genuine involvement. Antonietta sang along side all the major tenors of the 50s and 60s was most at home with Puccini and Verdi heroines, a *real* spinto. Her forays into Wagner and Bellini were less successful. She enjoyed a close relationship with most of the worlds great opera houses, including four seasons at the NY MET (she was however “discontinued” from the roster after a contractual tiff with Sir Rudolf Bing). Too often, she found herself in the shadow of Maria Callas, Renata Tebaldi, Zinka Milanov, and later also Anna Moffo. Fortunately though, her discography is quite extensive, and includes some great live and studio recordings. Today, Stella would surely be a superstar; how welcome a singer with even half of her qualities would be; she must be considered One of the Greats. Happy Birthday, Antonietta; tantissimi auguri! (* March 15, 1929).
Posted on: Sat, 15 Mar 2014 08:45:14 +0000
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