Elena Teodorini, Romanian mezzo-soprano, born in
Life
and Career
Elena Teodorini became
Headmaster of the Governmental Conservatoire from
She
returned to Rio de Janiero next year, in 1918, where she founded ‘Escola
superior de canto “ Ars et Vox” ‘, in Avenida Rio Branco, at No. 90. That was
the last and the most successful attempt of Elena Teodorini to lay the
foundation of a modern singing course abroad. She remained in Rio de Janiero
until 1922, when was 65 years old. Of her students from that school it can be
mentioned: America Fontes, Bidú Sayão, Irena Baptista, Itala Cortez, Rachel
Marques da Silva, Leonor de Rezende, Linda Cardenale, Nanita Lutz, Gloria
Sattamini, Alvaro Caminha. On 6th
of April 1922 Bidú Sayão sang Doina
Oltului, a well –known Romanian song, written by Grigore Vasiliu, dressed
up in a typical Romanian national costume.
During the autumn of 1922, Elena
Teodorini left Brazil because she missed her country a lot, and suffered
because of long distance between Europe and South America, although she was
satisfied with her work in Rio de Janiero: I am happy in Rio, as I have never
been before, a calm happiness which suits my age, I am so loved by my
students…’
Elena Teodorini remained in
When Teodorini retired from teaching
and decided to go to
She was also a leading singer in both the Italian Opera and the National Opera of Bucharest. A singer with an exceptional range , she undertook various roles in Norma, Gioconda, Gounod’s Faust, Aida, Il trovatore and Un ballo in maschera, being equally ease in the lyric and dramatic soprano, mezzo-soprano and contralto repertories; her stage presence was imbued with her passionate dramatic temperament.
The ‘Guide de l’Opéra’ (Fayard, 1995, pp 831-832). pointed out that
Elena Teodorini was exceptionally gifted: Une
des dernières cantatrices du XIXème
siècle qui dotée d’une voix authentique de mezzo-soprano, ait chanté avec le
même Bonheur les tessitures de falconet soprano, voire soprano
« sfogato ». Particulièrement réputée dans Lucrèce Borgia, Gioconda,
Valentina.
Elena Teodorini passed away on February 27, 1926 in Bucharest On May
16, 1995 ‘Elena Teodorini Foundation ’
fixed a memorial marble plaque in Paris at Rue de Tocqueville No 25, where has been founded the Académie Lyrique ( 1908-1909). Also the Foundation
supported the reconstruction of her memorial monument at ‘Sf.
Vineri’ cemetery, in
Records: In 1903 she made five titles for G
& T in
Bibliography:
1. Viorel Cosma, “Elena
Teodorini”, Editura Muzicala,
2. R. Celleti, “ Teodorini Elena” , Le Grandi Voci, Dizionaria Critico Biografico Dei Cantati con Discografia Operatica, Rome 1964,
3. Roland Mancini and Jean-Jacques Rouveroux, (orig. H. Rosenthal and J. Warrack, French édition), Guide de l’opéra, Les indispensables de la musique (Fayard, 1995). ISBN 2-213-01563-6
4. Lanfranco Rasponi, Alfred A Knopf , The Last Prima Donnas, Bidú Sayão, pp. 507, 1982. ISBN 0-394-52153-6
5. SIMPOSIUM Records, The Harold Wayne Collection, volume 4, 1077
6. SIMPOSIUM Records, The Harold Wayne Collection, volume 23, The “PARIS FONOTIPIAS”, 1182.
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