1. Flora Perini was an Italian operatic mezzo-soprano who had a prominent opera career in Europe, South America, and the United States during the first half of the twentieth century.
11 Facts About Flora Perini
1. 2.
Flora Perini sang a wide repertoire that encompassed works by verismo composers like Puccini and Mascagni, bel canto composers like Rossini and Bellini, the Italian grand operas of Verdi, the German operas of Strauss and Wagner, and the Russian operas of Rimsky-Korsakov.
3.
Flora Perini sang in numerous premieres throughout her career, including creating the role of the Princess in the original 1918 Metropolitan Opera premiere of Puccini's Suor Angelica.
4.
Flora Perini studied at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia before making her professional opera debut at La Scala in 1908 as Anacoana in Franchetti's Cristoforo Colombo.
5.
Flora Perini returned to that house numerous times over the next several years singing in such roles as Herodias in Richard Strauss' Salome and Annina in Der Rosenkavalier.
6.
Flora Perini sang in the world premiere of Carlos Lopez Buchardo's El sueno de Alma in 1914.
7.
In 1915, Perini made her American debut at the Metropolitan Opera as Lola in Mascagni's Cavalleria rusticana with Margarete Matzenauer as Santuzza, Luca Botta as Turiddu, and Gaetano Bavagnoli conducting.
8.
Flora Perini sang in more than 300 performances at the Met over the next nine years portraying such roles as Amneris in Aida, Enrichetta in I puritani, Hedwige in Guillaume Tell, Maddalena in Rigoletto, Mercedes in Carmen, Nancy in Martha, Rossweisse in Die Walkure, the Spring Fairy in The Snow Maiden, Suzuki in Madama Butterfly, and Teresa in La Sonnambula among other roles.
9.
Flora Perini returned to the Teatro Colon as a guest artist in 1923 to perform the role of Debora in Pizzetti's Debora e Jaele and again in 1925 to sing the "Comandante" in Zandonai's I cavalieri di Ekebu.
10.
Flora Perini returned to Italy in 1925, where she sang principally at the Teatro Costanzi in Rome until her retirement.
11.
Flora Perini can be heard singing the role of Maddalena in the famous 1917 Victor recording of the Rigoletto quartet with Enrico Caruso, Amelita Galli-Curci and Giuseppe De Luca.