Elsa Respighi facts for kids
Elsa Respighi (born Elsa Olivieri-Sangiacomo) (March 24, 1894 – March 17, 1996) was an Italian singer and composer. She was married to the famous composer Ottorino Respighi, and she had also been his student.
About Elsa Respighi
Her Life Story
Elsa Respighi was a talented singer, known as a mezzo-soprano (a type of female singing voice). She was also a composer herself. She took some of her husband's music, called Ancient Airs and Dances, and turned it into exciting ballets (dance performances).
After her husband passed away, Elsa finished his last opera (a musical play), which was called Lucrezia, in 1937. Throughout her very long life, she always worked hard to promote and share her husband's music.
In 1955, she wrote a book about her experiences meeting many important artists and thinkers from the early 1900s. She also wrote a book about Ottorino Respighi in 1962.
Helping Music Grow
In 1969, Elsa started something special called Fondo Respighi at the Fondazione Giorgio Cini in Venice, Italy. This fund was created to help improve music education across Italy.
She also played a big part in the 1979 Respighi Centenary celebrations. A "centenary" is a 100-year anniversary. During these celebrations, many of her husband's musical pieces that hadn't been heard in a long time were performed and recorded for the first time. Since then, some of Elsa's own musical works, mostly songs for a single voice with music, have also been performed for the first time.
Her Long Life
Elsa Respighi lived a very long life. She passed away in 1996, just one week before her 102nd birthday.
Elsa's Musical Works
Here are some of the musical pieces Elsa Respighi composed:
- 3 Canzoni su testi spagnoli (3 Songs on Spanish Texts)
- 4 Liriche dai Rubaiyat (4 Lyrics from the Rubaiyat)
- Berceuse bretonne (Breton Lullaby)
- Cantare Campagnolo (Country Song)
- Je n'ai rien (I Have Nothing)
- La Mamma Povera (The Poor Mother)
- Momento (Moment)
- Duermete mi alma (Sleep, My Soul)
- La muerte del Payador (The Death of the Minstrel)
- Due canzone Italiane (Two Italian Songs)
