Giulietta Simionato facts for kids

Simionato in 1962

Giulietta Simionato was a famous Italian opera singer. She was a mezzo-soprano, which means she had a beautiful, rich voice that was lower than a soprano but higher than a contralto. Her amazing career lasted from the 1930s until she retired in 1966. She was born Giulia Simionato in Forlì, Romagna, on May 12, 1910, and passed away in Rome on May 5, 2010.

Life Story

When Giulietta was a young girl, she studied at a boarding school with nuns. They noticed her musical talent and encouraged her to study singing. At first, her family, especially her mother, didn't want her to.

After her mother died, Giulietta studied singing in Rovigo and then in Padua. Her first time performing was in 1927. It was in a musical comedy called Nina, Don't Be Stupid. The next year, she sang in her first opera in Montagnana.

In 1933, Giulietta won a big singing contest in Florence. She beat 385 other singers! This win led to an audition at the famous Teatro alla Scala in Milan. The people there liked her voice, but they felt it needed more time to grow. They asked her to come back in a few years. Two years later, she got a contract with them.

Her first fifteen years as a singer were a bit tough. She mostly got smaller roles, and her career didn't take off quickly. But by the late 1940s, more and more people started to notice her talent. She made her debut at La Scala in 1936 and sang there regularly until 1966.

Soon, Simionato became one of the most respected singers of her time. She also performed at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden in London, starting in 1953. She sang there often between 1963 and 1965.

In 1953, Simionato made her first opera appearance in the United States. She sang the role of Charlotte in Werther in San Francisco. In 1959, she made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. She sang the role of Azucena in Il Trovatore.

Giulietta Simionato also performed at many other famous places. These included the Edinburgh Festival (1947), the Teatro Nacional de São Carlos (1954), the Lyric Opera of Chicago (1954–1961), the Vienna State Opera (from 1956), and the Salzburg Festival. In 1957, she sang in Anna Bolena with the legendary singer Maria Callas. In 1961, she had to miss some shows at the Metropolitan Opera because of a health issue called Trigeminal Neuralgia.

Her Roles

Giulietta Simionato knew a lot of different opera roles. She was great at playing characters like Rosina in Rossini's The Barber of Seville and Cinderella in La Cenerentola. She also excelled as Charlotte in Werther and the main character in Carmen.

She was also wonderful in operas by Giuseppe Verdi. She played roles like Amneris in Aida, Eboli in Don Carlos, and Azucena in Il trovatore. Another famous role was Santuzza in Mascagni's Cavalleria rusticana.

Later Life and Legacy

Giulietta Simionato made many recordings of her performances. Many of her live shows were also broadcast on the radio or filmed. You can find her recordings on a CD called The Color of a Voice.

She retired from singing in 1966 and married Dr. Cesare Frugoni. Even in her 90s, she continued to inspire others. She taught and held different leadership positions in music. She was even in a documentary film called Il Bacio di Tosca (Tosca's Kiss) in 1984. This film was about a home for retired opera singers. She also appeared in another film called Opera Fanatic in 1999.

Giulietta Simionato passed away in Rome when she was 99 years old.

Selected Recordings

Giulietta Simionato made many important recordings throughout her career. These recordings allow people today to still enjoy her amazing voice and performances in various operas.