Maria Barrientos facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
María Barrientos
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María Alejandra Barrientos Llopis
4 March 1884 Barcelona, Kingdom of Spain
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| Died | 8 August 1946 (aged 62) Ciboure, France
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| Occupation | Operatic soprano |
María Alejandra Barrientos Llopis was a famous Spanish opera singer. She was known for her amazing voice, called a light coloratura soprano. This means she could sing very high notes quickly and clearly. María was born on March 4, 1884, and passed away on August 8, 1946.
Contents
Early Life and Training
María Barrientos was born in Barcelona, Spain. She started her musical journey at a young age. She learned to play the piano and violin. Later, she began to study singing with a teacher named Francisco Bonet.
Opera Debut and Success
María made her first big performance at the Teatro Novedades in Barcelona. She was only 15 years old! Her debut was on March 10, 1898, in an opera called L'Africaine. Soon after, she sang in another opera, Les Huguenots.
She quickly became very popular. Opera houses all over Europe wanted her to sing. She performed in Italy, Germany, England, and France. People loved her performances. She had her biggest successes in South America. She was especially famous at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires.
Career at the Metropolitan Opera
In 1907, María took a short break from singing. She got married and had a son. But she returned to the stage in 1909.
María made her debut at the famous Metropolitan Opera in New York City. This happened on January 31, 1916. She sang the main role in Lucia di Lammermoor. She stayed at the Metropolitan Opera until 1920.
During her time there, she sang many important roles. These included parts in L'elisir d'amore, La sonnambula, and Rigoletto. She also sang in The Barber of Seville. A special moment was when she performed in The Golden Cockerel. This was the first time that opera was shown in the United States.
Later Career and Retirement
María Barrientos continued to sing in operas until 1924. After that, she mostly gave concerts. She became well-known for singing French and Spanish songs.
Her voice was very clear and beautiful, almost like a musical instrument. She made many recordings for companies like Fonotipia Records and Columbia Records.
Later in her life, María moved to the south-west of France. She enjoyed playing bridge, a popular card game. She passed away in Ciboure, France, on August 8, 1946.
See also
In Spanish: María Barrientos para niños
