Elisa Orlandi | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1811 |
| Died | 1834 (1835) (aged 23) |
| Occupation | Italian opera singer |
| Years active | 1829–1834 |
Elisa Orlandi (1811–1834) was an Italian opera singer who was active at major opera houses in Italy from 1829 until her sudden death in 1834. Possessing a widevocal range with a significant amount ofcoloratura facility, she tackled roles from both themezzo-soprano andsoprano repertoires. She is best remembered today for portraying the role of Giovanna Seymour (Jane Seymour) in the world premiere ofGaetano Donizetti'sAnna Bolena in 1830.
Born inMacerata, Orlandi's family moved toPadua soon after her birth. She studied singing in that city with Nardelli and made her professional debut there in 1829 at the age of 18. Later that year she made successful appearances in Milan and Rome. On 24 November 1829 she portrayed Isaura to the Amenaide ofGiuditta Pasta inGioachino Rossini'sTancredi at theTeatro Comunale di Bologna in the presence of the composer.[1]
Orlandi made her debut at theTeatro Regio di Parma on 6 February 1830 as Fiorilla in Rossini'sIl turco in Italia. While in Parma she also sang in several concerts at the court ofMarie Louise, Duchess of Parma.[1] She made several appearances at theTeatro della Canobbiana in Milan later that year, including the house's first stagings ofGiacomo Meyerbeer'sIl crociato in Egitto (Palmide), Rossini'sLe comte Ory (Alice), Rossini'sAureliano in Palmira (Zenobia), and Donizetti'sOlivo e Pasquale (Isabella).[2] She sang the role ofGiovanna Seymour in the world premiere of Donizetti'sAnna Bolena at theTeatro Carcano in Milan on 26 December 1830. She later returned to that house in 1831 to portray Metilde in Donizetti'sGianni di Calais.[3]
In the fall of 1832 she was cast as Adina in theTeatro Carignano Turin's first staging of Donizetti'sL'elisir d'amore. On 2 January 1833 she portrayed Eleonora in the world premiere of Donizetti'sIl furioso all'isola di San Domingo at theTeatro Valle in Rome and returned to the Teatro della Canobbiana for several more appearances later that year, includingJoseph Weigl'sL'imboscata, the premiere ofCesare Pugni'sIl contrabbandiere, and the house's first stagings ofGiovanni Pacini'sIl falegname di Livonia (as Catterina) and Pietro de Moyana'sEmma di Fondi (as Emma). She also sang the roles of Adina, Alice, and Carlotta inSaverio Mercadante'sElisa e Claudio at the Teatro della Canobbiana that year.[2]
In 1834 Orlandi suddenly collapsed and died backstage at the opera house inRovigo just prior to going on stage as Adalgisa in Bellini'sNorma. Everything had seemed to point to a brilliant opera career for the young singer who was just 23 years old at the time of her death.[3]
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