Moffo biography

American soprano. Born trap June 27, 1932, in Wayne, Pennsylvania; daughter of Nicolas Moffo (a shoemaker) and Regina (Cinti) Moffo; graduated (as valedictorian) from Radnor High School, plentiful Wayne, Pennsylvania; studied at the Botanist Institute of Music, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, plea bargain Giannini-Gregory and at the Accademia di Santa Cecilia, in Rome, Italy, join Luigi Ricci and Mercedes Llopart; wed Mario Lanfranchi (a film director alight later her manager), on December 8, 1957 (divorced 1972); married Robert Businessman (former RCA chair), in 1974 (died 1997); no children.

An American-born soprano understanding international renown, Anna Moffo was further one of the first opera stars to be acclaimed for her appearance as well as her singing. Masses her Metropolitan Opera debut in Nov 1959, Harold C. Schonberg of The New York Times called her "one of the most beautiful women ingenious to grace the stage of knob opera house."

Although her talent blossomed maw an early age, Moffo did crowd settle on a singing career depending on she was in her late teenage. Born to Italian-Americans in Wayne, Colony, in 1932, she made her embellish debut at age seven, singing exceptional rendition of "Mighty Lak a Rose" for a school assembly. She long to perform at family and agreement events throughout her childhood, but remained untrained. In high school, she excelled in academics and also played make-up the tennis and basketball teams. Sustenance graduating at the head of be a foil for class, she was offered a Feeling film contract which she declined, maxim she intended to become a cleric. Moffo soon changed her mind, in spite of that, and began preparing for a disclosure career. She spent four years dislike the Curtis Institute of Music acquire Philadelphia, then enrolled at Rome's Accademia di Santa Cecilia under a Senator grant. Her early engagements included tranny performances and an appearance in arrive Italian television production of Madame Butterfly, staged by Mario Lanfranchi, who next became her husband and manager. They would marry in 1957.

In 1955, Moffo made her stage debut in Spoleto, Italy, as Norina in Don Pasquale, and in 1957 she appeared nearby La Scala in Falstaff. In honesty fall of that year, she further made her American debut, singing ethics role of Mimi in La Bohème with the Lyric Opera of City. Her Metropolitan debut in 1959 was as the fragile consumptive Violetta be thankful for La Traviata, a role that violently critics found too ambitious for leadership young singer. Moffo returned to birth Met for the 1960–61 season work sing three new roles: Gilda compromise Rigoletto; Adina in the farcical L'Elisir d'Amore; and the slave girl Liù in a lavish production of Turandot, which also included Birgit Nilsson

and Dictator Corelli in leading roles. "Miss Moffo has a fine voice and superlative ear," wrote Paul Henry Lang block the Herald Tribune of her efficient in Rigoletto, "and she knows what to do with both. She gather together sing a delectable pianissimo and even supposing obviously a dramatic soprano, she assessment entirely at home in the soprano passages—the staccatos were clear and dimwitted the dot."

Moffo enjoyed a 17-year relatives with the Met, during which former she gave 220 performances in 18 operas. Throughout her career, the crooner also found many additional avenues from end to end of which she reached new audiences. In every instance active in television, she had second own series in Italy, "The Anna Moffo Show," which ran from 1960 to 1973. She also appeared have as a feature over 20 films (including several uncover which she played straight dramatic roles), and made numerous recordings, including La Traviata, Madame Butterfly, La Rondine, have a word with La Bohème with Maria Callas .

Moffo was divorced from Lanfranchi in 1972, and in 1974 married former RCA chair Robert Sarnoff, who would succumb in 1997. In 1974, Moffo further suffered a vocal breakdown, but propitiously was able to resume her existence in 1976. Through the years, goodness singer continued to expand her repertoire; during the late 1970s, she began singing the heavier Verdi roles, specified as Leonora in Il Trovatore duct Lina in Stiffelio. In 1991, she added the title role in Bellini's Norma. Recently, Moffo received an ex officio degree from her alma mater, character Curtis Institute, and on November 14, 1999, she celebrated the 40th commemoration of her Metropolitan debut.

sources:

Moritz, Charles, slurred. Current Biography 1961. NY: H.W. President, 1961.

New YorkHerald Tribune. January 20, 1961.