Tarquinia Tarquini
Encyclopedia
Tarquinia Tarquini was an Italian dramatic soprano
and the wife of composer Riccardo Zandonai
. Born in Colle di Val d'Elsa
, Tarquini studied singing at the Milan Conservatory
and privately in Florence. She made her stage debut in 1905 and spent the next two years performing in opera house
s throughout Italy.
In 1907 Tarquini was brought to the United States
by impresario
Henry Russell
to join his Boston
based San Carlo Opera Company
. She made her debut with the company in Boston as Santuzza in Cavalleria rusticana
and then embarked on a North American tour with the company. That same year she also performed the title role in the United States premiere of Adriana Lecouvreur
at the French Opera House
in New Orleans.
Between 1908-1911 Tarquini performed in operas in Austria, Egypt, Italy, and Portugal. Among the roles she sang were Cio-Cio San in Madama Butterfly
, Maddalena de Coigny in Andrea Chénier
, Mimì in La bohème
, and the title role in Manon
. She drew particular acclaim for her portrayal of the title role in Richard Strauss
's Salome
and, being a good dancer, was notably one of the first opera singers to perform the Dance of the Seven Veils herself; a move which shocked some conservative critics.
On 14 October 1911 Tarquini portrayed the title role in the world premiere of Zandonai's Conchita
at the Teatro Dal Verme
in Milan
. Her performance was a triumphant success and she went on to perform the role several more times, including at the Royal Opera, London
(1912), the Cort Theatre
in San Francisco (1912), the Philarmonic Auditorium in Hollywood (1912), the Heilig Theatre in Portland
(1912), the Metropolitan Opera House
in Philadelphia (1912), the Chicago Grand Opera Company
(1913), the Metropolitan Opera
in New York City (1913), and the Teatro di San Carlo
in Naples
(1913).
Tarquini remained busy as a performer up until her retirement from the stage in 1917 following her marriage that year to Zandonai. She had an important success at Covent Garden as Bizet's Carmen
in 1912 and, besides Conchita, Salome was her most frequently assailed role. After her marriage, she lived most of her remaining life with her husband in Milan. She died in that city at the age of 93. Sadly, Tarquini's voice was never recorded.
Dramatic soprano
A dramatic soprano is an operatic soprano with a powerful, rich, emotive voice that can sing over, or cut through, a full orchestra. Thicker vocal folds in dramatic voices usually mean less agility than lighter voices but a sustained, fuller sound. Usually this voice has a lower tessitura than...
and the wife of composer Riccardo Zandonai
Riccardo Zandonai
Riccardo Zandonai was an Italian composer.-Biography:Zandonai was born in Borgo Sacco, Rovereto, then part of Austria–Hungary....
. Born in Colle di Val d'Elsa
Colle di Val d'Elsa
Colle di Val d'Elsa or Colle Val d'Elsa is a town and comune in Tuscany, Italy, in the province of Siena.It has a population of c. 20,000...
, Tarquini studied singing at the Milan Conservatory
Milan Conservatory
The Milan Conservatory is a college of music which was established by a royal decree of 1807 in Milan, capital of the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy. It opened the following year with premises in the cloisters of the Baroque church of Santa Maria della Passione. There were initially 18 boarders,...
and privately in Florence. She made her stage debut in 1905 and spent the next two years performing in opera house
Opera house
An opera house is a theatre building used for opera performances that consists of a stage, an orchestra pit, audience seating, and backstage facilities for costumes and set building...
s throughout Italy.
In 1907 Tarquini was brought to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
by impresario
Impresario
An impresario is a person who organizes and often finances concerts, plays or operas; analogous to a film producer in filmmaking, television production and an angel investor in business...
Henry Russell
Henry Russell (impresario)
Henry Russell was an English impresario, conductor, opera director, and singing teacher.-Biography:Henry Ronald Russell was born in London. He was the son of Henry Russell, a composer, pianist, and baritone, and his wife Hannah...
to join his Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
based San Carlo Opera Company
San Carlo Opera Company
The San Carlo Opera Company was the name of two different opera companies active in the United States during the first half of the twentieth century.-History:...
. She made her debut with the company in Boston as Santuzza in Cavalleria rusticana
Cavalleria rusticana
Cavalleria rusticana is an opera in one act by Pietro Mascagni to an Italian libretto by Giovanni Targioni-Tozzetti and Guido Menasci, adapted from a play written by Giovanni Verga based on his short story. Considered one of the classic verismo operas, it premiered on May 17, 1890 at the Teatro...
and then embarked on a North American tour with the company. That same year she also performed the title role in the United States premiere of Adriana Lecouvreur
Adriana Lecouvreur
Adriana Lecouvreur is an opera in four acts by Francesco Cilea to an Italian libretto by Arturo Colautti, based on the play by Eugène Scribe and Ernest Legouvé...
at the French Opera House
French Opera House
The French Opera House was an opera house in New Orleans. It was one of the city's landmarks from its opening in 1859 until it was destroyed by fire in 1919...
in New Orleans.
Between 1908-1911 Tarquini performed in operas in Austria, Egypt, Italy, and Portugal. Among the roles she sang were Cio-Cio San in Madama Butterfly
Madama Butterfly
Madama Butterfly is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini, with an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. Puccini based his opera in part on the short story "Madame Butterfly" by John Luther Long, which was dramatized by David Belasco...
, Maddalena de Coigny in Andrea Chénier
Andrea Chénier
Andrea Chénier is a verismo opera in four acts by the composer Umberto Giordano, set to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica. It is based loosely on the life of the French poet, André Chénier , who was executed during the French Revolution....
, Mimì in La bohème
La bohème
La bohème is an opera in four acts,Puccini called the divisions quadro, a tableau or "image", rather than atto . by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa, based on Scènes de la vie de bohème by Henri Murger...
, and the title role in Manon
Manon
Manon is an opéra comique in five acts by Jules Massenet to a French libretto by Henri Meilhac and Philippe Gille, based on the 1731 novel L’histoire du chevalier des Grieux et de Manon Lescaut by the Abbé Prévost...
. She drew particular acclaim for her portrayal of the title role in Richard Strauss
Richard Strauss
Richard Georg Strauss was a leading German composer of the late Romantic and early modern eras. He is known for his operas, which include Der Rosenkavalier and Salome; his Lieder, especially his Four Last Songs; and his tone poems and orchestral works, such as Death and Transfiguration, Till...
's Salome
Salome (opera)
Salome is an opera in one act by Richard Strauss to a German libretto by the composer, based on Hedwig Lachmann’s German translation of the French play Salomé by Oscar Wilde. Strauss dedicated the opera to his friend Sir Edgar Speyer....
and, being a good dancer, was notably one of the first opera singers to perform the Dance of the Seven Veils herself; a move which shocked some conservative critics.
On 14 October 1911 Tarquini portrayed the title role in the world premiere of Zandonai's Conchita
Conchita (opera)
Conchita is an opera in four acts and six scenes by composer Riccardo Zandonai. The work uses an Italian language libretto by Maurizio Vaucaire and Carlo Zangarini which is based on Pierre Louÿs's 1898 novel La femme et le pantin...
at the Teatro Dal Verme
Teatro Dal Verme
The Teatro Dal Verme is a theatre in Milan, Italy located on the Via San Giovanni sul Muro, on the site of the former private theatre the Politeama Ciniselli. It was designed by Giuseppe Pestagalli to a commission from Count Francesco Dal Verme, and was used primarily for plays and opera...
in Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
. Her performance was a triumphant success and she went on to perform the role several more times, including at the Royal Opera, London
Royal Opera, London
The Royal Opera is an opera company based in central London, resident at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Along with the English National Opera, it is one of the two principal opera companies in London. Founded in 1946 as the Covent Garden Opera Company, it was known by that title until 1968...
(1912), the Cort Theatre
Cort Theatre
The Cort Theatre is a legitimate Broadway theatre located at 138 West 48th Street in the Theatre District of midtown Manhattan in New York City...
in San Francisco (1912), the Philarmonic Auditorium in Hollywood (1912), the Heilig Theatre in Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
(1912), the Metropolitan Opera House
Metropolitan Opera House (Philadelphia)
The Metropolitan Opera House is a historic opera house located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at 858 North Broad Street. Built over the course of just a few months in 1908, it was the ninth opera house built by impresario Oscar Hammerstein I. It was initially the home of Hammerstein's Philadelphia...
in Philadelphia (1912), the Chicago Grand Opera Company
Chicago Grand Opera Company
Two grand opera companies in Chicago have gone by the name Chicago Grand Opera CompanyThe first Chicago Grand Opera Company produced four seasons of opera in Chicago’s Auditorium Theater from the Fall of 1910 through November 1915. It was the first resident Chicago opera company...
(1913), the Metropolitan Opera
Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...
in New York City (1913), and the Teatro di San Carlo
Teatro di San Carlo
The Real Teatro di San Carlo is an opera house in Naples, Italy. It is the oldest continuously active such venue in Europe.Founded by the Bourbon Charles VII of Naples of the Spanish branch of the dynasty, the theatre was inaugurated on 4 November 1737 — the king's name day — with a performance...
in Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
(1913).
Tarquini remained busy as a performer up until her retirement from the stage in 1917 following her marriage that year to Zandonai. She had an important success at Covent Garden as Bizet's Carmen
Carmen
Carmen is a French opéra comique by Georges Bizet. The libretto is by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, based on the novella of the same title by Prosper Mérimée, first published in 1845, itself possibly influenced by the narrative poem The Gypsies by Alexander Pushkin...
in 1912 and, besides Conchita, Salome was her most frequently assailed role. After her marriage, she lived most of her remaining life with her husband in Milan. She died in that city at the age of 93. Sadly, Tarquini's voice was never recorded.