Lot 144 - Auction 94

Giannina Russ (Lodi 1873 - Milano 1951)

For the state, Giovanna Cerri was the daughter of Paul and Louise Pellizzani. The Cerri family in 1885 moved to Milan, where in 1894 she married Charles Giannina Russ, which took the name by which he became famous. Giannina studied voice and piano at the Milan Conservatory (now the Conservatorio Giuseppe Verdi), under the guidance of Alberto Leoni. In May 1903 he made his debut in concerts, at the press club of Milan, singing duets with Francesco Tamagno. In the same year he argued, to Politeama D'Azeglio Bologna, the part of Mimi La bohème by Giacomo Puccini, then that of Amelia in A Masked Ball; at the Teatro Dal Verme in Milan he sang in The African Giacomo Meyerbeer, and in the role of Leonora Il trovatore. Hired at the Teatro San Carlo in Lisbon, in the 1903-1904 season, he sang in Rossini's Semiramide, in the role of Abigaille in Nabucco and in I Vespri Siciliani. In 1904 she performed at the Royal Opera House in London, in the role of Aida and Un ballo in maschera, alongside Enrico Caruso. Al Politeama Palermo sang in the role of Pauline in Polyeucte by Gaetano Donizetti, Ernani and La forza del destino and was Musetta in La bohème. His voice then called dramatic soprano of agility, had large volume, a silvery sheen and a vocal versatility that allowed to take various registers and play different roles: as covering both parts to dramatic soprano, both soprano lyrical and light. Yet, Giannina Russ was cool temperament and limited capacity stage, so that his memory was not printed in the collective imagination. In South America toured in 1905 and sang at the Teatro Solis in Montevideo; Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires and sang in Puccini's Edgar in Rigoletto. In Cairo, in 1906, and sang nell'Asrael Alberto Franchetti's La Wally by Catalani; in New York, the Manhattan Opera Company, in 1907, he sang in Don Giovanni, taking the role of Donna Anna. In Florence, in 1908, he held the title role of Norma, who became his forte. Alla Scala in Milan in 1912, he performed in Verdi's Don Carlo, nell'Oberon Weber and Rossini's Moses in the part of Anaide. During the Great War, in the season in 1916-1917 she toured in Australia. After retiring from the stage, which took place in 1922, he taught singing. Among her students: Margherita Grandi, Hungarian singer Mária Németh and Clara Petrella. Portrait of the artist autographed postcard.

Excellent condition