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Virginia Zeani

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Biography

Born October 21, 1925, in Solovăstru, Romania, Virginia Zeani was an acclaimed soprano opera singer best known for her portrayal of Violetta in Puccini’s La Traviata. She took singing lessons from Lydia Lipovskaja in Budapest, Hungary and Aureliano Pertile in Milan, Italy before making her stage debut in La Traviata in Bologna, Italy. This historic performance was the first time she portrayed Violetta, a role that she would repeat over 600 times during her career including landmark performances in London (1953), Vienna (1956), Paris (1957), and New York (1966). One significant performance happened in 1956 at La Scala in Milan when she starred in Handel’s Giulio Cesare alongside Italian bass vocalist Nicola Rossi-Lemini, whom she would later marry. Her repertoire covered different periods and languages, which led to great international success, where she performed in countries such as the USA, France, Russia, and the UK. Alongside her acclaimed performing career, she released a series of well-received recordings including her first two albums released on Decca Records: Operatic Recital (1956) and Puccini Arias (1958). She would go on to record complete operas including Verdi’s Otello and Alzira, Pergolesi’s La Serva Padrona, Puccini’s Tosca, Pizetti’s Murder in the Cathedral, and Menotti’s The Consul. Virginia Zeani retired from performing in 1983 but began to teach singing lessons at the University of Bloomington, Indiana with her husband. Virginia Zeani died in West Palm Beach, Florida on March 20, 2023, at the age of 97.
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Albums


Top Tracks

  1.   Track
    Popularity
  2.   La Traviata, Act III: Prelude featuring Virginia Zeani
  3.   La Traviata, Act III: "Parigi, o cara" featuring Virginia Zeani
  4.   La Traviata, Act III: "Teneste la promessa" - "Addio del passato" featuring Virginia Zeani
  5.   Manon Lescaut, Act IV: "Sola, perduta abbandonata"
  6.   La Rondine, Act I: "Che il bel sogno di Doretta"
  7.   Madama Butterfly, Act II: "Un bel dì, vedremo"
  8.   Madama Butterfly, Act II, Scene II: "Tu, tu, piccolo iddio!"
  9.   Manon Lescaut, Act II: "In quelle trine morbide"
  10.   La Bohème, Act I: "Sì, mi chiamano Mimi (They call me Mimi)"
  11.   Madame Butterfly, 1. Act, Vogliatemi bene (Mona Lisa), Act II: Perche dispone… Un bel dì vedremo
  12.   Werther: Va'… Non è mal se piango (Sung in German)
  13.   Suor Angelica: "Senza mamma, o bimbo, tu sei morto!" (Suor Angelica)
  14.   "Tu che di gel sei cinta" featuring Virginia Zeani
  15.   Turandot: "Signore, ascolta" (Liù)
  16.   La rondine, Act I: Chi il bel sogno di Doretta
  17.   La Traviata, Act I: "Un dì, felice, eterea" featuring Virginia Zeani
  18.   La Traviata, Act I: "E strano" - "Ah, fors è lui" - "Follie! follie!" - "Sempre libera" featuring Virginia Zeani
  19.   La Traviata, Act II: "Dite alla giovine" - "Imponete" - "Morrò" - "La mia memoria" featuring Virginia Zeani
  20.   La Traviata, Act II: "Che gli dire?" - "Amami, Alfredo" featuring Virginia Zeani
  21.   La Traviata, Act I: "Libiamo ne' lieti calici" featuring Virginia Zeani
  22.   La Traviata: De' miei bollenti spiriti - Act II, Scene 1
  23.   La Traviata: E Strano! (recit): Ah! fors e lui (aria), Sempre libera - Act I
  24.   La Traviata: Lunge da lei
  25.   I vespri siciliani, Act V: Mercè, dilette amiche
  26. See All Songs

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