Virginia Ferni Germano, from an 1885 publication.

Virginia Ferni Germano (16 December 1849 – 4 February 1934) was an Italian lyric soprano opera singer.

Early life

Virginia Ferni Germano

Virginia Ferni was born in Turin. Her mother was an actress, Francesca Ferni; her father was a cellist, Antonio Ferni; her siblings Angelo and Teresa were both musicians too. Virginia Ferni studied both violin and voice as a girl.[1][2]

Career

Loreley libretto cover, 1890

Virginia Ferni debuted on the opera stage in 1876, in Charles Gounod's Faust, at Madrid's Teatro Reale.[3] She was the first to play Bizet's Carmen in Italian, at Milan's La Scala in 1885.[4] She created the title role of Alfredo Catalani's Edmea when it premiered in 1896, and of Catalani's Loreley, when it was first performed in 1890.[5] Arturo Toscanini made his professional conducting debut in Italy at an 1886 performance of Edmea starring Virginia Ferni Germano.[6] Her 1886 appearance as Mignon in Milan prompted a London newspaper correspondent to comment that "her appearance is, to say the least, hardly suited for portraying a very youthful gipsy girl," but to concede that "her matured artistic abilities and fine voice sustain the part in a manner highly acceptable to her auditors."[7]

After retiring from the stage she taught voice in Turin. Among her students were Alba Anzelotti, Bianca Lenzi, and Marisa Morel.[2][8]

Personal life

Virginia Ferni married Carlo Germano, a violinist. Their son Carlo (1880–1916) was also a violinist.[1][2] Virginia Ferni Germano died in 1934, aged 84 years, in Turin.[9] Her collection of autographed photos of other performers is archived in the Fondazione Giorgio Cini art collections.[10]

References

  1. 1 2 Elizabeth Forbes, "Virginia Ferni-Germano" Grove Music Online (2002).
  2. 1 2 3 Karl-Josef Kutsch, Leo Riemens, eds., Großes Sängerlexikon (Walter De Gruyter 2012): 1436. ISBN 9783598440885
  3. ↑ Virginia Ferni Germano chronology, La voce antica.
  4. ↑ Victoria Etnier Villamil, "O ma Carmen": Bizet's Fateful Gypsy in Portrayals from 1875 to the Present (McFarland 2017): 175. ISBN 9781476663241
  5. ↑ Program, Loreley Teatro Regio (Torino 1890): 4; in the U.S. RISM Libretto Project, Albert Schatz collection, Library of Congress.
  6. ↑ Harvey Sachs, Toscanini: Musician of Conscience (Liveright Publishing 2017). ISBN 9781631492723
  7. ↑ "Amusements in Italy" The Era (May 15, 1886): 13. via Newspapers.comOpen access icon
  8. ↑ Virginia Ferni-Germano, ESDF Opera.
  9. ↑ "Virginia Ferni Germano, Once Noted Soprano, Dies" Chicago Tribune (February 6, 1934): 16. via Newspapers.comOpen access icon
  10. ↑ Virginia Ferni Germano, Fondazione Giorgio Cini.
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