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Artist
Gina Cigna
12+ albums
vocalClassicalg cignasoprano
about
Gina Cigna (March 6, 1900 – June 20, 2001) was a French-Italian opera singer, one of the leading dramatic soprano of the inter-war period. Cigna was born in Paris, France, to parents of Italian origin. She trained as a pianist at the Paris Conservatory studying with Alfred Cortot and graduated with a gold medal. She then started a career as a recitalist. She met French tenor Maurice Sens, whom she married in 1923, and following his advice turned to singing. She took private lessons with Emma Calvé, Hariclea Darclée and Rosina Storchio, but was mostly self-taught. She made her debut as Ginette Sens in 1927 at the Teatro alla Scala, in Milan, as Freia in Das Rheingold, without much success. Two years later, still at La Scala, but this time under the name Gina Cigna, she sang the role of Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni, and this time it was a triumph. A few weeks later she appeared as Elisabeth in Tannhäuser. She was to sing regularly at La Scala until 1945, quickly establishing herself as one of the leading Italian dramatic soprano alongside Maria Caniglia in operas such as Il Trovatore, Un ballo in maschera, La forza del destino, Aida, Andrea Chénier, and Tosca. However, it is as Norma, La Gioconda and Turandot that her name will remain forever associated. She recorded Norma in 1937 and Turandot, opposite the young Magda Olivero as Liù, in 1938, both for Cetra. As the first complete recordings of these two operas, they are both of considerable historical value. As her reputati
top songs
1
Casta Diva (Norma)
322Turandot: Appendix - Act III - Scene 1 - Nessun dorma!
183Ma dall´arido stelo divulsa (Un Ballo in Maschera)
174Acto I. Cavatina Casta Diva (Norma, Coro)
145Me pellegrina ed orfano (La forza del destino)
126Morrò, ma prima in grazia (Un Ballo in Maschera)
127Poveri fiori (Adriana Lecouvreur)
108Madre, pietosa Vergine (La forza del destino)
99Come vorrei saper - E strano poter (Faust)
810All´erta, all´erta (Faust)
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