Teresa Stolz

Teresa Stolz (Czech: Tereza Stolzová; born June 2, 1834 in Elbkosteletz; † August 22, 1902 in Milan ) was a Czech opera singer. They participated in many premieres of Giuseppe Verdi's works, and was a close friend of the composer since 1869.

Life

Teresa Stolz was the younger sister of twins Franziska ( Fanny ) and Ludmilla ( Lidia ) pride (both born in 1827 ) who were also singers. According to a study singing in Prague and in 1856 in Trieste and Milan, she made her debut in 1857 at the Italian Opera in Tbilisi as a soprano. After appearances in Russian theaters and Konstantin Opel she sang at many stages of Italy. Their path led over the course of her career throughout Europe.

After her success as Giovanna d' Arco at La Scala in 1865, she sang in the Italian premiere of Don Carlos Elisabetta. The conductor Angelo Mariani (1821-1873) ruled in 1868 after her performance as Amelia in Un ballo in maschera: " The scale and beauty of her voice, the art to modulate them, their empathy with the music and their singing skills - everything is perfect, sublime. " Mariani became engaged in the same year with the singer.

Verdi and Teresa Stolz likely to be encountered for the first time in 1867 in a performance of Don Carlos, but no later than 1869 at the rehearsals for the first performance of the revised version of La forza del destino. After the singer in Verdi's estate Sant 'Agata in Busseto was several times to visit, they broke up in 1871 by Mariani, who had long been a close friend of Verdi, with which Verdi had but quarreled.

Teresa Stolz soon became a Verdi specialist and celebrated mainly in the late operas, such as Amelia in Un ballo in maschera and the title role of Aida triumphs. After 1872, she sang almost exclusively in works by Verdi.

Relationship with Verdi

It remains uncertain whether Teresa Stolz was just a muse or if she had a love affair with Verdi. From Giuseppina Verdi's records show that there was a marriage crisis because Teresa Stolz. A letter from Teresa Stolz from the August 1872 provided them with the scathing comment: "Sixteen letters! in a short time! What an activity ". In a marital quarrel Giuseppina should have nagging: "Either this woman leaves the house or I go ," to which Verdi zurückbrüllte ". This woman is or I'll shoot myself " Although Verdi his private life carefully shielded from the public, were soon rumors that Verdi and Teresa Stolz had a relationship, launched by a malicious newspaper article in the Rivista Indipende from September 1875.

In June 1876 Teresa 's pride took a commitment in Russia. When they had returned in March 1877 to Italy, she gave her resignation as a singer. Her last public appearance was on June 30, 1879 in a benefit performance of Verdi's Messa da Requiem at the Milan Scala.Auch after her retirement she remained friends with Verdi.

Teresa Stolz was life unmarried. After the death of Verdi's wife Giuseppina in November 1897 Teresa Stolz was often on Verdi's estate Sant'Agata and accompanied the composer on several trips. She survived the composer only one and a half years.

Soloist in world and European premieres of Verdi

• Elisabeth in Don Carlos at the premiere in Bologna under the direction of Angelo Mariani on October 27, 1867.
• Leonora in La forza del destino at the premiere of the revised version of La Scala on 27 February 1869.
• Aida in Aida at the premiere of La Scala under the direction of Franco Faccio on February 8, 1872.
• Soprano solo in the Messa da Requiem at the premiere in Milan, San Marco, headed by Giuseppe Verdi on May 22, 1874.
• Soprano solo in the Messa da Requiem at the 1875 European tour premieres in London, Vienna and Paris under the direction of Giuseppe Verdi.