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Renata ScottoItalian opera singer, soprano, and opera director
Date of Birth: 24.02.1934
Country:  Italy |
Content:
Biography of Renata Scotto
Renata Scotto was an Italian opera singer, soprano, and opera director. Born on February 24, 1934 in Savona, Italy, she became a highly successful opera director and teacher after retiring from the stage in 2002. She worked in Italy and America, alongside her academic duties at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome and the Juilliard School in New York.
Early Career
Renata Scotto made her professional opera debut at the age of 18 in her hometown of Savona on Christmas Eve in 1952. She performed the role of Violetta in Verdi's "La Traviata," which was a sold-out success. The following day, she made her "official" debut at the Teatro Nuovo in Milan, again playing Violetta. Soon, Scotto began performing in her first Puccini opera, "Madama Butterfly," and both roles became closely associated with her name.
In 1953, Scotto auditioned for the role of Walter in Alfredo Catalani's "La Wally" at La Scala. After her audition, conductor Victor de Sabata said, "Forget about the others!" The performance of "La Wally" opened on December 7, 1953, and Scotto was called to the stage 15 times. The audience also invited the main performers, Renata Tebaldi and Mario Del Monaco, to the stage seven times.
International Breakthrough
In September 1957, Scotto achieved international recognition when La Scala brought their production of Bellini's "La Sonnambula" to the Edinburgh Festival, with Maria Callas originally cast as Amina. However, Callas withdrew due to illness, and Scotto replaced her. The production was a resounding success, and overnight, the 23-year-old Scotto became an opera star of international acclaim.
Throughout the 1960s, Scotto became one of the leading performers of the bel canto revival era. She sang leading roles in rare operas such as Bellini's "Zaira," "La Straniera," and "I Capuleti e I Montecchi," Donizetti's "Maria di Rohan," and Meyerbeer's "Robert le Diable." In 1964, Scotto and the La Scala troupe performed at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, marking the first visit of an Italian opera company to the Soviet Union during the Cold War.
Later Career and Personal Life
Scotto's American debut came in 1960 when she performed the role of Mimì in Puccini's "La Bohème" at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. That same year, she married violinist Lorenzo Anselmi, with whom she had a daughter and a son. In October 1965, Scotto made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera as Cio-Cio-San in "Madama Butterfly." She performed in 26 roles in over 300 performances at the Metropolitan Opera until 1987.
Scotto also regularly performed at the San Francisco Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Dallas Opera, Royal Opera in London, Liceu in Barcelona, Teatro La Fenice in Venice, Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, and numerous other opera houses worldwide.
In 1974, Scotto faced a hostile audience for the first time in her career. While performing the role of Elena in Verdi's "I Vespri Siciliani," a small but noisy group of hooligans shouted "Bravo, Callas!" and "Maria, Maria!" while Maria Callas was present in the audience. Both singers ignored the antics, and at the end of the performance, Callas stood up and applauded Scotto.
After a 40-year singing career, Scotto performed roles in operas by 18 composers, accumulating a repertoire of about 50 roles. Following her retirement from singing, she directed numerous successful opera productions in leading theaters worldwide.
