Luisa Tetrazzini

Born in Florence on June 29, 1871, Luisa Tetrazzini studied singing at the conservatory there and also learned from her sister Eva, who was a successful soprano. She made her operatic debut in 1895 as Inez in Meyerbeer's L'Africaine, and early success in Italy soon led to appearances in Russia, Mexico, and South America.

Her international fame grew quickly in the years that followed. Audiences especially admired the ease, brightness, and flexibility of her voice, and she became closely associated with the coloratura repertory. A celebrated appearance at Covent Garden in London in 1907 helped secure her reputation as one of the era's best-loved singers.

Tetrazzini remained a vivid public figure long after her rise to stardom, and her name even passed into popular culture through the dish "tetrazzini," created in her honor. She died in Milan on April 28, 1940, but her recordings and legend still offer a glimpse of the exuberant style that made her unforgettable.