Vita gazette – Farewell to soprano Renata Scotto, one of the greatest interpreters of the 20th century. The funeral is probably on August 18 in Savona.

Renata Scotto, one of the most essential soprano voices of the 20th century, died in her native Savona. She was 89 years old. Scotto was one of the most famous opera singers in the country. In her long career, she has sung a vast repertoire ranging from Pergolesi to Schoenberg, passing through Mozart, Rossini, Bellini, Verdi, Puccini, Strauss and even Wagner.

The beginning of her career was characterised by an error by her first singing teacher in Milan, who debuted at nineteen at the Teatro Gabriello Chiabrera in her city as Violetta in “Traviata”. From that moment begins the uninterrupted ascent that takes her on December 7, 1953, on the stage of La Scala in Milan in Catalani’s “La Wally”.

However, international fame came in 1957 when La Scala brought Vincenzo Bellini’s “La Sonnambula” with Maria Callas to Edinburgh. A great success, so much so that the Milanese theatre decided to add other performances which, however, Callas could not sing due to other commitments. La Scala then called Renata Scotto to replace her, and for the Ligurian soprano, it was such a triumph that she shone on the international opera scene from that moment on.

An artist gifted with a more unique than rare versatility, Scotto has always sung with extraordinary results a vast repertoire ranging from Giovanni Battista Pergolesi to Arnold Schoenberg, passing through Mozart, Rossini, Bellini, Verdi, Puccini, Strauss and even Wagner.

As she recounted several times in some interviews, the beginning of her career was characterised by an error by her first singing teachers in Milan, who had given her a contralto voice. However, driven by the large family who had her future as an opera singer very close to her heart, she underwent an audition with another maestro. These, doubtful that her vocal range was that of the contralto, let the public determine whether Scotto was a contralto or a soprano. After singing Azucena’s aria from Trovatore and Aida’s aria from the third act Cieli azzurri at a concert, the audience “establishes” that Scotto is a soprano. Her career developed first as a lyric-light soprano and then as a dramatic agility.

A great woman

“A unique singer, a great musician, a great artist, a great woman has died. A great Savonese. Cultured, refined, generous, simple. Renata Scotto wanted to give Savona her presence, her commitment, her art” wrote Russo Mayor of Savona Marco Russo on Facebook.