Emma Carelli

Emma Carelli
1877– 1928
Italian soprano

Studied with her father, Beniamino Carelli, at the Conservatorio San Pietro a Majella, debut in 1895 in the title role of Mercadante's La vestale at Altamura and went on to appear in the opera houses of many Italian cities.
Sang in several world premieres including: Pietro Floridia's La Colonia libera (1899); Meryem in Cesare Galeotti's Anton (1900) and Rosaura in Mascagni's Le maschere at La Scala in 1901.She became particularly associated with the title role in Leoncavallo's Zazà and sang in several operas by Richard Wagner, including the roles of Kundry in Parsifal and Elisabeth in Tannhäuser. She also sang the title role in Puccini's Tosca, the title role in Giordano's Fedora, Santuzza in Mascagni's Cavalleria rusticana, and Margherita in Boito's Mefistofele among other roles.In 1908, Carelli's husband purchased the Teatro Costanzi. His company, Società Teatrale Internazionale,[4] produced the world premiere of Leoncavallo's Maia during its second season. Carelli took over the management from her husband in 1912 During her 14-year management of the theatre, several operas received their first Rome performances including Richard Strauss's Elektra (in which she sang the title role), La fanciulla del West, Turandot and Il trittico by Giacomo Puccini; Parsifal by Richard Wagner; Francesca da Rimini by Riccardo Zandonai; Boris Godunov by Modest Mussorgsky; Samson et Dalila by Camille Saint-Saëns.