Caterina Canzi, also known as Katharina Wallbach-Canzi, (1805 – 22 July 1890) was an Austrian-born soprano who sang leading roles in the opera houses of Europe, primarily in Italy and Germany.
[1] After further studies at the Milan Conservatory with Davide Banderali, she appeared in the title role of Rossini's Zelmira at the Teatro Riccardi in Bergamo in 1823 and that same year made her debut at La Scala as Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia.
The Italian correspondent for The Quarterly Musical Magazine and Review wrote of her La Scala debut that "her singing is very pleasing; her execution neat, and her ornaments graceful" and noted that she had also sung with success in Rossini's Ricciardo e Zoraide and L'inganno felice.
[2] She continued to sing in various theatres in Italy through 1825 as Catarina Canzi (the Italianized version of her name), appearing in Turin, Trieste, Florence, Vicenza, Parma and Bologna.
She was made an honorary member of the Accademia Filarmonica di Bologna, and after a performance at the Teatro Comunale, her admirers tossed a laurel wreath at her feet to which yet another poem was attached.