Cesira Ferrani

[1] Ferrani sang a wide repertoire that encompassed not only verismo opera but the works of composers like Verdi, Gounod, Wagner, and Debussy.

Born Cesira Zanazzio, Ferrani studied with Antonietta Fricci in Turin before making her professional opera début in 1887 as Micaëla in Bizet's Carmen at the Teatro Regio di Torino.

In 1892 she appeared at the Teatro Carlo Felice as Amelia into Verdi's Simon Boccanegra and as the title role in Alfredo Catalani's Loreley under Arturo Toscanini.

[1] On 1 February 1893, Ferrani sang the title role in the world premiere of Puccini's Manon Lescaut at the Teatro Regio di Torino.

[3] In 1928 when the first recording of Puccini's Madama Butterfly was made, the Gramophone Company invited her out of retirement to sing Kate Pinkerton's handful of lines in Act 3.