Rosina Storchio

Rosina Storchio (19 January 1872 – 24 July 1945) was an Italian lyric coloratura soprano who starred in the world premieres of operas by Puccini, Leoncavallo, Mascagni and Giordano.

Three years later, she debuted at Italy's most famous opera house, La Scala, Milan, performing in Massenet's Werther.

Milan became her home base from then on, but she also appeared during the pre-World War I period at theatres in other key Italian cities, including Rome and her native Venice.

She toured South America and Spain, too, and undertook singing engagements in Paris and Moscow, unwisely attempting parts as heavy as that of the title role in Puccini's Tosca.

[1] She left a small legacy of 78-rpm gramophone recordings made during the early years of the 20th century.