Stella De Mette Liazza (May 27, 1891 – May 15, 1989) was an American contralto grand opera singer. She performed in European opera houses and in Broadway productions in the United States.
Stella De Mette | |
|---|---|
.png) Liazza in Musical Advance in 1925 | |
| Born | May 27, 1891 St. Louis, Missouri, United States |
| Died | May 15, 1989 (aged 97) Oakland, Missouri, United States |
| Occupation | Contralto grand opera singer |
| Employer | San Carlo Opera Company |
| Spouse | Francesco Liazza |
Biography
editDe Mette was raised in St. Louis, Missouri, United States to Italian and Spanish parents.[1] She began singing aged 4. The Italian opera tenor Enrico Caruso heard her singing as a child and encouraged her to study in Italy. In 1908, Liazza moved to Milan with her grandmother in order to study opera.[2] She debuted as a mezzo-soprano in Genoa in the opera Cavalleria Rusticana, aged 19,[2] but was later known as a contralto.[3][4]
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After returning to the United States, De Mette sang at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City.[5] She performed in 500 performances of Carmen and 700 performances of Aida. She also acted in 14 dramatic productions on Broadway.[2]
De Mette married Francesco Liazza, the San Carlo Opera Company's first trombonist and orchestra manager, who she met while singing for the company.[6][7]
After her husband's death in 1942,[4][8] Liazza retired from performing and taught at Villa Duchesne School for five years and at Maryville College for 11 years.[2] She died on May 15, 1989, in Oakland, Missouri, United States, aged 97.[2]
References
edit- ↑ "Indianapolis News 3 February 1917 — Hoosier State Chronicles: Indiana's Digital Historic Newspaper Program". newspapers.library.in.gov.
- 1 2 3 4 5 St. Louis Post-Dispatch. May 17, 1989.
- ↑ Key, Pierre Van Rensselaer (1931). Pierre Key's Musical Who's who: A Biographical Survey of Contemporary Musicians ... P. Key, Incorporated. p. 143.
- 1 2 "FRANSECO LISZA; San Carlo Orchestra Manager I Had Served Fortune Gallo". The New York Times. July 4, 1942. p. 17. Retrieved December 10, 2025.
- ↑ "Metropolitan Opera Archives". Metropolitan Opera Archives. Retrieved December 10, 2025.
- ↑ Bishop, Cardell (1980). The San Carlo Opera Company, 1913-1955: 1913 to 1936. Bishop. p. 53.
- ↑ "The San Carlo Company; The Manhattan Opera". The New York Times. September 7, 1924. p. 6.
- ↑ Musical Courier: A Weekly Journal Devoted to Music and the Music Trades. Musical Courier Company. 1942. p. 31.
External links
edit- Photograph at the New York Public Library digital collection
- Stella De Mette Liazza at Broadway World
- Stella De Mette at the Internet Broadway Database
- Stella De Mette at Playbill Vault