Maria Luigia Borsi (born 1973) is an Italian opera singer. A lyric soprano, she is especially known for interpreting operas by

Giacomo Puccini Giacomo Puccini (Lucca, 22 December 1858Bruxelles, 29 November 1924) was an Italian composer known primarily for his operas. Regarded as the greatest and most successful proponent of Italian opera after Verdi, he was descended from a long li ...

and

Giuseppe Verdi Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi (; 9 or 10 October 1813 – 27 January 1901) was an Italian composer best known for his operas. He was born near Busseto to a provincial family of moderate means, receiving a musical education with the h ...

. Among the qualities noted by the critical press are her breath control, phrasing, rich tone, and acting ability.

Education and vocal training

Maria Luigia Borsi was born in Sora (

Frosinone Frosinone (, local dialect: ) is a town and ''comune'' in Lazio, central Italy, the administrative seat of the province of Frosinone. It is located about south-east of Rome close to the Rome-Naples A1 Motorway. The city is the main city of the Va ...

), Italy. Her father is Tuscan (coming from the region of

Tuscany Tuscany ( ; it, Toscana ) is a Regions of Italy, region in central Italy with an area of about and a population of about 3.8 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence (''Firenze''). Tuscany is known for its landscapes, history, art ...

), while her mother comes from the Italian region known as the Ciociaria, just south of

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

. Borsi began her vocal studies at a very young age while singing in a choir for children, La Corale "Domenico Savio", created by Don Lelio Bausani and received a degree in vocal performance from the Istituto Musicale Pietro Mascagni in

Livorno Livorno () is a port city on the Ligurian Sea on the western coast of Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Livorno, having a population of 158,493 residents in December 2017. It is traditionally known in English as Leghorn (pronou ...

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

. Her main voice teachers have included Lucia Stanescu,

Antonietta Stella Maria Antonietta Stella (15 March 1929 – 23 February 2022) was an Italian operatic soprano, and one of the most prominent Italian spinto sopranos of the 1950s and 1960s. She made her debut in Spoleto in 1950, as Leonora in Verdi's ''Il trovator ...

, Renata Scotto and Claudio Desderi.Maria Luigia Borsi
(personal web-site) She is married to American violinist Brad Repp.

Career

In 2002, Maria Luigia Borsi was the winner of the International Voice Competition of San Remo, earning the title "Best opera singer of 2002" (The president of the jury was tenor

Andrea Bocelli Andrea Bocelli (; born 22 September 1958) is an Italian tenor and multi-instrumentalist. He was born visually impaired, with congenital glaucoma, and at the age of 12, Bocelli became completely blind, following a brain hemorrhage resulting fro ...

). In 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2008 Borsi participated in tours of Asia, Australia, the United States and Europe together with tenor

. In 2004, Borsi began her professional opera career at

La Scala La Scala (, , ; abbreviation in Italian of the official name ) is a famous opera house in Milan, Italy. The theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778 and was originally known as the ' (New Royal-Ducal Theatre alla Scala). The premiere performan ...

of Milan interpreting the role of Liù in Giacomo Puccini's opera '' Turandot'', conductor Carlo Rizzi. Also in 2004, Borsi performed the title role in ''

La traviata ''La traviata'' (; ''The Fallen Woman'') is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi set to an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave. It is based on ''La Dame aux camélias'' (1852), a play by Alexandre Dumas ''fils'' adapted from his own 18 ...

'' (Violetta) for the re-opening of the Venetian opera house

La Fenice Teatro La Fenice (, "The Phoenix") is an opera house in Venice, Italy. It is one of "the most famous and renowned landmarks in the history of Italian theatre" and in the history of opera as a whole. Especially in the 19th century, La Fenice beca ...

, conductor

Lorin Maazel Lorin Varencove Maazel (, March 6, 1930 – July 13, 2014) was an American conductor, violinist and composer. He began conducting at the age of eight and by 1953 had decided to pursue a career in music. He had established a reputation in th ...

. In 2006, Borsi once again performed the title role in ''

'' (Violetta) at the Opernhaus Zürich together with baritone

Renato Bruson Renato Bruson (born 13 January 1936) is an Italian operatic baritone. Bruson is widely considered one of the most important Verdi baritones of the late 20th and early 21st century. He was born in Granze near Padua, Italy. Biography and career ...

, tenor

Giuseppe Sabbatini Giuseppe Sabbatini (born 11 May 1957 in Rome, Italy) is a lyric tenor, orchestra conductor, conductor, and double-bassist. His opera repertoire includes ''Idomeneo'', ''Mitridate, re di Ponto'', ''Don Giovanni'', ''Linda di Chamounix'', ''La favo ...

, tenor José Cura and baritone

Giorgio Zancanaro Giorgio Zancanaro (born 9 May 1939) is an Italian baritone, particularly associated with the Italian repertory, especially Verdi. He studied in his native Verona with Maria Palanda, and was revealed at the Verdi Competition in Busseto in 1969 ...

. In 2007 Borsi was a guest Artist at the Special Olympics World Summer Games closing ceremony in Shanghai, together with

José Carreras Josep Maria Carreras Coll (; born 5 December 1946), better known as José Carreras (, ), is a Spanish operatic tenor who is particularly known for his performances in the operas of Donizetti, Verdi and Puccini. Born in Barcelona, he made his de ...

. In 2008, Borsi performed the lead female role ( Desdemona) in the

Salzburg Festival The Salzburg Festival (german: Salzburger Festspiele) is a prominent festival of music and drama established in 1920. It is held each summer (for five weeks starting in late July) in the Austrian town of Salzburg, the birthplace of Wolfgang Amad ...

production of Giuseppe Verdi's ''

Otello ''Otello'' () is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Arrigo Boito, based on Shakespeare's play ''Othello''. It was Verdi's penultimate opera, first performed at the Teatro alla Scala, Milan, on 5 February 1887. Th ...

'', conductor Riccardo Muti. Maria Luigia Borsi is also known as a

recitalist A concert is a live music performance in front of an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, choir, or band. Concerts are held in a wide variety a ...

and has given solo recitals at venues like Wigmore Hall. She has been a recital companion for singers like

and

Leo Nucci Leo Nucci (born 16 April 1942) is an Italian operatic baritone, particularly associated with Verdi and ''Verismo'' roles. Biography Born at Castiglione dei Pepoli, near Bologna, Nucci studied with Giuseppe Marchese. He made his stage debut ...

Recordings

* ''Symphony No. 9'' –

Ludwig van Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. Beethoven remains one of the most admired composers in the history of Western music; his works rank amongst the most performed of the classical ...

, "Live from

Vatican City Vatican City (), officially the Vatican City State ( it, Stato della Città del Vaticano; la, Status Civitatis Vaticanae),—' * german: Vatikanstadt, cf. '—' (in Austria: ') * pl, Miasto Watykańskie, cf. '—' * pt, Cidade do Vati ...

", cond.

, label: Kultur * '' Turandot'' –

, cond. Keri-Lynn Wilson, label: La Fenice * '' Maometto'' –

Peter von Winter Peter Winter, later Peter von Winter, (baptised 28 August 1754 – 17 October 1825) was a German violinist, conductor and composer, especially of operas. He began his career as a player at the Mannheim court, and advanced to conductor. When the ...

, cond. Gabriele Bellini, label: Marco Polo
UK Gramophone Award 2004
* ''

Don Giovanni ''Don Giovanni'' (; K. 527; Vienna (1788) title: , literally ''The Rake Punished, or Don Giovanni'') is an opera in two acts with music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to an Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte. Its subject is a centuries-old Spanis ...

'' –

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 17565 December 1791), baptised as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period. Despite his short life, his rapid pace of composition r ...

, cond.

Zubin Mehta Zubin Mehta (born 29 April 1936) is an Indian conductor of Western classical music. He is music director emeritus of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (IPO) and conductor emeritus of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Mehta's father was the foun ...

, label: Helicon * ''Italian Soprano Arias'' –

London Symphony Orchestra The London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) is a British symphony orchestra based in London. Founded in 1904, the LSO is the oldest of London's orchestras, symphony orchestras. The LSO was created by a group of players who left Henry Wood's Queen's ...

, cond.

Yves Abel Yves Abel (born 1963) is a Canadian conductor. Career Abel was born in Toronto, Ontario, the son of French parents. He made his professional debut as a boy, singing solo in Mozart's ''The Magic Flute'' at the Canadian Opera Company. He studie ...

, label: NaxosAmazon Website
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Awards and honors

* Asteroid 82463 Mluigiaborsi, discovered by Italian astronomers

Luciano Tesi Luciano Tesi (; born 10 December 1931) is an Italian veterinarian, amateur astronomer, discoverer of many minor planets, and director of the San Marcello Pistoiese Observatory. In 1980, he founded the "Amateur Group of Pistoiese Mountain" ( it, ...

and

Giuseppe Forti Giuseppe Forti (December 21, 1939 – July 2, 2007) was an Italian astronomer and a discoverer of asteroids. Forti was a trained solar physicist, and worked at Harvard's ''Radio Meteor Project'' and later at the Arcetri Observatory, in Florence, ...

in 2001, was named in her honor. The official was published by the

Minor Planet Center The Minor Planet Center (MPC) is the official body for observing and reporting on minor planets under the auspices of the International Astronomical Union (IAU). Founded in 1947, it operates at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. Function ...

on 7 February 2012 ().

References

External links

Personal Web Site

Atelier Musicale Srl, management

Reviews, articles, photos and future schedules for Maria Luigia Borsi from The Opera Critic
{{DEFAULTSORT:Borsi, Maria Luigia People from the Province of Frosinone Italian operatic sopranos Living people 1973 births