Giuseppina Finzi-Magrini (Turin, 1878 – Desio, 1944) was an Italian soprano.
Finzi-Magrini made her debut in 1896 as Oscar in Un ballo in maschera. She was remembered for her style and moderation. In retirement she turned to teaching. Her students included the Danish baritone Frantz Rabinowitz (1918–1948).
In 1943, when Italy came under Nazi occupation and Jews were being hunted, Finzi-Magrini who was of Jewish origin went into hiding under a false name. In 1944 a young nephew was deported to a concentration camp, causing a heart attack that left her mute and paralyzed. She died six weeks later from wounds received in an American air raid on Desio.
Recordings
- Rigoletto: Deh non parlare (with Titta Ruffo).
In fiction
Finzi-Magrini is referenced often in Andre Maurois' 1920 novel Les silences du colonel Bramble (The Silence of Colonel Bramble). She is the favourite singer of the British officer of the title, who likes to listen to her singing on his gramophone throughout World War I.
References
- bio
- Carmine Siniscalco, Herman G. WeinbergFifty years of opera and ballet in Italy – 1956 – 54 "In truth, aside from Tetrazzini and Galli-Curci, who soon went to America forever, first-class stars in this field were very few among us. One, however, should be remembered: Giuseppina Finzi-Magrini, for her style and moderation."
- The Record collector: 1996 "In March 1938 Frantz Rabinowitz left Copenhagen to study with the soprano Giuseppina Finzi-Magrini in Turin. The first thing he did after arriving in Turin was to go to the Teatro Vittorio Emanuele; he wanted to hear Italian opera in natura.
- American celebrity recordings, 1900–1925 Julian Morton Moses – 1993 p208 (8059) Note: Among a host of other selections, this fine soprano sang the usual coloratura aria from the above opera both for Fonotipia before 1909 on No. 92276 and for Columbia after that date on No. 11162
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