Maria Pellegrini, Soprano

Maria Pellegrini is one of the world's brightest stars. She enjoys a brilliant career which has taken her to the leading opera houses and concert halls of Europe, Great Britain, Canada, the United States, Asia, and the Caribbean including Royal Opera House at Covent Garden, Royal Albert Hall, Welsh National Opera, English National Opera, Scottish Opera, Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Teatro Felice di Genoa, Teatro Regio di Parma, Teatro Giusseppe Verdi di Trieste, Teatro Massimo di Catania, Taormina, Teatro Massimo di Palermo, New York City Opera, New Jersey State Opera, Baltimore Opera, Palm Beach Opera, Canadian Opera Company, Vancouver Opera, L'Opera de Montreal, Teatro Nacional del' Opera di Santo Domingo, Taipei Opera Festival among many others. She has perfromed with leading orchestras including BBC Symphony, Royal Opera House Orch, London Philharmonic Orch, Cinncinatti Symphony Orch, Montreal Symphony, National Arts Center Orch to name a few.  Miss Pellegrini's magnificent voice has earned the epithet of "Primo Soprano" and "The Callas of Canada" and she has appeared with the world's finest singers, directors, and conductors in her performances on the international stage including Sir George Solti, Sir Charles Mackerras, Sir Colin Davis, Sir Edward Downes, Anton Guadagno, Ernesto Barbini, and John Mauceri.

Among her many artistic achievements, Miss Pellegrini has been awarded 1991 Ponte d'Oro, Il Primo Soprano d'Italia, the coveted Caravella d'Oro Award for her performances in Electra and Cosi fan tutte in Italy. Her performances of Madama Butterfly at Il Teatro Comunale Giuseppe Verdi di Trieste and Il Teatro Comunale di Treviso were given the singular honour of being presented The Puccini Medallion a specially minted medallion commemorating both her and the composer Giacomo Puccini. No less gratifying was Lord Harewood's declaration that "Maria Pellegrini is the greatest Butterfly Alive." The Societe Radio Canada created a film production of Madama Butterfly for international broadcast starring Miss Pellegrini in the title role as well as a Biographical Profile, a documentary on her life and career which has been aired over many of the world's major networks. International televised broadcasts include productions of Madama Butterfly, Traviata, Manon Lescaut in Canada, Lucia di Lammermoor in Santo Domingo and Otello in Taipei and Buffalo, USA.

Through out her career Miss Pellegrini has left her mark interpreting Puccinian heroines, among them her internationally acclaimed Cio-Cio-San remains in the minds of opera afficionados everywhere. In April 2000 she perfromed the role to great success at The Ford Centre in Toronto as well as at Il Teatro Curci di Barletta December 1999. As Madama Butterfly Pellegrini has sung in many of the world's leading opera houses such as The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Sadlers Wells, Il Teatro G. Verdi di Trieste, Teatro Carlo Felice di Genova, Scottish Opera, Welsh National Opera, New York City Opera, Cinncinatti Opera, Teatro Nacional di Santo Domingo, New Jersey, Vancouver Opera, Canadian Opera Company.

In 1997 she has received ovations for her interpretation of Aida with Opera Lyra Ottawa "Maria Pellegrini sang well and brought great sensetivity to the role. Her voice was beautiful in the lower register but the full lyric voice was also stunning and dramatic when appropriate. Her artistry could be most appreciated during her aria 'O patria mia'." OTTAWA CITIZEN and the opera companies including those of Sadlers Wells, Canadian Opera Company in Toronto, Welsh National Opera.

In 1996 she made her debut as Madama Butterfly for Opera Lyra Ottawa "Maria Pellegrini all but owns the title role nowadays... she really was superb. In addition to her convincing portrayal of the young geisha, she has the ability to refrain from overwhelming the rest of the cast. Her big numbers Un bel di, and Tu! Tu! Piccolo Iddio are among the glories of the dramatic soprano repertoire...Pellegrini sings them like a Butterfly rather than a Brunhilde." OTTAWA CITIZEN

In 1995 Miss Pellegrini triumphed as Violetta in with The Baltimore Lyric Opera, "Maria Pellegrini illuminated the Lyric Opera... to a packed house and a heartfelt standing ovation. Her performance as Violetta was a perfect combination of grace and humility, fitting the part with not only the beauty of her incredible voice, but also with her impressive ability as an actress... The Baltimore Times would like to salute Maria Pellegrini for a magnificent performance in Baltimore." THE BALTIMORE TIMES, USA  Violetta is a role she perfromed countless times with Il Teatro Petruzzelli di Bari, Royal Opera House at Covent Garden, Baltimore Lyric Opera, Teatro Nacional di Santo Domingo, Pittsburgh Opera, New Orleans Opera, New Jersey State Opera, Buffalo Lyric Opera, Canadian Opera Company in Toronto, L'opera de Quebec, and Vancouver Opera.

In 1992-93 she debuted as Desdemona for Buffalo Lyric Opera and The Taipei Music Festival, both filmed for international broadcasting as was her debut as Lucia di Lammermoor at Il Teatro Nacional di Santo Domingo. In 1993 she sang Madama Butterfly for Toledo Opera, USA again to great success"Her Butterfly moved in the wispy world of adolescent dreams, but always with the cultivated charm and free, beautifully spinning voice of a mature woman...her voice has a focus and clarity to it that sounds much younger." THE BLADE -TOLEDO In 1992 Pellegrini's debut with Opera Lyra Ottawa as Violetta in was a triumph on stage and at the box office. "As Violetta , Maria Pellegrini sang a role for which she was born...Hers was a grand, gut-wrenching perfromance in the tradition of Callas and Stratas." OPERA CANADA

 

In 1991 Miss Pellegrini won great success as Violetta in Buffalo Lyric Opera's Traviata, "As Violetta soprano Maria Pellegrini displayed radiant vocal fireworks throughout, with a voice that exploaded in moments of passion. Her hopeless love for Alfredo Germont was revealed in countless gestures and statements that bore the sting of realism." BUFFALO TRIBUNE

In 1990 she perfromed the role of Liu in Turandot for Buffalo Lyric Opera "Liu Maria Pellegrini spun out a properly Italianate line, capturing the audiences heart in Tu che di gel." OPERA NEWS "Maria Pellegrini as Liu was undoubtedly the actress in the production, giving as much to her dramatcial performance as to her singing." NIAGRA FALLS REVIEW As Liu Pellegrini performed with The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Buffalo Lyric Opera, Vancouver Opera, L'opera de Montreal, Manitoba Opera and Edmonton Opera.

To great critical acclaim she has performed Nedda in I Pagliacci, with the companies of The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Luglio Musicale Trapanese, New Jersey State Opera, and the Canadian Opera Company, "Would it be an exaggeration to say she is one of the great Nedda's of our time? Vocally and visually she seemed everything expected of this arouser of violent and tragic passions" -TORONTO STAR

As Mimi "Maria Pellegrini is a singer and actress of compelling sincerety" - NEW JERSEY "If Pellegrini is The Greatestest Butterfly Alive' then her Mimi and Violetta cannot be far behind." - TORONTO STAR She perfromed Mimi opposite Luciano Pavarotti at The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Salders Wells, Il Teatro Bellini di Catania, Luglio Musicale Trapanese, Palm Beach Opera, New Jersey State Opera, Calgary Opera.

Miss Pellegrini 's Manon Lescaut has been heard with companies including The Welsh National Opera, Sadlers Wells, Opera Hamilton, and Manitoba Opera. "Miss Pellegrini's performance was superb. She was in turn a ravishing coquette, a sophisticated femme du monde and a woman of fire. Her aria Sola perduta abbandonata, diffused grief, passion, and despair, and the will to live."- MANITOBA CANADA

She has "mesmerized" audiences in the role of Gilda in Rigoletto "Pellegrini was superb. 'Caro nome' was sung with the agility and solidity that would do justice to any performance, but in this one is was simply another jewel in the crown..The aria has everything from top C's to trills and all sorts of coloratura leaps, and Miss Pellegrini brought them off with an elan that a Sutherland or Nilsson would be happy to have. In the rest of the performance she was nothing short of brilliant." - TORONTO STAR Pellegrini perfromed as Gilda with The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Teatro Carlo Felice di Genova, Luglio Musicale Trapanese, Teatro Bellini di Catania, Connecticut Opera, Canadian Opera Company.

Audiences and critics around the world have praised her in many other roles including an award winning Fiordiligi in Cosi fan tutte, Amelia in Simon Boccanegra, Alice in Falstaff, Amina in La Sonnambula, Loretta in La Rondine, Elvira in I Puritani Amalia in I Masnadieri and the Verdi Requiem. Her discography includes Covent Garden Aniversary (DECCA SET 392-3) a complete 1995 recording of Madama Butterfly, and a recent recording of operatic selections entitled 'Passione' released in 1999.