It is thanks to my aunt,
the soprano, that I landed here in the West!
The other day I was having a great time with an interesting guy whom I didn't know until then but who is now like a close friend because we discovered that we grew up in the same mountain area in Northern Italy! A fortunate encounter! He was here from Italy for business with the Opera so I tried to remember all the episodes in my life related to that world.
My father's older brother, Giuseppe, was a conductor (as well as a hero of WWI) who worked for years with Arturo Toscanini at the Metropolitan in New York. There he met Franca Somigli, American, who became his wife. She was known as a fabulous soprano who sang on both sides of the ocean. Her most famous role is that of Minnie in "La fanciulla del West" (The Girl of the West) by Giacomo Puccini. I found a mention of her that made me wish to have known her better! "In 2008 soprano Dessí, in Rome, came on stage on a real horse just like Franca Somigli used to do"
I remember comments of friends
and from my mother depicting her as a wild beauty, with a strong character but very nice and generous. Although not a beauty, in my opinion, she had the charm of her character and intelligence. I liked her.
In the photo below is the famous tenor Caruso performing in la Fanciulla del West in New York, conductor Toscanini, 2010. No body building in those years...
On August 19th of an undisclosed year (!!) Mom was in her room in our villa in Sordevolo, near Biella, trying
to throw me out in the world, while in the park some guests were wandering around waiting to
meet me. (I made this up). My dad, instead, went to his studio because he wanted to be working at his desk while his daughter was making her first appearance! Oh men....!.
But real guests were there indeed, among whom my
aunt Franca. Crazy as she was, she
decided to sing while her niece was being born...so with all her breath she
started singing La Fanciulla del West!!!
And there is when I came into this
world!
Reported by my poor mom in person who was laughing when she told me the
story but said that she was very upset by that noise right in the middle of her
delivery. I bet!
 |
| Right of the terrace, the two windows of the room where I was born! |
So...after years in a life that didn't really belong to me, I finally heard the message sung for me by aunt Franca..go West, girl!
And here I am!
