Bianca Besalu (Mezzo-Soprano) (Buenos Aires 1879- Buenos Aires 1935)

She went to Italy to study singing under Cleofonte Campanini and Eva Tetrazzini. She debuted as Santuzza in’’ Cavalleria rusticana’’ at the Teatro Sociale and then sang in Firenze, Padua, Genova and Milan. At the beginning of the career she sang mainly parts of dramatic soprano like Leonore in ‘’Il Trovatore’’ or Margherita in ’’La damnation de Faust’’. In 1910 she undertook a big tour through Greece and Egypt, then took up, however, again studies in Italy and sang since then only as a mezzo-soprano. In 1913 she guested at the opera theatres of Nice and Monte Carlo. Till 1922 she was to be found as a guest at the big opera houses of Italy, France, Spain, Portugal and Switzerland. Only in 1923 she came to stage appearances in her Argentine native country, namely at the Teatro Coliseo of Buenos Aires. In 1925 she performed at the Teatro Liceo in Barcelona. After her retirement she worked in Buenos Aires as a singing teacher.

Chronology of some appearances

1908 Corfu Teatro Nuovo Forza del Destino (Leonora)
1911 Padova Teatro Verdi Dannazione di Faust (Margherita)
1915 Genova Politeama Genovese Trovatore (Azucena)       
1918 Modena Teatro Storchi Gioconda (Laura)
1919 Mantova Teatro Andreani Trovatore (Azucena)
1920 Prato Teatro Metastasio Cavalleria Rusticana (Santuzza)
1923 Buenos Ayres Teatro Coliseo Aida (Amneris)
1925 Barcellona Teatro Liceo Aida (Amneris)

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

 

Victor, USA 1910-11-24

Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni): Turiddu mi tolse l'onore with Ernesto Badini 55021-B


Gramophone, Milano 1910-11-25
Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni): Tu qui, Santuzza with Guido Ciccolini 054297 222aj 

Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni): Ah no, Turiddu wtth Guido Ciccolini 054298 223aj

Gramophone, Milano 1910-12-10

Andrea Chenier: Vicino a te with Francesco Conti 54468 947ah

Odeon Fonotipia, Milano 1911?

Trovatore (Verdi): Parlar non vuoi with Ferdinando De Neri and Teresa Principe A82557
Conte di Lussemburgo (Lehar): Duetto del Trefile with Edoardo Mario Pagani 82599
Trovatore (Verdi): Vivra! Contende il giubilo with Giuseppe Del Chiaro A82625
Trovatore: Mira d'acerbe lagrime with Giuseppe Del Chiaro A82624Gioconda (Ponchielli): Dal carcere m'hai tratto with Carlo Albani A82628

Gioconda (Ponchielli): O furibonda iena with Carlo Albani A82629

Phonodisc Mondial, Milano 1912?

Aida: Fuggiam gli ardori with Alfredo Braglia Phonodisc Mindial    674

Columbia, Milano 1912?
Forza del destino (Verdi): La vergine degli angeli D4353 11251

Mefistofele (Boito): L'altra notte in fondo al mare D 9277 11278