Alice Cucini (Mezzo-Soprano) (? 1870 – Milan 1949)

She made her professional opera debut in 1891 at the Teatro di San Carlo in Naples as Lola in Cavalleria rusticana, a role which she repeated later that year at the Teatro Costanzi in Rome. She spent the next several years singing in performances throughout Italy, including productions in Trieste, Milan, Venice, and Florence. In 1897 she sang the role of Dalila in Camille Saint-Saëns's Samson et Dalila at the Teatro Regio di Torino to great acclaim. Cucini became particularly associated with this role and portrayed in numerous productions throughout the next fourteen years, including the Teatro Comunale di Bologna (1899), Teatro Donizetti di Bergamo (1900), Teatro Regio di Parma (1902), Teatro Colón (1910), and a few performances of the role in Spain. In 1898 Cucini traveled to Russia where she sang in several operas in Saint Petersburg and portrayed the role of Gertrude in Ambroise Thomas's Hamlet in Odessa. In 1901 and 1902 she sang at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires and the Solís Theatre in Montevideo, notably portraying Amneris in Giuseppe Verdi's Aida and as Azucena in Verdi's Il Trovatore. This was the beginning of a fruitful career in South America that lasted until 1910. In 1903 Cucini made an extensive tour of South America with lauded soprano Hariclea Darclée. Over the next seven years she made frequent appearances in operas and concerts in major cities throughout South America. Her last season on that continent was in 1910 and was spent mainly at the Teatro Colón. That year she notably sang the title role in Gaspare Spontini's La Vestale and sang in the world premiere of Giocondo Fino's Il Battista along with Adelina Agostinelli and Giuseppe de Luca. After 1910, Cucini spent the remaining part of her career singing in major opera houses throughout Italy. During the final four years of her career, the only major opera house In Italy she did not appear in was La Scala. She retired from the stage not too long after the outbreak of World War I. She spent her last few years at a rest home for aged musicians that Verdi had donated to the city of Milan. 

Chronology of some appearances

1891 Roma  Teatro Costanzi Cavalleria Rusticana (Lola)
1891 Napoli  Teatro San Carlo Cavalleria Rusticana (Lola)
1893 Palermo  Politeama Cavalleria Rusticana (Lola)
1896 Madrid  Teatro Buen Retiro Ballo in Maschera (Ulrica)
1896 Madrid  Teatro Buen Retiro Carmen (Carmen)
1896 Madrid  Teatro Buen Retiro Favorita (Leonora)
1896 Venezia  Teatro Rossini Favorita (Leonora)
1898 Odessa  Teatro Municipale Favorita (Leonora)
1901 Firenze  Teatro Verdi Favorita (Leonora)
1902 Vienna  Un der Wien Favorita (Leonora)
1902 Bergamo  Teatro Nuovo Favorita (Leonora)
1902 Buenos Ayres  Teatro Opera Favorita (Leonora)
1903 Rosario di Santa Fê  Teatro Olimpo Ballo in Maschera (Ulrica)
1904 Rosario di Santa Fê  Teatro Colon Favorita (Leonora)
1906 Lisbona  Teatro San Carlos Don Carlo (Eboli)
1906 Lisbona  Coliseo Recrejos Favorita (Leonora)
1907 Buenos Ayres  Teatro Coliseo Ballo in Maschera (Ulrica)
1908 Verona  Teatro Drammatico Favorita (Leonora)
 

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

 

Zonophone, Milano 1903?
Mignon (Thomas): Non conosci il bel suol? X-1583
Samson et Dalila (Saint-Saëns): O aprile foriero X-1578

Samson et Dalila (Saint-Saens): S'apre per te il mio cor  X-1579

Gioconda (Ponchielli): Voce di donna X-1586

G&T, MIlano 1906

Favorita (Donizetti): O mio Fernando 053080 601½c

G&T, Milano 1907
Trovatore (Verdi): Stride la vampa 53500 10372b