CurzonRoad's video: SEMIRAMIDE Contralto Eleonora de CISNEROS: Ah quel giorno 1913

(Improved Version) American contralto Eleonora de Cisneros (1878-1934) Ah! quel giorno Semiramide (Rossini) Recorded: April 5, 1913 in New York -- De Cisneros is pictured as Brangaene in Wagner's Tristan und Isolde The Philadelphia Inquirer Saturday, February 24, 1912 (page 2) Photo by Matzene, Chicago Originally Eleanor Broadfoot (b. Nov. 1, 1878, New York; d. Feb. 3, 1934, New York), she studied with Mme. Murio-Celli in New York. During her studies she was discovered by Jean De Reszke, who brought her to the attention of the Metropolitan Opera; she made her debut there (1900) as Rossweisse in Die Walkure. In 1901 she married the Cuban count Francesco de Cisneros, and from that time on she appeared under that name. In 1901 she went to Europe for further study with Jean De Reszke and Victor Maurel in Paris and with Trabadello and Lombardi in Milan. In 1902 she appeared in Turin and had a starring career for the next twelve years at the largest Italian theaters. She sang at La Scala in 1906 in the world premiere of La Figlia di Jorio, and in 1908 in the first performance of Elektra and Queen of Spades. She was a guest in Lisbon, Paris, Vienna, Madrid, Barcelona, Antwerp, St. Petersburg, and regularly in London (1903-08). From 1906-11 she was the principal contralto at the Manhattan Opera; she then sang with the Philadelphia-Chicago Company and until 1916 with the Chicago Opera. In 1914 she sang Brangane in Tristan und Isolde at the Theatre des Champs-Elysees. In 1915 she toured Cuba, Australia, and New Zealand. In 1925 she appeared occasionally at La Scala as Herodias in Salome and lived until 1929 in Paris. Thereafter she became a singIng teacher in New York. She had a large-dimensioned contralto voice of great expressiveness. (Kutsch & Riemens Biographical Dictionary of Singers - Chilton Book Company - 1969) ******************************