Castagna, Bruna

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Castagna, Bruna

Italian mezzo-soprano; b. Bari, Oct. 15, 1905; d. Pinamar, Argentina, July 10, 1983. She was a student of Scognamiglio in Milan. In 1925 she made her operatic debut as the Nurse in Boris Godunov in Mantua; that same year she made her first appearance at Milan’s La Scala as Suzuki, and then sang there until 1928 and again from 1932 to 1934; also appeared at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires (1927–30). On March 2, 1936, she made her Metropolitan Opera debut in N.Y. as Amneris, remaining there until 1940, and then returning in 1943 and 1945. She eventually settled in Argentina. In addition to her roles in Verdi’s operas, she became well known for her portrayals of Carmen, Adalgisa, San-tuzza, and Dalila.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire