Olivero, Magda (1914—)
Olivero, Magda (1914—)
Italian soprano. Born on March 14, 1914, in Saluzzo, Italy; studied with Luigi Gerussi, Simonetto and Ghedini.
Made debut in Turin (1933), in London at Stoll Theater (1952), in U.S. (Dallas) as Medea (1967), at Metropolitan Opera (1975).
Magda Olivero was over 60 years old when she made her Metropolitan Opera debut in 1975. Despite 40 years on international opera stages, she had never been invited to sing there. When Olivero began performing in 1933, the verismo style was at its height, and she would continue to be a formidable advocate of the style, though it had all but vanished by the end of her career. Said Dalla Rizza, "God has helped Magda to keep going so people can still know what it was like when singing was art." Many recordings document her great abilities.
John Haag , Associate Professor of History, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia