Barbara Frittoli


Barbara Frittoli is an Italian operatic soprano, specializing in operas by Verdi and Mozart. She has sung leading roles in opera houses throughout Europe and in the United States, such as La Scala in Milan and the Metropolitan Opera in New York. Her signature roles include Mimì in La bohème, the Countess in The Marriage of Figaro, Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni, Desdemona in Otello.

Life

Frittoli was born in Milan. At the age of 9, she started piano studies at the Milan Conservatory, intending to become a pianist. When she was singing in the Conservatory choir at 12 years old, she was noticed by Giulio Bertola and Bruno Casoni. Under their recommendation, she switched to singing, in alto, which resulted in vocal troubles. She only recovered her voice after studying with Giovanna Canetti, under whose instruction she developed into a soprano.
She made her professional debut in 1990 as Ines in Il trovatore conducted by Zubin Mehta with Luciano Pavarotti as the main role at the Teatro Comunale, Florence.
In 1992, she debuted in the U.S. at the Opera Company of Philadelphia as Micaëla in Carmen.
Three years later, she made her Metropolitan Opera debut in 1995 as Micaëla in Carmen and has gone on to sing in over 80 performances there including Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni, Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte, Angelica in Suor Angelica, Desdemona in Otello, the title role in Luisa Miller, Amelia in Simon Boccanegra, Vitellia in La clemenza di Tito, and Alicia Ford in Falstaff. She performed in two editions of Glyndebourne Festival Opera, in Graham Vick's new productions of Così fan tutte and Don Giovanni.
In June 1998, she was featured in the role of Liù in Turandot at the Forbidden City, an outdoor production of the Puccini opera.
In December 1999, she sang Alice Ford in Vick's new Falstaff, which opened the first season after Royal Opera House's refurbishment.
In December 2004, she added Elisabetta di Valois in Don Carlo to her repertoire, alternating the role with Adrianne Pieczonka at the Teatro Comunale, Florence.
In December 2008, she starred in a new production of Massenet's Thaïs, inaugurating Teatro Regio di Torino's new season. In 2012, she debuted in the title role in Adriana Lecouvreur at the Liceu.

Personal life

Frittoli was married to baritone Natale de Carolis, with whom she had a daughter, Arianna. She had been in a relationship with Ildar Abdrazakov.

Awards

Frittoli won the Female Singer of the Year in the 2001 Echo Klassik.
In 2012, she was invested as Austrian Kammersängerin.

Recordings

Full works on CD
Full works on video
  • Rossini: Il viaggio a Reims. Claudio Abbado, Berliner Philharmoniker, Rundfunkchor Berlin
  • Mozart: Cosi fan tutte. Vienna State Opera
  • Turandot at the Forbidden City.
  • Verdi: Falstaff. Royal Opera, London
  • Stabat Mater .
  • Verdi: Otello. La Scala
  • Rossini: Moïse et Pharaon. La Scala
  • Puccini: Turandot. Liceu
  • Verdi: Falstaff. Teatro Comunale, Florence
  • Puccini: Suor Angelica from Il trittico. La Scala
  • Massenet: Thaïs. Teatro Regio
  • Mozart: The Marriage of Figaro. Teatro Real
  • Bizet: Carmen. Metropolitan Opera
  • Mozart: The Marriage of Figaro. Paris Opera
  • Verdi: Falstaff. Zürich Opera House
  • Mozart: Don Giovanni. Metropolitan Opera
  • Mozart: Don Giovanni. La Scala
  • Mozart: La clemenza di Tito. Metropolitan Opera
Recitals and others
  • 2001: Barbara Frittoli Sings Mozart Arias; Charles Mackerras, Scottish Chamber Orchestra
  • 2001: Verdi Arias; Colin Davis, London Symphony Orchestra
  • 2001: Gran Gala di Verdi

    Opera roles

  • Ines, Il trovatore
  • Mimì, La bohème
  • Delia / Modestina, Il viaggio a Reims
  • Micaëla, Carmen
  • Agnese, Beatrice di Tenda
  • Berta, The Barber of Seville
  • Flaminio, Il Flaminio
  • Countess Almaviva, The Marriage of Figaro
  • Antonia, The Tales of Hoffmann
  • Donna Elvira, Don Giovanni
  • Desdemona, Otello
  • Sifare, Mitridate, re di Ponto
  • Fiordiligi, Così fan tutte
  • Medora, Il corsaro
  • Liù, Turandot
  • Amelia, Simon Boccanegra
  • Alice Ford, Falstaff
  • Marguerite, Faust
  • Nedda, Pagliacci
  • Donna Anna, Don Giovanni
  • Leonora, Il trovatore
  • Elettra, Idomeneo
  • Luisa, Luisa Miller
  • Maria Stuarda, Maria Stuarda
  • Vitellia, La clemenza di Tito
  • Anaï, Moïse et Pharaon
  • Elisabetta di Valois, Don Carlos
  • Sister Angelica, Suor Angelica
  • Thaïs, Thaïs
  • Floria Tosca, Tosca
  • Adriana, ''Adriana Lecouvreur''