Philadelphia La Scala Opera Company
| Company type | Defunct |
|---|---|
| Industry | Opera company |
| Founded | 1925 |
| Defunct | 1954 |
| Fate | Merged with Philadelphia Civic Grand Opera Company to form Philadelphia Grand Opera Company |
| Headquarters | Philadelphia , United States |
Area served | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
Key people | Francesco Pelosi (General Manager and Artistic Director, 1926–1948), Humbert A. Pelosi (Manager, 1948–1954), Carlo Moresco (Principal Conductor, 1950–1954) |
| Products | Operatic productions at the Academy of Music |
The Philadelphia La Scala Opera Company, now defunct, was an American opera organization situated in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Its performances were held at the Academy of Music in Philadelphia between 1925 and 1954. In 1955, it combined forces with the Philadelphia Civic Grand Opera Company to establish the Philadelphia Grand Opera Company.
History
Initially established under the name La Scala Grand Opera Company, the group's first production was Giuseppe Verdi's La traviata, which premiered on May 4, 1925. This debut featured Josephine Lucchese in the role of Violetta and was conducted by Fulgenzio Guerrieri. Throughout the 1925-1926 season, the company presented fifteen additional operas, including Gaetano Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor, Verdi's Aida and Rigoletto, as well as Cavalleria rusticana and Pagliacci. These productions showcased distinguished artists such as Rosalinda Rudko-Morini, Alice Eversman, and Nicola Zerola.
In 1926, Francesco Pelosi assumed the roles of General Manager and Artistic Director. Under his leadership, the company was renamed to Philadelphia La Scala Grand Opera Company. Later, in 1938, the title was abbreviated to Philadelphia La Scala Opera Company. Pelosi directed the organization until his passing in 1948, after which Humbert A. Pelosi took over management duties until the company's eventual merger. Carlo Moresco held the position of principal conductor from 1950 through 1954.
The company typically mounted around twelve operatic productions annually at the Academy of Music, accumulating more than 350 performances by its closing season. Financial challenges led to a reduced schedule during the 1953-1954 season; their final presentation was Bizet's Carmen on April 29, 1954, starring Gloria Lane. The merger with the Philadelphia Civic Grand Opera Company in November 1954 resulted in the formation of the Philadelphia Grand Opera Company.
Notable performers
- Adele Addison
- Licia Albanese
- John Alexander
- Stefano Ballarini
- Gino Bechi
- Carlo Bergonzi
- Elisabeth Carron
- Walter Cassel
- Mary Costa
- Mary Curtis Verna
- Mario del Monaco
- Giuseppe Di Stefano
- Lucia Evangelista
- Edith Evans
- Giulio Gari
- Joann Grillo
- Frank Guarrera
- Andréa Guiot
- Thomas Hayward
- Laurel Hurley
- Herva Nelli
- Norman Kelley
- Flaviano Labò
- Albert Lance
- Bruno Landi
- Brenda Lewis
- Eva Likova
- Thomas Lo Monaco
- Chester Ludgin
- Jean Madeira
- Elaine Malbin
- Andrew McKinley
- Michael Minsky
- Licinio Montefusco
- Nicolai Moscona
- Birgit Nilsson
- Gino Penno
- Roberta Peters
- Irra Petina
- Rudolf Petrak
- Claudia Pinza Bozzolla
- Giacinto Prandelli
- Louis Quilico
- Nell Rankin
- Hilde Reggiani
- Regina Resnik
- Graciela Rivera
- Stella Roman
- Elinor Ross
- Norman Scott
- Louis Sgarro
- Eleanor Steber
- Teresa Stratas
- Brian Sullivan
- Ferruccio Tagliavini
- Pia Tassinari
- Richard Torigi
- Norman Treigle
- Richard Tucker
- Claramae Turner
- Jon Vickers
- Ramón Vinay
- Sandra Warfield
- Robert Weede
- Frances Yeend'
- Josephine Zumpano