Tetrazzini, Luisa

Tetrazzini, Luisa (lwē`zä tāträt-tsē`nē), 1871–1940, Italian coloratura soprano. She made her debut in Florence in 1890. After appearances in Spain, Portugal, Russia, and Latin America, she made her debut in the United States at San Francisco in 1904 and her London debut in 1907. She sang with the Manhattan Opera Company (1908–10), afterward appearing with the Metropolitan Opera Company (1911–12) and the Chicago Opera Company. She continued her concert career until 1931. Her sensational success was due to her brilliant high tones and her agility in coloratura work. She wrote two books, My Life of Song (1921) and How to Sing (1923).