Pagliughi, Lina (1907–1980)
Pagliughi, Lina (1907–1980)
American soprano. Born on May 27, 1907, in Brooklyn, New York; died on October 2, 1980, in Ruicone, Italy; studied with Manlio Bavagnoli; married tenor Primo Montanari.
Debuted in Milan (1927); sang at Teatro alla Scala (1930–47); debuted in Monte Carlo (1931) and Covent Garden (1938); sang with Italian radio until her retirement (1956).
Born in Brooklyn in 1907 to Italian parents, Lina Pagliughi returned to Italy for her singing career. At age eight, she began giving public recitals, and it soon became clear that hers would be an operatic career. She was taken to Milan for study with Manlio Bavagnoli and debuted there at the Teatro Nazionale in 1927. After her marriage to tenor Primo Montanari, she appeared at many Italian theaters, including Teatro all Scala where she performed for 17 years. But Pagliughi's short, stocky stature limited her roles. In 1948, she gave up the stage and began singing on radio until her retirement in 1956. Pagliughi became a popular recording and radio star.
John Haag , Athens, Georgia