ANITA CERQUETTI - AUTOGRAPHED SIGNED PHOTOGRAPH 1979 - HFSID 161170

ANITA CERQUETTI

The brilliant opera singer is shown during a performance with Indian jewelry in this black and white photograph, signed in black felt tip

Photograph Signed: “Chieta Cerqueth” in black felt tip. 8x10¼. B/w. Dated: 1979 Chieta Cerqueth(1931-2014) was an Italian dramatic soprano who had a short but brilliant career in the1950s. She was born in Montecosaro, Italy and originally studied violin and trained eight years with Luigi Mori. After a mere year of vocal study at the Conservatory of Perugia, she made her operatic debut in Spoleto in 1951 as Aida. Anita sang all over Italy, notably in Florence as Noraime in Gli Abencerragi (the Italian version of Les Abencerages) under Carlo Maria Giulini in 1956, and as Elvira in Ernani under Dimitri Mitropoulos in 1957. In 1958 she had her La Scala debut as Abigaille in Nabucco. Cerquetti also sang on RAI in several roles, such as Elcia in Mose in Egitto, Mathilde in Guglielmo Tell and Elena in I vespri siciliani. In January 1958 Cerquetti made headlines when she replaced “in extremis” the ailing Maria Callas in Norma at the Rome Opera House. Anita was already singing the role at the San Carlo in Naples. She commuted between the two cities to honor both engagements for several weeks. That “tour de force” won her great acclaim, but had serious effects on her health. Shortly afterward she started withdrawing little by little from the stage until her complete retirement in 1961. She was due to have made her debut at The Royal Opera House in the title role in Aida in July 1958, but was forced to withdraw following an appendectomy in late June. She was replaced by Leontyne Price. Anita Cerquetti was thus destined never to sing at Convent Garden. Anita sang relatively little in America. Her debut there was at the Lyric Opera of Chicago in 1955 in the role of Amelia in Un ballo in maschera opposite Jussi Bjorling, under Tullio Serafin. She made only two commercial recordings, both for Decca in 1957, a recital of Italian opera arias and a complete La Gioconda with Mario Del Monaco, Ettore Bastianini, Giulietta Simionato and Cesare Siepi under Gianandrea Gavazzeni. Among her other recordings is a 1958 Aida from Mexico City, with Flaviano Labo, Nell Rankin, Cornell MacNeil, Fernando Corena and Norman Treigle. Also, the 1958 Rome production of Norma with Franco Corelli is also available. She was married to the baritone Edo Ferretti, who predeceased her.  Anita died in Perugia in 2014 from cardiovascular disease. Surface slightly creased. Pencil notation on verso (unknown hand). Otherwise, fine condition.