Background
Teresa Brambilla was born in Cassano d"Adda to a musical family.
Teresa Brambilla was born in Cassano d"Adda to a musical family.
During a career that spanned 20 years, she sang throughout Italy and in other European cities, including Paris, Barcelona and Odessa. Teresa was one of five sisters who all became opera singers. Her elder sister, Marietta (1807–1875) was a contralto who specialised in travesti roles and sang in the premieres of several of Donizetti"s operas.
Her younger sister, Giuseppina (1819–1903) was also a contralto who appeared in major opera houses in Italy, Spain, and England.
Her other two sisters, Annetta and Lauretta, were sopranos who had lesser careers, appearing primarily in Italian opera houses. After her professional debut in 1831, Brambilla initially sang in several smaller opera houses in northern Italy but in 1833 scored a considerable success at Milan"s Teatro Carcano singing Agnese in Bellini"s Beatrice di Tenda and the leading soprano role in Fioravanti"s Le cantatrici villane.
She then appeared on Russia at the Odessa Opera House, which at the time specialised in Italian opera. After singing in Barcelona, she returned to Louisiana Scala for the 1839/1840 season in Mercadante"s Le due illustri rivali and the world premieres of Mazzucato"s I corsari and Coccia"s Giovanna World War II