Renata Scotto was a singer, teacher, and opera director who was widely considered one of the greatest sopranos of her generation.
- Died: August 16, 2023 (Who else died on August 16?)
- Details of death: Died in Savona, Italy, at the age of 89.
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Renata Scotto’s legacy
Scotto spent much of her life in her hometown of Savona, Italy, before making her opera debut at 18 on Christmas Eve, playing the title role of Verdi’s “La traviata.” On Christmas, she would perform the same at the Teatro Nuovo in Milan. Not long after, she took on the title role on “Madama Butterfly,” and a star was born. Over the course of her iconic career, “Madama Butterfly” became the role she was best known for.
Scotto’s performance in Bellini’s “La Sonnambula” at the 1957 Edinburgh Festival was a huge hit and brought her international attention. Her U.S. debut followed later that year at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, and in 1965 she made her first of more than 300 appearances at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. She performed so often in the city that for a time, she and her family settled in Westchester, New York.
As her singing career wound down, Scotto began directing stage performances in 2002, including productions at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, New York City Opera, and many others. When not directing, she held masterclasses at Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome and the Juilliard School in New York City. Scotto was highly decorated throughout her career, including an Opera News Award, an Honorary doctorate by The Juilliard School, two Emmy Awards, Opera Tampa’s Anton Coppola Award for Excellence in the Arts, and others.
Tributes to Renata Scotto
Full obituary: Opera Wire
