Petrella, Clara

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Petrella, Clara

Petrella, Clara, Italian soprano; b. Greco Milanese, March 28, 1918; d. Milan, Nov. 19, 1987. She studied with her sister, Micaela Oliva, and with Giannina Russ in Milan. She made her operatic debut in 1939 as Liù at the Teatro Puccini in Milan, and then sang in several provincial Italian theaters. She made her first appearance at La Scala in Milan in 1941, becoming a principal member of the company in 1947; also sang in Rome and Naples; in addition, she appeared in concerts. She was particularly noted for her performances of contemporary operas by Italian composers.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire