Luisa Tetrazzini (June 29, 1871 - April 28, 1941) was an Italian coloratura soprano. Biography She was born in Florence. Reportedly, she began singing at age 3. Her first voice teacher was her sister, Eva, who also became a successful singer. Tetrazzini later studied at the Instituto Musicale in Florence. She made her operatic debut in 1890 as Inez in Meyerbeer's L'Africaine when the scheduled soprano canceled on short notice. The first part of her career was spent mainly in the Italian provincial theaters and touring in Russia, Spain and South America. Her repertory consisted primarily of lyric-coloratura parts like Violetta, Philine, Oscar, Gilda and Lucia. Tetrazzini made her American debut in San Francisco in 1905. The Metropolitan Opera's general manager, Heinrich Conried, took an option on her services at that time but unaccountably failed to engage her. After great success, she went on to New York where she was a sensation

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