Evening star., 1937-04-17
Gina Cigna's
Debut Here
is Assured
Sensational Rise Has
Been Feature in
Operate World.

I INA C1GNA, the sensational new
French-Italian prima donna So
prano of the Metropolitan Opera
Association, whose Washington debut
in recital will be made next season
as one of the attractions of Dorothy
Hodgkin Dorsey's evening concert
series at Constitution Hall, Is expected
to appear in New York next season
In the first production the Metropou-
tan has ever given Gluck's famous
170-year-old opera, "Alceste" The
leading roles will be sung in French
by Nine. Cigna and Rene Maison, the
Belgian tenor.
Gina Cigna, whose name, incident
ally, is pronounced "Geen-yah Cheen-
YAH" seems to have been, without
doubt. the most outstanding singer
to join the Metropolitan forces last
season. Her debut there in Aida"
In January aroused a capacity audi
ence to ovational heights, and her
every appearance thereafter, notably
in revivaL Of Norma" and La Clio
conda," promptly packed the Metro
politan Opera House with enthusiast
tic admirers. She likewise gave a
memorable performance in III
Trovatore"
So emphatic was the success
achieved by Nine. Cigna at the Met
ropolitan during the last Winter that
heroic efforts were made by the man
agement to have her American visit
extended two weeks, but the Italian
government was adamant in its
refusal to permit Cigna to remain
away for longer period.
Nine. Cigna has been singing pro-
fessionally only eight years, but in
that brief period she has appeared In
leading roles In the major opera
houses Of Paris, London, Rome, Milan,
Budapest, Florence, Berlin, Vienna,
Nice, Verona, Venice, Lisdon. Buenos
Aires, Rio and now New York.
Born Of a French mother and Ital-
ian father, Cigna's artistic talents
first revealed themselves in painting
and to develop this gift she was sent
to the Academy Of Fine Arts in
Paris. She also took up the study OF
the piano at the Paris Conservatoire
where she was awarded the gold
medal. During this early period
Cigna showed an intense interest in
singing, but her parents. believing
she should concentrate on the piano
did nothing to develop her vocal tai
ents but made no effort to stop the
youthful Gina from studying voice by
attending concerts and listening tc
records of famous singers.
While on visit to Milan, Cigna
managed to obtain an addition before
Toscanini, for whom she sang por-
tions Of Norma" and The Barber
OF Seville Definitely impressed
Toscanini advised her to study the
leading soprano roles Of '"Trovatore,
aida" and La Traviata," and ther
let him her her again. A year passed
before Toscanini heard her again and
then he gave her q years contract
at La Scala, where she made hel
operate debut In an Italian version
OF "Rheingold."
In 1881 Cigna was invited to appear
at the Teatro Reale In Rome and
this was followed by appearances at
Covent Garden in London, the Paris
Grand Opera, the Berlin staatsoper
the Vienna Opera, Teatro Municipal
in Rio de Janeiro, the Teatro Colon
In Buenos Aires and other famous
opera houses. Her principal roles
have been Aida, Turandot, Norma
Tosca, Giocando and Violetta in
La Traviata"
About . year ago General Manager
Edward johnson Of the Metropolitan
invited Nine. Cigna to make an
appearance with the Metropolitan
during the last season and her first
appearance was made at the Met
on January 6, last. Already plans
have been made for another visit by
Cigna next season, during the course
of which she viii be heard in a num-
Der Of American cities in concert.
In addition to Nine. Cigna's appear
ance, Mrs. Dorsey's evening concert
series will also offer concerts by
Rachmaninon, pianist; Kreisler, VIC.
linist; Nine. Kristen Flagstad, so
prano, and q performance Of Mozart.
"Cosi Fan Tutte" by the Salzburl
Opera Guild with symphony orches-
ira all at Constitution Hall.