Lisa della Casa

BIOGRAFIA
Born: 2 February, 1919 Burgdorf, Switzerland
Voice: Soprano

Mozart and Strauss were the household gods throughout the long and hugelysuccessful career of Lisa Della Casa. Curiously, she made her stage debut in 1941 as Cio-Cio San in Madama Butterfly and in her early career sang a diverse repertoire which included Pamina in DieZauberflöte and Serena in Porgy and Bess. She was soon however singing Strauss and began her international career with a memorable Zdenka in Arabella at the 1947 Salzburg Festival and Madeleine in the same composer's Capriccio in 1948. Her British debut was in Mozart, as the Countess in Le Nozze di Figaro at Glyndebourne in 1951.

Early on, she became a member of the legendary 'ensemble' at the Vienna State Opera where she sang most of her important roles. She has been a peerless interpreter of all three main soprano roles in Der Rosenkavalier.

Her excursions n the Strauss repertoire have ranged from Chrysothemis in Elektra and the title role in Ariadne auf Naxos even to Salome. She has been equally praised as a recitalist and again in Strauss her Decca recording of the FourLast Songs has remained a standard by which all others are judged.