Maria Gay Zenatello

María Gay Zenatello was a Catalan opera singer and actress who achieved international fame for her performances in the mezzo-soprano and contralto roles. She was born in Barcelona, Spain, on June 13, 1879, to a musical family. Her father was a composer and conductor, and her mother was a pianist and singer. She began her musical education at an early age, studying piano, violin, and singing. She made her debut as a singer at the age of 15, performing in zarzuelas and operettas. In 1897, she moved to Paris, where she continued her vocal studies with Mathilde Marchesi, one of the most renowned teachers of the time. She also learned French, Italian, German, and English languages. She made her operatic debut in 1902 at the Théâtre de la Monnaie in Brussels, singing the title role of Carmen by Georges Bizet. The role became her signature and she performed it in many theaters around the world, including the Metropolitan Opera in New York, the Royal Opera House in London, La Scala in Milan, and the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires. She married Giovanni Zenatello, an Italian tenor, in 1906. They formed a successful artistic partnership and appeared together in many operas, such as Aida, Cavalleria rusticana, Pagliacci, Samson et Dalila, and Tosca. They also founded their own opera company and toured extensively in Europe and America. They were known for their generosity and philanthropy, supporting many young singers and musicians. Besides Carmen, Gay was famous for her interpretations of other mezzo-soprano and contralto roles, such as Amneris in Aida, Dalila in Samson et Dalila, Azucena in Il trovatore, Ulrica in Un ballo in maschera, Ortrud in Lohengrin, Erda in Das Rheingold and Siegfried, and Klytämnestra in Elektra. She had a powerful voice with a wide range and a rich timbre. She was also praised for her dramatic skills and expressive gestures. Gay was also active as a film actress. She appeared in several silent films based on operas or musicals, such as Carmen (1915), Tosca (1918), Fedora (1922), and La Bohème (1926). She also starred in two sound films: La Dolorosa (1934) and Nobleza baturra (1935). Gay retired from the stage in 1936, after suffering from vocal problems. She settled in Barcelona with her husband and devoted herself to teaching singing. She died of tuberculosis on July 20, 1943, at the age of 64. She was buried at the Montjuïc Cemetery in Barcelona. Her legacy lives on through her recordings and films, as well as through the María Gay Zenatello Foundation, which promotes opera and music education.