Grisi, Giulia (1811 - 1869)

Italian soprano

Giulia Grisi, portrait in civilian clothes (Motisi collection)

Giulia Grisi was born on May 22, 1811 in Milan into a family of artists: her aunt was the famous singer Giuseppina Grassini (1773-1850), her sister Giuditta (1805-1840) also became a singer, and her cousin Carlotta (1819-1899) a ballerina.

A pupil of Giuditta Pasta, she made her debut in 1829, at the age of 17, in Bologna in Zelmira by Rossini, then in 1831 at La Scala, where she created the role of Adalgisa in Norma.

Soon she was performing in London and Paris, in two of Europe's great opera capitals outside Italy.

In Paris, Giulia Grisi was part of the Théâtre-Italien, which experienced its golden age with the great quartet composed of Grisi, bass Luigi Lablache, tenor Giovanni-Battista Rubini and baritone Antonio Tamburini, for whom Bellini composed I puritani in 1835. From 1839, tenor Giovanni Mario (Grisi's husband) took Rubini's place, and on January 3, 1843 they premiered Don Pasquale , which Donizetti composed for them.

Grisi retired from the stage in 1860 after a long career spanning more than 30 years. 

Discover the artist's world through various documents: each image opens the door to one of his interpretations, his portraits in civilian clothes, his autographs or press articles about him from the period