Denia Mazzola

Italian operatic soprano, who sings on the world's most prestigious stages, including Milan's La Scala and in cities ranging from New York City to Johannesburg. She studied at the Conservatory of Verona under Rina Malatrasi, Rodolfo Celletti and Leyla Gencer. In September 1983 she had her professional debut which rapidly started her international career in roles such as: Gilda (in Rigoletto), the title role in Lucia di Lammermoor, Elvira (in I puritani), Adina (in L'elisir d'amore), and Norina (in Don Pasquale). She subsequently distinguished herself and her talent for dramatic coloratura roles as Violetta in La Traviata, the title roles in Lucrezia Borgia and Maria Stuarda, Elisabetta in Roberto Devereux, and the very demanding title role in Esclarmonde which she sang first during the Massenet Festival in Saint-Étienne (October 1992), repeating it in Teatro Massimo of Palermo (January 1993). In 1991 she married Gianandrea Gavazzeni, a famous conductor. She has made a series of DVD and CD recordings, including Esclarmonde (Koch-Schwann, 1994), Parisina (Actes Sud, 2000), Caterina Cornaro (Agora, 1996), Lucia di Lammermoor (Nuova Era, 1989), and others. Link to Wikipedia biography