1955
In
January 1955 Anita debuted at Modena’s important Teatro Comunale as the “Trovatore”
Leonora and then embarked on a tour to Nice, Marseilles and Toulouse in “Trovatore”
and, at Marseille, a performance of “Aida”.
On
26 June, history was made when Anita sang “Norma” for the first time at her
adored and adoring Florence. The Boboli Gardens presented her in five performances
with Fedora Barbieri, Franco Corelli and Giulio Neri. This time it was the
“almost unbelievable security of Signora Cerquetti’s technique” that most
impressed the critics.
The Rome Opera offered Anita a contract for “Aida” at their summer home, Caracalla,
and on 6 August she impressed Romans and thousands of tourists with a “rapturous
performance of this most demanding role. From the drama of the first two acts
through the lyricism of the last two, Anita Cerquetti knew no fear, and conquered
an enormous audience of opera enthusiasts” (Il Messagero).
Anita repeated Aida at Messina in late August and then recorded the most demanding
of all Verdi roles, Elena in “I Vespri Siciliani”.
It is the opinion of the author, that, if he had to live contendedly with
only one of her complete opera performances, this would be the one. It has
everything, fioratura of an extraordinary accuracy and expressivity, legato
that carries through the longest passages, breath control that can only be
termed prodigious and plangent tone that reminds me of “molten lava” with
a golden glow.