Cesira Ferrani (Turin 1863 – Pollone 1943) Her real name was Cesira Zanazzio. She studied at the Liceo Musicale of Turin under Antonietta Fricci. She made her debut in 1887 at the Teatro Regio, Turin as Marguerite in ‘’Faust’’ of Gounod and sang in the same year at the Teatro Carignano, Turin the role of Gilda in ‘’Rigoletto’’. Then she guested in Venice, Catania and Turin.. In 1892 she appeared at the Teatro Carlo Felice of Genoa as Amelia in Verdi’s ‘’Simon Boccanegra’’ and as Loreley in Catalani’s ‘’Loreley’’ under Arturo Toscanini. There followed other appearances at the Teatro Comunale, Bologna (among other things in 1895 in the premiere of the opera ‘’Consuelo’’ of Orefice in the title role), then in Bari, Brescia and Udine. On 1. 2. 1893 she sang at the Teatro Regio, Turin in the premiere of Puccini’s ‘’Manon Lescaut’’ in the title role; in the same theatre she created on 1. 2. 1896 in the premiere of Puccini’s ‘’La Bohème’’ the role of Mimi. She took part at La Scala in the premiere of the opera ‘’Il Fior d'Alpe’’ Alberto Franchetti (15. 3. 1894), at the Teatro Lirico, Milan in the premiere of G. Orefice’ operas ‘’Chopin’’ (25. 11. 1901). On 17. 1. 1901 she sang in one of six concurrent premieres of Mascagni’s ‘’Le Maschere’’ at the Teatro Carlo Felice, Genoa. In 1893 she guested at the Teatro Colón, Buenos Aires, in 1894 at La Scala, where she appeared during the following 15 years over and over again. Tours brought her in Spain and Russia. In 1898 she appeared at the opera house of Cairo, also at the Teatro San Carlo, Lisbon. In 1909 she retired from the stage, after her appearance had brought a shocking failure as a Mélisande in the Italian première of Debussy ‘’Pelléas et Mélisande’’ (under the direction of Toscanini) at La Scala in 1908, which recurred at the Teatro Costanzi, Rome. Then she worked as a pedagogue in Turin.