Renata Scotto has died. I saw her at my first opera at the Met, a long, long time ago, as Cio-Cio-San, in a production of “Madama Butterfly” that she directed. In my memory, it was the longest and rowdiest ovation I ever witnessed. I know there have been longer and rowdier, but I wasn’t there for those! The stage was pelted with flowers and confetti and whatever else happened to be at hand, as she curtsied graciously in her kimono, and the applause only intensified. This would have been back in the 1980s.
It was as Butterfly that she made her belated Met debut in 1965. She made her professional debut in 1952 and within months was singing at La Scala. She sang professionally into the new century, as she transitioned increasingly to directing.
She was a giant of the Pavarotti generation and a recurring presence on the “Live from the Met” television broadcasts. For opera lovers, life was good.
Scotto died earlier today. She was 89 years old.
As Mimi
With lucky Luciano
Vintage “Butterfly”
Complete studio recording
The elixir of lovely
Tokyo “Traviata”
When the arts were still on the periphery of the mainstream: on “The Merv Griffin Show” with Ethel Merman, Ann Miller, Lillian Gish, and Myrna Loy!
2-part interview on “Classic Talk”
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