‘Prima donna with the million dollar voice’ delights Dublin audience at packed Theatre Royal

Dublin, 23 October 1923 – Despite the ongoing unrest throughout the country, music lovers in Dublin were treated to a performance from the world-famous Italian soprano, Luisa Tetrazzini on Saturday 21 October.

Tetrazzini, introduced as the ‘prima-donna with the million dollar voice’, performed in front of a packed Theatre Royal on Hawkins Street, leaving queues of disappointed fans unable to procure tickets left outside.

On stage, Madame Tetrazzini, immediately established an intimate rapport with her audience. She was attired in a green dress, which had gold trim and was complemented by shoes of a similarly striking hue.

She ran through a repertoire including Verdi, Bellini and Puccini, her impressive vocal range apparent throughout despite the fact that she is soon to celebrate her 50th birthday.

Madame Tetrazzini was joined onstage by tenor Attilio Baggiore, who was announced as her very own ‘discovery’.

Baggiore also appeared intent on currying local favour, at one point singing about a ‘colleen fair in Killarney’.

The performances went down a treat with the adoring crowd and there were insistent and repeated calls for encores, which were obligingly received by the performers.

British Pathé footage of Luisa Tetrazzini (Italian opera singer) leaving Euston train station to commence her 11,000 mile tour of Britain and Ireland

[Editor's note: This is an article from Century Ireland, a fortnightly online newspaper, written from the perspective of a journalist 100 years ago, based on news reports of the time.]