Born Bolzano.
Italian mezzo-soprano.
Elena Zilio enjoyed a notably long career, largely in Europe, She studied at the Monteverdi Conservatory in Bolzano and at the Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome. She made her debut in 1963 at the Spoleto Festival as Sofia in Rossini's Il signor Bruschino.
Her early years included appearances in Rome, Trieste, Genoa, Naples and Venice. Her La Scala debut followed in 1972, and she returned their regularly over the next forty years. A period at the Teatro Massimo, Palermo, came in 1968, during which she sang the 'seconda donna' part, Isoletta, in a rare revival of Bellini's fourth opera La straniera, with Renata Scotto in the title role. She and Scotto repeated their parts when the Palermo company brought the staging to the 1972 Edinburgh Festival. A 'live' recording of the Palermo opening has sometimes been available.
She first appeared at the Arena di Verona in 1970, returning as Musetta in La bohème in 1973, The lead soprano was again the great Renata Scotto. Rodolfo at the Arena was Luciano Pavarotti.
Half a century later she was brought to Covent Garden by Antonio Pappano to sing such character parts as Mamma Lucia (Cavalleris rusticana), Madelon (Andrea Chénier), Monitress (Suor Angelica), Zita (Gianni Schicchi).
She has appeared widely in such character roles:
Mamma Lucia - Naples, Florence, Brussels, Amsterdam. Monte Carlo.
Madelon - Rome, Munich, Florence, Berlin, Paris, La Scala.
Contessa (Andrea Chénier): Bilbao.
Berta: Pesaro, Parma.
Filipyevna: Frankfurt, Madrid.
Suzuki: Arena di Verona.
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