Opera Singer. She was a noted lyrico-spinto soprano of the 1930s. Raised in San Mauro Castelverde, Sicily, she moved to New Haven, Connecticut, with her family in her mid-teens. For a time she worked in her first husband's tailor shop, but in the 1920s she studied voice in New Haven, and in New York with Enrico Rosati. Starting her professional career at a rather late age, she bowed with both the San Carlo Opera Company and the American Opera Company in 1927. After auditioning for Maestro Arturo Toscanini, Biondo made her debut with New York's Metropolitan Opera on November 23, 1929, as Nedda on Leoncavallo's "I Pagliacci". During her three seasons with the company, she was heard in Puccini's "La Boheme", Mascagni's "Cavalleria Rusticana" and "Iris", and other works, then continued her career with the Cincinnati Opera, The San Carlo Opera Company, the Franz Philipp Opera Company, and the Puccini Grand Opera. Among her roles were Violetta in Verdi's, Marguerite from Gounod's "Faust", and the title leads of Verdi's "Aida", Massenet's "Manon", and Puccini's "Tosca". During her time before the public, Biondo was heard on radio and in a number of recitals, including the 1934 world premiere of Pietro Yon's "Triumph of Saint Patrick" at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City. Around 1938 she married her second husband, journalist Dr. Philip Giordano, and retired to Connecticut. As far as can be determined, she left no commercial recordings.
Opera Singer. She was a noted lyrico-spinto soprano of the 1930s. Raised in San Mauro Castelverde, Sicily, she moved to New Haven, Connecticut, with her family in her mid-teens. For a time she worked in her first husband's tailor shop, but in the 1920s she studied voice in New Haven, and in New York with Enrico Rosati. Starting her professional career at a rather late age, she bowed with both the San Carlo Opera Company and the American Opera Company in 1927. After auditioning for Maestro Arturo Toscanini, Biondo made her debut with New York's Metropolitan Opera on November 23, 1929, as Nedda on Leoncavallo's "I Pagliacci". During her three seasons with the company, she was heard in Puccini's "La Boheme", Mascagni's "Cavalleria Rusticana" and "Iris", and other works, then continued her career with the Cincinnati Opera, The San Carlo Opera Company, the Franz Philipp Opera Company, and the Puccini Grand Opera. Among her roles were Violetta in Verdi's, Marguerite from Gounod's "Faust", and the title leads of Verdi's "Aida", Massenet's "Manon", and Puccini's "Tosca". During her time before the public, Biondo was heard on radio and in a number of recitals, including the 1934 world premiere of Pietro Yon's "Triumph of Saint Patrick" at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City. Around 1938 she married her second husband, journalist Dr. Philip Giordano, and retired to Connecticut. As far as can be determined, she left no commercial recordings.
Bio by: Bob Hufford
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