Romilda Pantaleoni is associated with her roles of La Gioconda and Margherita in what opera
Romilda Pantaleoni Romilda Pantaleoni (1847 – 20 May 1917) was an Italian soprano who had a prolific opera career in Italy during the 1870s and 1880s. She sang a wide repertoire that encompassed bel canto roles, Italian and French grand opera, verismo operas, and the German operas of Richard Wagner. She became particularly associated with the roles of Margherita in Boito's "Mefistofele" and the title role in Ponchielli's "La Gioconda"; two roles which she performed in opera houses throughout Italy. She is best remembered today for originating the roles of Desdemona in Giuseppe Verdi's "Otello" (1887) and Tigrana in Giacomo Puccini's "Edgar" (1889). Universally admired for her acting skills as well as her singing abilities, Pantaleoni was compared by several critics to the great Italian stage actress Eleonora Duse.
Gloria (opera) Gloria is a tragic opera in three acts by Francesco Cilea with an Italian libretto by Arturo Colautti. A variation on the Romeo and Juliet story and set in 14th century Siena, the libretto is based on Victorien Sardou's 1874 play "La Haine" ("Hatred"). The opera premiered on 15 April 1907 at La Scala conducted by Arturo Toscanini with Salomea Krusceniski in the title role. "Gloria" was a failure at its premiere when it was withdrawn after two performances and fared little better in the 1932 revised version, although there have been two late 20th century revivals. It proved to be Cilea's last staged opera. In the 43 years following the premiere of "Gloria" he worked on two or three further operas which were never performed and continued to compose chamber and orchestral music.