Maria Orefice
Maria Orefice | |
|---|---|
| Born | Maria Josephine Orefice July 16, 1893 |
| Died | June 22, 1961 (aged 67) Hollywood, California, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1907–1961 |
| Spouse | |
| Children | Louise Caselotti (daughter) Adriana Caselotti (daughter) |
Maria Josephine Orefice (July 16, 1893 – June 22, 1961), also known by her married name Maria Caselotti, was a celebrated Italian-American coloratura soprano and vocal pedagogue.[1] She gained international acclaim as a prima donna at the Royal Opera House in Rome before establishing a prominent 35-year teaching career in Hollywood.[1] She is perhaps best known as the mother and vocal influence of Adriana Caselotti, the voice of Walt Disney's Snow White.[2][3]
Early life and family
[edit]Maria Josephine Orefice was born on July 16, 1893, in Casavatore, Naples, Italy, to Luigi Francesco Orefice (later Odrich) and Maria C. Pazella.[1] She grew up in Naples until the age of ten, when her family immigrated to the United States around 1904.[1]
The family settled in Bridgeport, Connecticut, where a linguistic misunderstanding led to a lasting name change; her teachers consistently mispronounced "Orefice" as "Odrich," a surname the family eventually adopted.[4][1] Maria was one of four siblings, including brothers Frank and Vincent, and a sister, Anna, who became a lifelong educator at Waltersville School in Bridgeport.[1]
Career
[edit]Operatic success
[edit]Maria's vocal talents were first recognized by Guido Caselotti, the organist at Holy Rosary Church in Bridgeport, who became her teacher and later her husband.[1][5] Under the professional name Maria Caselotti, she achieved significant success in Europe and the Americas as a lyric and coloratura soprano.[1]
Her most prestigious affiliation was as a prima donna at the Royal Opera House of Rome (Teatro dell'Opera di Roma).[3][1] Critics of the era lauded her as a "genuine artist of special grace," particularly noting her performances in technically demanding roles such as: Rosina in The Barber of Seville, Mimì in La Bohème, and Marguerite in Faust.[6] In addition to her work in Rome, she performed with the Havana Opera Company, the San Carlo Opera Company, and the Di Feo Opera Company.[1]
Pedagogy in Hollywood
[edit]Despite her "phenomenal success" in Italy, Maria chose to stop performing publicly upon her final return to the United States in 1926.[1] Settling in Los Angeles, she and her husband opened a vocal studio.[1] Following her divorce in 1933, she established her own independent studio in Hollywood, where she taught voice for over 35 years.[1]
Her teaching lineage is notable; her elder daughter, Louise Caselotti, became a professional opera singer and the first teacher of the legendary Maria Callas.[7] Her younger daughter, Adriana Caselotti, famously won the role of Snow White by imitating her mother's operatic technique.[8]
Personal life
[edit]Maria married Guido Luigi Emanuele Hocke-Caselotti on October 14, 1909, in Bridgeport.[9][5] They had two daughters: Marie Louisa (born 1910) and Adriana Loretta (born 1917).[1]
In March 1933, Maria filed for divorce from Guido, citing his "indifference".[10][5] By 1934, she was living independently in a Hollywood Heights home on Alta Loma Terrace, valued at $10,000, where she resided with Adriana during the production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.[1]
Death
[edit]Maria Caselotti died on June 22, 1961, at the age of 67, following a lengthy illness.[1] She is buried in Los Angeles, and her legacy continues through the recordings of her daughters and the students she trained over her three-decade teaching career.[1]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Maria Caselotti, Ex-Opera Singer, Dies. The Los Angeles Times. 1961. p. 23.
- ↑ "Louise Caselotti". Manny Cosentino. January 2, 2026.
- 1 2 "With a smile and a song – Adriana Caselotti". Animator's Magazine. February 2, 2026.
- ↑ Of People and Places. Bridgeport Sunday Post. 1961. p. 19.
- 1 2 3 California Federal Naturalization Records, 1843-1999, District Court for California, Los Angeles (1929-1933). Los Angeles, Marriage Records. 1933.
- ↑ El teatro musical en Buenos Aires: Teatro Coliseo, 1907-1937, 1961-1998. Ediciones de Arte Gaglianone. 1997. p. 158.
- ↑ "Animated Memories". The Washington Post. July 14, 1983.
- ↑ "Adriana Caselotti". D23. Disney. Archived from the original on 2015-09-08. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
- ↑ "Guido Caselotti: Legacy in Music and Disney Influence". School Pro News Magazine. December 19, 2025.
- ↑ Singer Asks Divorce. Modesto Herald. 1933. p. 22.