UNHAPPY MARRIAGE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20263, 24 May 1929, Page 11

UNHAPPY MARRIAGE.

MADAME TETRAZZIN I'S SUIT

DECREE OF SEPARATION. Australian and N.Z. Press Association. ROME, May 22. Madame Luisa Tetrazzini, the famous Italian soprano, Ims been granted a decree of separation from her husband on the ground of incompatibility of temperament and interests. Respondent is Signor Vernati, a business man, of Rome. He is 21 years younger than petitioner. The parties were married in 1926 in the presence of representatives of Royalty.

Madame Tetrazzini was married at Florence on October 24, 1926, to Signor Fietro Vcrnati. Formerly she was the wife of Signor Bazelli. The famous operatic soprano was born in Florence and comes of a musical family. Her brother was a stage director with a fine tenor voice. One of lier sisters taught music in Milan and the other, Eva, who became Mme. Clcofonte Campanini, has sung at the Academy of Music in New York and elsewhere. Tetrazzini has stated that as a child she, perhaps unconsciously, assimilated the operas which her sister Eva was in the habit of practising at home. This, she says, was carried to such an extent that she knew both the words and music of several operas before she was aware of the fact. Among them were " Faust," "Un Ballo in Mascliera," and "La fiioeonda." This was before she was 12 years old. rft which time her voice was a deep contralto. Soon afterwards, however, it began to extend upwards until she was able to sing F in alt in such operas as " II Flauto Magico " and " La Sonambula."