Pia Ravenna

Pia Ravenna (born Hjördis Sophie Tilgmann; 25 October 1894 – 19 October 1964) She made her debut concert in 1913. In 1915, she went to St. Petersburg to continue her studies as a private student of Alma Fohström, a professor of singing at the St. Petersburg Conservatory after 10 years at the Bolshoy Theatre.

In 1917, Pia Ravenna made her stage debut in 1917 at the Finnish Opera. As Rosina in Il barbiere di siviglia she was highly celebrated. During the following years she appeared as Rigoletto, Lakme, and Faust. She was very successful; however, she wanted to develop her singing talent. She continued her studies in Stockholm. In Sweden she studied with Madame Charles Cahier, and in Milan her teacher was Frederico Corrado. During her study she also gave concerts both in Finland and the Nordic countries.

International engagements Besides giving concerts in Nordic countries Pia Ravenna appeared in 1921 at the Monte Carlo Opera with Nellie Melba. The singers also appeared together in Puccini's La Bohème. After Monaco she joined an Italian opera company in Egypt, Cairo, Alexandria and Port Said in 1921–1923. At that time she sang the coloratura parts in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Rigoletto, La Traviata, La Sonnambula and Lucia di Lammermoor. After her years in Egypt she spent most of the 1920s touring in Italy and Central and Eastern Europe, giving concerts and performing as a guest singer in opera houses from Berlin to Bucharest.

From the 1924s through to the 1940s In 1924, Pia Ravenna married singer Alessio Costa. The couple also appeared together; Costa accompanied her at the piano and sang duets with her. In 1929 the couple founded a private singing school, Studio Ravenna-Costa, where they both taught.

Pia Ravenna also taught at the Helsinki Music Institute. The longest engagement was at the Finnish National Opera from 1928 to 1940. At this Opera Pia Ravenna appeared in standard repertoire. Frequently she sang in Pagliacci, Carmen and Die Zauberflöte. She performed with many guest artists her favorite was Joseph Hislop. She appeared also in operettas in Madame Pompadour in 1928, and in the Spanish Nightingale in 1933 at the Swedish Theater in Finland. During the 1930s she made concert tours to Poland and Baltic countries. In 1948, she wrote a book called Gästspel i Egypten (Guest play in Egypt) that summed up her experience of the time in Egypt 1921–1923.