Rita Brondi

Maria Rita Brondi (5 July 1889 – 1 July 1941) was an Italian guitarist, lutenist, singer, composer, and music historian. She gave concerts throughout Europe as a guitarist and singer, conducted research on lute and guitar history, and composed guitar pieces. She was also an editor for the Enciclopedia Italiana.

Early life Maria Rita Brondi was born in Rimini in 1884 or 1889. She was taught guitar first by her father, who was a noted performer, She later studied voice with Paolo Tosti in England and composition with M. Manozzi.

Career Brondi toured in Europe as a guitarist and singer, known for singing Italian regional folk songs. She performed for Queen Margherita in Rome, and for a number of other titled people, including the Duchess of Aosta in Turin, and Princess Bona Adelaide and the Duke of Ancona. She wrote a book on the history of the guitar, titled Il liuto e la chitarra (1926), which was published in several editions through the twentieth century. She was mentioned as a peer of Italian musicians (1878–1972) and Geni Sadero (also known as Eugenia Scarpa, 1886–1961), though both of them outlived her. Julian Bream mentioned her as making early lute recordings, in company with Suzanne Bloch and Diana Poulton. Brondi was also an editor for the Enciclopedia Italiana.