Travel tips for opera lovers – Como Blevio and Giuditta Pasta

Giuditta Pasta was Vincenzo Bellini’s muse, he considered her the perfect interpreter of his leading roles. He once wrote when he saw her in Bergamo that she still brought tears to his eyes even after countless performances.

Pasta was one of the greatest opera singers of the 19th century. At a young age she bought the estate in Blevio, which she made her residence at the age of 30. Bellini often came to her from Moltrasio, where he had his composition and love nest. Donizetti also visited her, even staying with her for a month when he worked with her on “Anna Bolena”.

With her roles such as Norma, Anna Bolena or Armina (“La sonnambula), the description of her voice as a soprano sfogato (“a dramatic coloratura soprano with great vocal range”) and her strong acting abilities, she is often compared to Maria Callas. A museum about her life is located in Saronno (see also the article about it)

The singer Pasta spent the second half of her life in the villa, died on April 1, 1865 at the age of 67 and was buried in the small cemetery in Blevio.

The original Villa Roccabruna no longer stands, the house with an eventful history was rebuilt in 1904 and now houses a resort.