Fiora Corradetti Contino passed away on March 5, 2017, at the age of 91, at Sunrise on Old Meridian, Carmel, Indiana. Operatic, choral, and symphonic conductor, university professor, and vocal coach, she has influenced countless students, professional singers, and conductors.
She was born June 17, 1925 into an eminent musical family in New York, NY to Anna (Lisarelli) and Ferruccio Corradetti, leading baritone at La Scala and one of the world’s first recording artists. As a child, her talent was apparent as a pianist and church organist. Fiora’s admission to Oberlin College was supported by a letter of recommendation from renowned conductor, Arturo Toscanini, a contemporary of her father. Upon graduation, she married fellow graduate and musician, Joseph Contino; they had four children. While teaching at Smith College, she founded the Amherst Community Opera Company at the age of 28. In 1958, she pursued conducting studies at the Conservatoire Americain in Fontainebleau and the Ecole Normale in Paris with Nadia Boulanger. Upon Fiora’s return to the states, she completed a doctorate of music at the Indiana University School of Music, and since that time has held conducting, faculty, and administrative positions at Indiana University, Bowling Green State University, Peabody, and the University of Texas at Austin. Fiora’s opera conducting career includes performances at the Aspen Music Festival, Memphis Opera, Anchorage Opera, Chicago Opera Theater, and San Francisco Opera. Fiora enjoyed the last 19 years of her professional conducting career as the artistic director of Opera Illinois in Peoria, a post from which she retired in 2005. Fiora’s career continued into her eighties, when she served as interim director of music at Second Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis. At age 91, she was still coaching opera singers who traveled from near and far to work with her.
She was preceded in death by her lifelong companion, Jeraldine Baumgartner, as well as her sister, Adriana Corradetti.
Memorial contributions may be made to Music Ministry at Second Presbyterian Church.
She was born June 17, 1925 into an eminent musical family in New York, NY to Anna (Lisarelli) and Ferruccio Corradetti, leading baritone at La Scala and one of the world’s first recording artists. As a child, her talent was apparent as a pianist and church organist. Fiora’s admission to Oberlin College was supported by a letter of recommendation from renowned conductor, Arturo Toscanini, a contemporary of her father. Upon graduation, she married fellow graduate and musician, Joseph Contino; they had four children. While teaching at Smith College, she founded the Amherst Community Opera Company at the age of 28. In 1958, she pursued conducting studies at the Conservatoire Americain in Fontainebleau and the Ecole Normale in Paris with Nadia Boulanger. Upon Fiora’s return to the states, she completed a doctorate of music at the Indiana University School of Music, and since that time has held conducting, faculty, and administrative positions at Indiana University, Bowling Green State University, Peabody, and the University of Texas at Austin. Fiora’s opera conducting career includes performances at the Aspen Music Festival, Memphis Opera, Anchorage Opera, Chicago Opera Theater, and San Francisco Opera. Fiora enjoyed the last 19 years of her professional conducting career as the artistic director of Opera Illinois in Peoria, a post from which she retired in 2005. Fiora’s career continued into her eighties, when she served as interim director of music at Second Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis. At age 91, she was still coaching opera singers who traveled from near and far to work with her.
She was preceded in death by her lifelong companion, Jeraldine Baumgartner, as well as her sister, Adriana Corradetti.
Memorial contributions may be made to Music Ministry at Second Presbyterian Church.
Fiora Corradetti Contino passed away on March 5, 2017, at the age of 91, at Sunrise on Old Meridian, Carmel, Indiana. Operatic, choral, and symphonic conductor, university professor, and vocal coach, she has influenced countless students, professional singers, and conductors.
She was born June 17, 1925 into an eminent musical family in New York, NY to Anna (Lisarelli) and Ferruccio Corradetti, leading baritone at La Scala and one of the world’s first recording artists. As a child, her talent was apparent as a pianist and church organist. Fiora’s admission to Oberlin College was supported by a letter of recommendation from renowned conductor, Arturo Toscanini, a contemporary of her father. Upon graduation, she married fellow graduate and musician, Joseph Contino; they had four children. While teaching at Smith College, she founded the Amherst Community Opera Company at the age of 28. In 1958, she pursued conducting studies at the Conservatoire Americain in Fontainebleau and the Ecole Normale in Paris with Nadia Boulanger. Upon Fiora’s return to the states, she completed a doctorate of music at the Indiana University School of Music, and since that time has held conducting, faculty, and administrative positions at Indiana University, Bowling Green State University, Peabody, and the University of Texas at Austin. Fiora’s opera conducting career includes performances at the Aspen Music Festival, Memphis Opera, Anchorage Opera, Chicago Opera Theater, and San Francisco Opera. Fiora enjoyed the last 19 years of her professional conducting career as the artistic director of Opera Illinois in Peoria, a post from which she retired in 2005. Fiora’s career continued into her eighties, when she served as interim director of music at Second Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis. At age 91, she was still coaching opera singers who traveled from near and far to work with her.
She was preceded in death by her lifelong companion, Jeraldine Baumgartner, as well as her sister, Adriana Corradetti.
Memorial contributions may be made to Music Ministry at Second Presbyterian Church.
She was born June 17, 1925 into an eminent musical family in New York, NY to Anna (Lisarelli) and Ferruccio Corradetti, leading baritone at La Scala and one of the world’s first recording artists. As a child, her talent was apparent as a pianist and church organist. Fiora’s admission to Oberlin College was supported by a letter of recommendation from renowned conductor, Arturo Toscanini, a contemporary of her father. Upon graduation, she married fellow graduate and musician, Joseph Contino; they had four children. While teaching at Smith College, she founded the Amherst Community Opera Company at the age of 28. In 1958, she pursued conducting studies at the Conservatoire Americain in Fontainebleau and the Ecole Normale in Paris with Nadia Boulanger. Upon Fiora’s return to the states, she completed a doctorate of music at the Indiana University School of Music, and since that time has held conducting, faculty, and administrative positions at Indiana University, Bowling Green State University, Peabody, and the University of Texas at Austin. Fiora’s opera conducting career includes performances at the Aspen Music Festival, Memphis Opera, Anchorage Opera, Chicago Opera Theater, and San Francisco Opera. Fiora enjoyed the last 19 years of her professional conducting career as the artistic director of Opera Illinois in Peoria, a post from which she retired in 2005. Fiora’s career continued into her eighties, when she served as interim director of music at Second Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis. At age 91, she was still coaching opera singers who traveled from near and far to work with her.
She was preceded in death by her lifelong companion, Jeraldine Baumgartner, as well as her sister, Adriana Corradetti.
Memorial contributions may be made to Music Ministry at Second Presbyterian Church.
Family Members
See more Contino or Corradetti memorials in:
- Our Lady of Peace Cemetery Contino or Corradetti
- Indianapolis Contino or Corradetti
- Marion County Contino or Corradetti
- Indiana Contino or Corradetti
- USA Contino or Corradetti
- Find a Grave Contino or Corradetti
