(La Caveliere Ufficiale dell'Ordine Al Merito della Repubblica Italiana)
Teresa Tirelli D'Amico was an operatic coloratura, film, TV and stage actress and Italian
radio announcer, born in Polla, Prov. Salerno, Italy on July 14, 1907. She emigrated to
the United States with her family at the age of fifteen. She graduated from the Leonardo
Da Vinci Art Institute of New York and proceeded to study singing under Maestro Nicola
D'Amico (February 14, 1894 - July 14, 1968), who at the time was primo baritono and
accompanist for the San Carlo Opera Company of New York. Shortly after her lessons
began, on February 14, 1926 Teresa married her vocal coach with whom she had four
children, Yolanda Visone (Oct. 31, 1928 - April 4, 1996), Beatrice Missadin (June 15, 1930),
Elvira Mastro (July 4, 1931) and Nicola Marcello D'Amico (February 18, 1947).
In 1934, she began her radio career producing her own radio shows in collaboration with
her husband and appearing in Italian soap operas with the Sterni Company and others.
She also appeared in concerts and dramas throughout the East coast with such artists as
Luigi Danis, Mario Badolati, Rosario Romeo and Mario Siletti. With the Garuffi Company,
she sang the lead in a series of Italian Operettas.
In New York, Teresa Tirelli D'Amico sang with Arturo Toscanini, conductor for The NBC
Symphony Orchestra, a radio orchestra conceived by David Sarnoff, the president of the
Radio Corporation of America. Her voice was featured during these broadcasts starting in
1937 and ending in 1943, when the D'Amico family moved to California. At one point she
sang in the chorus with the Metropolitan Opera but failed to secure a contract as a principal
soloist. She performed many leading operatic roles, appearing as"Violetta" in La Traviata,
"Cio Cio San" in Madame Butterfly and "Carmen" in the Bizet opera.
In California, she worked at the MGM studios in the synchronization (dubbing) of
American films into Italian and continued her concert career until the death of her
husband in 1968. During the post WWII years, she and the Maestro D'Amico had
their own radio show, starting with live Sunday morning broadcasts of operatic recitals
as well as entertainment for the local Italian American community. First aired on
KWKW AM radio, the "Italian Novelties Program" was the only all-Italian program
in Southern California and most of the sponsors were local Italian businesses, including
food stores, pastry shops, bakeries, Italian automobile car dealers, clothing outlets,
restaurants, photography studios, florists, real estate brokers, insurance services,
imported specialty items and legal services.
One of the features of the hour long broadcast was Teresa Tirelli's weekly segment,
"Dalla Cucina Al Salotto", where she would share recipes and handy household tips.
Every week there would be a featured singer or musical artist performing live over
the radio airwaves. Sometimes Maestro D'Amico and Teresa would have their
children come on the show for special occasions like Easter Sunday and Christmas,
when the D'Amico Sisters, Yolanda, Beatrice and Elvira would harmonize together,
accompanied by their father on the piano. Their little boy, Nicky, even sang on the
program at the age of 7 with his big sisters singing along with him. Pianist and music
professor Mario Carta would regularly accompany the weekly featured artists. The
show ran from 1944 to 1966.
Along with their weekly radio show, they held seasonal concerts at The
Wilshire Ebell Theatre, with Maestro D'Amico conducting the orchestra
for many operatic performances, singers and dancers. The performances
were called "Italian Novelties Review" and were live variety shows for
the Italian American community of Southern California. One of the
young dancers in the Review was Natalie Wood, starting her career in
show business, performing a solo dance routine.
In the early 1960s, Teresa Tirelli recorded an album of Italian Arias and
Neopolitan Folk Songs in collaboration with pianist Mario Carta. The
album was her last solo artist recording, although she continued to perform
for live events. She maintained her brilliant coloratura voice for many years.
As an actress, Teresa Tirelli appeared in a number of movies and television
shows including several episodes of Playhouse 90, Dr. Kildare, Baretta,
Columbo, General Hospital, A Bell for Adano, The Godfather I and The
Godfather II, and in the now classic grape stomping episode of the I Love
Lucy series with Lucille Ball when she and Lucy battled each other in a vat
of grapes. The iconic scene gained popularity over the years and is considered
among the top 3 episodes of all time.
The scene was also used in the film, Pretty Woman with Richard Gere and
Julia Roberts. There is hardly a person growing up in America who hasn't
seen the episode.
Mrs. Tirelli D'Amico had a long history of public service and benefit
appearances. On the East coast, she gave a number of benefit concerts in
theaters and clubs for many worthy charities, in particular for the benefit
of fellow artists. During World War II, she gave a series of concerts raising
thousands of dollars for War Bonds for which she received a personal
thank you note from President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
