Born in Meriden, CT, Rosa Ponselle is considered to be one of the greatest operatic sopranos of the past 100 years. Her parents were Italian immigrants and Rosa began her music career as a piano student. Her older sister, Carmela, influenced Rosa to move from piano to voice. Her vocal career began as a silent-movie accompanist in her home area. With Carmela building a career in vaudeville, she brought her younger sister for an audition and was hired to perform with her sister between 1915-1918. Rosa auditioned at the Metropolitan Opera on the request of Enrico Caruso. Rosa was offered her first Met contract for the 1918-1919 season, and debuted opposite Caruso in Verdi’s “La forza del destino.”