Giorgio/Giorgia: Storia di una Voce

Director: Gianfranco Mingozzi
Release Year: 2008

The 2008 documentary Giorgio/Giorgia: Storia di una Voce, directed by Gianfranco Mingozzi, offers a poignant and captivating portrait of one of Italy’s most unconventional and groundbreaking artists - Giorgia O’Brien. Born as Giorgio Montana in Palermo on May 11, 1928, O’Brien’s life and career present an extraordinary tale of self-transformation, artistic innovation, and resilience. She was one of the first transgender divas of the 1950s and 1960s, known for her exceptional vocal range that allowed her to perform both as a soprano and a baritone.

 

As one of the first cross-gender performers in Italy, Giorgia O’Brien’s story spans across decades of social and cultural change, from the post-war years to the 21st century. Through Giorgio/Giorgia, Mingozzi sheds light on the multifaceted journey of this legendary figure, whose voice and talent transcended the boundaries of gender, and whose legacy continues to resonate in the annals of Italian cultural history.

 

Giorgio Montana’s path to becoming Giorgia O’Brien was shaped by both her natural talent and a personal struggle with her gender identity. From a young age, Montana demonstrated a remarkable ability for music and singing. She was already performing in amateur choirs by the age of eight, and by the late 1940s, she was drawn to opera, hoping to become a star of the melodrama. Her exceptional vocal range - a unique blend of both soprano and baritone tones - was recognized early on, though it would later become a defining feature of her career. However, Giorgio Montana’s physical and vocal attributes weren’t the only things that set her apart. In her early years, she also grappled with her gender identity, which became a key aspect of her story. After a series of medical consultations, it was discovered that Montana had a form of intersex condition, which allowed her to possess both male and female vocal cords. This condition enabled her to sing both baritone and soprano with equal fluency and extraordinary skill - an astonishing vocal flexibility that would later define her career. Her voice could soar through the upper registers of soprano arias and then plunge into the rich, resonant depths of baritone parts.

 

In the 1950s and early '60s, Giorgio Montana began performing under the name Giorgia O'Brien, a persona that would become synonymous with cross-gender performance art. This transformation marked her departure from traditional gender norms in the entertainment industry. Giorgia O’Brien’s early performances took place in the vibrant world of Italian cabaret, where she quickly became known as a unique and compelling figure. Her performances were marked by extravagant costumes, glitzy rhinestones, and a playful attitude that reflected the spirit of the time. Her cabaret shows were not just about entertainment; they were a bold statement on gender fluidity, breaking social taboos in a deeply conservative society. This performance style drew comparisons to other transgressive artists of the time, such as Coccinelle, a French performer known for her own pioneering work in drag and gender expression. Giorgia's performances often included both male and female roles, and her shows became increasingly popular, particularly for their blend of music, theatre, and gender-bending spectacle. In addition to her cabaret work, Giorgia O’Brien was a versatile singer and performer in various genres, from operatic arias to popular songs. Her operatic aspirations continued to flourish, and she performed as both a soprano and a baritone, often in the same performance. Her dual vocal abilities made her an intriguing figure for audiences and critics alike, and her talent earned her the attention of major figures in the world of opera and theatre.

 

In the early 1960s, O’Brien’s career began to extend into the world of cinema. She appeared in films and worked alongside notable Italian directors, including Franco Zeffirelli and Giuseppe Bertolucci. Notably, she played a role in Bertolucci’s Oggetti smarriti (1979), a film that reflected her multifaceted persona - both as an actress and as an artist with a unique gender identity. Zeffirelli, famed for his operatic productions, worked with O’Brien as a part of his theatrical company, while celebrated director and actor Vittorio Caprioli even inspired one of his works based on her - La cavalcata delle valchirie - which featured O’Brien performing the dual roles of Brunilde (soprano) and Wotan (bass). Her work also included collaborations with the renowned French director Patrice Chéreau, as well as performances in several avant-garde operas. These included her roles at Milan's Teatro Piccolo and other prestigious venues, where she became a symbol of both artistic excellence and defiance of traditional gender roles. Her art had transcended mere performance; it was a constant negotiation with her identity, a quest to merge her internal self with her external expression through both her voice and her acting.

 

In 1970, Giorgia O’Brien embarked on the most significant personal transformation of her life: a gender-affirming surgery in Casablanca. The decision to transition was catalyzed, in part, by O’Brien’s emotional response to Christine Jorgensen, a pioneering American transgender woman who became widely known for being the first person to undergo gender-confirming surgery. Giorgia’s transition marked a public declaration of her true self, and upon returning to Italy, she adopted the name Giorgia as an homage to Margaret O’Brien, the American child actress, and added "O’Brien" in reference to the film Little Women. Her decision to transition was groundbreaking in the context of Italian society, which, in the 1960s and '70s, was still deeply conservative and steeped in traditional gender roles. Despite the challenges, Giorgia’s decision to live authentically allowed her to continue her artistic career and earn the respect of both her peers and audiences. For many, her story represented the intersection of art, identity, and personal liberation.

 

Throughout the 1980s and '90s, Giorgia O’Brien remained an active figure in Italian theater and cinema. She worked with a wide array of esteemed artists, including Sylvano Bussotti and Lucia Poli, and appeared in several films, including Roberto Benigni's Johnny Stecchino (1991). As she grew older, O’Brien continued to perform, with her final years marked by collaborations with the avant-garde director Gianfranco Mingozzi, who cast her in his film Tobia al caffè (2000). Sadly, Giorgia O’Brien passed away in 2004 following a brief illness, just months before her husband, Georges Argand, also passed away. Despite her relatively quiet final years, her legacy as one of Italy’s pioneering transgender performers and singers lived on. The documentary Giorgio/Giorgia: Storia di una Voce provides a comprehensive and touching tribute to this extraordinary artist. Featuring interviews with friends, colleagues, and collaborators, including figures like actress Lucia Poli and director Ugo Gregoretti, the documentary paints a vivid portrait of an individual who defied conventional expectations and created art that was both deeply personal and universally resonant. Through a combination of archival film clips, interviews, and personal anecdotes, Mingozzi crafts a narrative that highlights Giorgia O’Brien's contributions to both the Italian cabaret scene and the world of classical opera.

 

Giorgia O’Brien's journey, as chronicled in Giorgio/Giorgia: Storia di una Voce, is not just the story of an artist, but of a cultural pioneer. Her ability to transcend gender boundaries through her artistry, her voice, and her courage in living authentically make her one of the most important figures in the history of Italian performance. As the documentary reveals, Giorgia O’Brien was not just a singer or an actress - she was a symbol of artistic freedom, gender fluidity, and the power of self-expression. Through her voice, she changed the landscape of Italian theater and left a legacy that continues to inspire those who dare to challenge societal norms. Giorgio/Giorgia: Storia di una Voce is a celebration of this remarkable artist - a tribute to the voice that bridged two worlds and forever altered the course of Italian performing arts.

via: filmitalia.org

wikipedia

imdb and youtube

Image credits: YouTube