(1843–1919), Italian opera soprano. Born in Madrid, Spain, of Italian parents, Patti was a famous bel canto singer known for her wonderfully pure voice that kept its freshness even in her later years, an amazing evenness throughout a wide vocal range, and technical skill. A child prodigy, she made her debut as Lucia in New York, N.Y., when she was 16 years old. Her role of Amina in Vincenzo Bellini's La sonnambula (The Sleepwalker) in London in 1861 launched her career. She last appeared in the United States in 1911.