Maria Elena Pignatelli died Nov. 19, 2015, at age 87. She was the last of the Pignatelli royalty to reside in Madison.
Her full name was Donna Maria Elena Natalia Patricia Pignatelli dei Duchi di Montecalvo. Born March 29, 1928, in Florence, Italy, she was the daughter of Prince Guido Pignatelli and Princess Constance Wilcox Pignatelli. Her maternal grandparents were George Augustus Wilcox and Mary Wilcox of Madison. Maria Elena lived most of her life in the Wilcox cottage Oakledge on Island Avenue.
Maria Elena trained in the performing arts in America and Europe before embarking on a career as a director, opera singer, playwright, and poet. In 1959, she directed a critically acclaimed production of Our Town for the American Embassy Little Theatre Group in Paris. A mezzo-soprano, she sang in opera productions in New York City.
Devoted to Madison, Maria Elena produced shows for Madison Public Access TV, was the 1983 chairperson of the local history observance Battle for Madison, and hosted for years a Halloween haunted house for the community at Oakledge. She was a volunteer at the Charlotte L. Evarts Memorial Archives, Deacon John Grave House, and the Madison Historical Society. To the end, she enjoyed sharing her passion for photography, history, and the written word, holding exhibits, talks, and poetry readings.
A graveside service will take place 4 p.m. July 10 at West Cemetery, Madison. A reception follows at the Evarts Memorial Archives, Memorial Hall, 8 Meetinghouse Ln., Madison.