Nicola Zerola (Tenor) (Naples 1876 – New York 1936)

                                                              Radames 

His debut was in Trieste, 1898, and he was heard in various European theaters. In 1907 he first visited the U.S. and in 1908 appeared for a season with the Manhattan Opera. 1910-11 he was with the Philadelphia- Chicago Opera and 1911-12 with Hammerstein’s London Opera House. At the Metropolitan Opera he appeared during the season of 1920-21 in a Sunday night concert and as Canio, and, finally, a gala testimonial concert for Andreas Dippel. More than twenty celebrities in addition to Zerola were featured that evening, including Lydia Lipkowska, Riccardo Stracciari, Ellen Beach Yaw, Alice Nielsen, Margaret Matzenauer and Nellie and Sara Kouns. Zerola subsequently appeared with various smaller New York City companies. His voice was often compared to that of Tamagno in dramatic intensity. One of his last performances seems to have been at Carnegie Hall in a benefit evening in the late 1920s featuring the first act of the opera Vanna by Salvatore Virzi, a member of the Metropolitan Opera Chorus. Conductor Giuseppe Creatore refused to direct the second act, supposedly as a result of insufficient rehearsals.

Chronology of some appearances

1900 Trapani Teatro Garibaldi Boheme (Rodolfo)
1901 Forlм Teatro Comunale Boheme (Rodolfo)
1902 La Valletta/Malta Teatro Reale Boheme (Rodolfo)
1902 La Valletta/Malta Cavalleria rusticana (Turiddu)
1904 Empoli Arena Borsellini Ballo in Maschera (Riccardo)
1905 Liegi Opera Ernani (Ernani)
1905 Barcellona Teatro Novedades Ballo in Maschera (Riccardo)
1905 Amsterdam Paleis Voor Volksvlijt Ballo in Maschera (Riccardo)
1905 Amsterdam Paleis Voor Volksvlijt Ernani (Ernani)
1906 Cremona Politeama Verdi Ballo in Maschera (Riccardo)
1908 Havana Teatro Tacon Ballo in Maschera (Riccardo)
1911 Chicago Civic Opera House Ballo in Maschera (Riccardo)
1912 Budapest  Volgsopera Ballo in Maschera (Riccardo)
1919 Salerno Teatro Verdi Ballo in Maschera (Riccardo)
 

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

 

Gramophone, Milano 1909-04-29
Trovatore (Verdi): Perigliarti ancor languente with Carolina Pietracewska 54410 13159b

Victor, Camden NJ 1909-11-01
Otello (Verdi): Niun mi tema 74217 C8302 

Trovatore (Verdi): Di quella pira 87045 B8304

Ballo in maschera (Verdi): Di tu se fedele 87036 B8337

Ballo in maschera (Verdi): La rivedrà nell'estasi 87037 B8338

Victor, Camden NJ 1909-11-19
Otello (Verdi): Ora e per sempre addio 64168 B8390

Andrea Chénier (Giordano): Un di all'azzurro 88243 C8391

Victor, Camden NJ 1909-12-17

Trovatore (Verdi): Deserto sulla terra 64172 B8389

Aida: La fatal pietra...Morir, si pura e bella  74225 C8493

Victor, Camden NJ 1910-03-03

Pagliacci (Leoncavallo): Vesti la giubba 64169 B8682

Samson et Dalila (Saint-Saens): Figli miei v'arrestate  64173 B8492

Victor, Camden NJ 1911-03-10
Pagliacci (Leoncavallo): Un tal gioco 64206 B10038
L'alba nascente (Parelli) 64207 B10037
Pagliacci (Leoncavallo): No, Pagliaccio non son 74247 C10039