Pasquale Amato (Baritone) ( Napoli 1878 – Long Island, New York 1942)

                                             Colombo in ''Cristoforo Colombo''

He studied with Benjamino Carelli and Vincenzo Lombardi (teacher of Fernando de Lucia) at the Conservatory San Pietro a Majella. He made his début at the Teatro Bellini in Naples at the age of 21, singing Germont père in La Traviata. His career began at this early time and he soon appeared in roles such as Lescaut, Escamillo, Renato and Valentin. He sang at the Teatro Dal Verme in Milan, in Genua, Salerno, Catania, Monte Carlo and appeared in Germania and Russia. He was extremely successful in Donizetti’s Maria de Rohan and Leoncavallo’s Zazà. In 1904 he appeared at Covent Garden for the first time. He also alternated Victor Maurel and Mario Sammarco as Rigoletto. He sang again Escamillo and Marcel. He soon enjoyed huge success in South America and appeared there in all his roles. In 1907 he was celebrated at La Scala, where he sang Golaud in the Italian premiere of Pelléas et Mélisande. He added Kurwenal (opposite Salomea Krusceniski and Giuseppe Borgatti) and the roles in Catalani’s La Wally and La Gioconda. In 1908 he was engaged at the Met. Here he sang frequently opposite Enrico Caruso, mainly in the Italian repertoire. His most successful roles at the Met were Luna, Carlos, Ashton, Tonio, Rigoletto and Amfortas. He created Jack Rance in Puccini’s La Fanciulla del West in 1910, opposite Emmy Destinn, Enrico Caruso and Adamo Didur. His repertoire included about 70 roles. He also appeared in various contemporary operas by Cilea, Giordano, Gianetti and Damrosch. From the beginning of his career he overused his wonderful voice. Vocal decline began in 1912 (he was 43 years old!) and from 1920 his career was relegated to appearances in provincial theatres and on tour with various companies. He spent the last years as professor of voice and opera at the Louisiana university. Comment: He is one of the greatest Italian br.s of all time. You hear a splendidly firm br. voice with a true ring in the upper register (up to high A). His voice is very individual, and it is almost impossible to confuse him with any other br.. He sings with a smooth legato and perfect articulation. It is a truly thrilling voice. I have the impression that he frequently sings with too much muscular tension. This might be one of the reasons for the early vocal deterioration (?). Renato’s Eri tu, Rigoletto’s Cortigiani and the Duet opposite Frieda Hempel, the Enzo-Barnaba Duet opposite Zenatello, the Figaro aria, his Jago, the truly exciting performance of the scene Amonasro-Aida opposite Ester Mazzoleni, the Pagliacci Prologue, all these are “classical” performances and belong to the best br. recordings ever made. He sings with an inimitable combination of Mattia Battistini’s bel canto style and the heroic splendour of Titta Ruffo.

Chronology of some appearances

1900 Siracusa  Teatro Comunale Ballo in maschera (Riccardo)
1902 Cagliari  Teatro Civico Andrea Chenier (Gerard)
1902 Milano Teatro Dal Verme  Andrea Chenier (Gerard)
1903 Cremona  Politeama Verdi  Andrea Chenier (Gerard)
1903 Breslavia Teatro Lobe Boheme (Schaunard)
1904 Palermo Teatro Massimo Barbiere di Siviglia (Figaro)
1904 Londra Teatro Covent Garden Boheme (Schaunard)
1907 Buenos Ayres  Teatro Coliseo Ballo in maschera (Riccardo)
1908 Santiago del Cile  Teatro Municipal Ballo in maschera (Riccardo)
1908 Valparaiso Teatro Victoria Ballo in maschera (Riccardo)
1913 New York Teatro Metropolitan Ballo in maschera (Riccardo)
1913 New York Teatro Metropolitan Barbiere di Siviglia (Figaro)
1913 Boston Opera House Barbiere di Siviglia (Figaro)
1914 New York Teatro Metropolitan Ballo in maschera (Riccardo)
1914 Parigi Teatro Champs Elysees Ballo in maschera (Riccardo)
1916 New York Teatro Metropolitan Ballo in maschera (Riccardo)
1929 Philadelphia Academy of Music Andrea Chenier (Gerard)
1934 New York  Hippodrome  Andrea Chenier (Gerard)

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

 

Fonotipia, Milano 1907-02-04
Germania (Franchetti): Ascolta! Io morirò! 62038 XPh2413
Gioconda (Ponchielli): Enzo Grimaldo with Pasquale Amato 62012 xph 2414
Gioconda (Ponchielli): O grido di quest'anima with Pasquale Amato 62013 xph 2415

Fonotipia, Milano 1907-02-08
Ballo in maschera (Verdi): Alla vita che t'arride 62039 Xph 2438

Fonotipia, Milano 1907-03-18
Zaza (Leoncavallo):  Zaza, piccola zingara 62175 Xph 25109

Fonotipia, Milano 1909-06-01
Andrea Chénier (Giordano): Son sessant'anni 92498 XPh3869
Andrea Chénier (Giordano): Un dì m'era 92497 XPh3871

Fonotipia, Milano 1909-06-02
Manon Lescaut (Puccini): Guardate! pazzo son' io with Giuseppe Taccani 92492 Xph3875
Traviata (Verdi): Di Provenza 92510 Xph 3878
Forza del destino (Verdi): Sei rimorsi  with Giuseppe Taccani  92496 XPh3876
Forza del destino (Verdi): Le minaccie  with Giuseppe Taccani  92495 XPh3877

Fonotipia, Milano 1909-06-05
Tosca (Puccini): Gia mi dicon venal 92515 Xph 3890

Fonotipia, Milano 1909-06-07
Aida (Verdi): Ciel mio padre with Ester Mazzoleni 74139 XXPh 3895
Aida (Verdi): Su dunque with Ester Mazzoleni 74140 XXPh 3896
Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni):  Ad essi non perdono with Ester Mazzoleni 74141 XXPh 3898

Fonotipia, Milano 1909-06-08
Forza del destino (Verdi):  Urna fatale  92503 Xph 3904
Forza del destino (Verdi): Son pereda 92504 XPh3905

Fonotipia, Milano 1909-06-09
Serenata Napoletana (Costa) 62371 XPh3908
Vola, vola! (De Cristofaro) 62369 Xph 3909
Chiarastella (De Cristofaro) 62368 Xph 3910
Tannhauser (Wagner): O tu bell’astro 92505 Xph 3914

Fonotipia, Milano 1909-06-12
Ballo in maschera (Verdi): Eri tu che macchiavi 92509 Xph 3925

Fonotipia, Milano 1909-06-15
Guarany (Gomez):  Senza tetto 92507 Xph 3931
Due Foscari (Verdi):  Questa Dunque 92508 Xph 3932
Rigoletto (Verdi): Povero Rigoletto 74137 XXPh3933
Rigoletto (Verdi): Cortigiani vil razza dannata 74138 XXph 3934

Fonotipia, Milano 1909-06-16
Germania (Franchetti): Tu meri innanzi   92500 Xph 3939
A sirena (Valente) 62370 XPh3940
Gioconda (Ponchielli): Cosi mantieni il pato with Ester Mazzoleni 74144 XXPh 3943

Fonotipia, Milano 1909-06-17
Otello (Verdi): Inaffia l'ugola 92760 Xph3948
Gioconda (Ponchielli): Pescator, affonda l'esca 92513 Xph 3950
Africana (Meyerbeer): Adamastor, re dell'acque 92502 Xph 3951
Fonotipia, Milano 1909-06-19
Germania (Franchetti):  Ascolta  io moriro  92499 Xph 3954

Fonotipia, Milano 1909-06-30
Ernani (Verdi):  O sommo Carlo with Lina Pasini-Vitale and Piero Schiavazzi 74161 xxph4022
Trovatore (Verdi): Giorni poveri vivea with Ferruccio Corradetti and Armida Parsi-Pettinella 92569 xph 4023
Trovatore (Verdi): Deh, rallentate, o barbari with Ferruccio Corradetti and Armida Parsi-Pettinella 92570 xph 4024

Fonotipia, Milano 1909-07-01
Puritani (Bellini): Suoni la tromba 92529 Xph 4029

Fonotipia, Milano 1909-07-03
Gioconda (Ponchielli): Enzo Grimaldo with Rinaldo Grassi 92565 XPh4044
Gioconda (Ponchielli): O grido di quest'anima with Rinaldo Grassi 92566 XPh4045

Fonotipia, Milano 1909-10-06
Otello (Verdi): Sì, pel ciel with Giovanni Zenatello 92759 Xph 4070
Trovatore (Verdi): Tace la notte... Deserto sulla terra with Giovanni Zenatello 92841 Xph 4071