Nino Piccaluga (Tenor) (Cosorate Primo, Pavia 1890 - Milano 1973)

He made his debut during October 1918 at the Politeama Duca di Genova in La Spezia in Cavalleria Rusticana. From there he went to Novara to sing during January 1919 in Manon Lescaut at the Teatro Coccia. Engagements followed in Molfetta (Fedora), Salerno (Fedora) during 1919, before leaving for Egypt in 1920. There he sang at the Teatro Khediviale in Cairo in La Fanciulla del West, Tosca and Fedora. He returned to Italy stopping in Ravenna (La Fanciulla del West), Carrara (La Gioconda) and Faenza (Orfeo). During 1920, he starred in the world premiere of the opera by Francesco Balilla Pratella L'Aviatore Dro, appearing besides his wife Augusta Concato, Stabile and Torres de Luna with Guarnieri conducting in Lugo at the Teatro Comunale. He finished the year by appearing in Ferrara, Bologna and Venezia. In 1921, he first appeared in Milan at the Teatro dal Verme during January (Francesca da Rimini). This was followed by appearances in Lisbon (La Gioconda), Rome (Tristan), Trieste (Francesca da Rimini, In Alta), and Bologna (La Leggenda di Sakuntala). In 1922 he started in Piacenza (La Fanciulla del West), followed by his debut at La Scala (Il Tabarro, Boris Godunov and Cosi Fan Tutte). He finished the year in Novara (Manon Lescaut), Milan (Il Ritorno d'Ulisse, Francesca da Rimini), Antwerp (Concert) before sailing one more time to Cairo during December. There he appeared in Manon Lescaut, Francesca da Rimini, Tosca, Aida, La Fanciulla del West, Cavalleria Rusticana, before moving to Alexandria during March 1923. He sang Aida, La Fanciulla del West, Francesca da Rimini and Cavalleria Rusticana. He returned briefly to Italy in Turin (Fidelio) and Piacenza (Siegmund) before going to South America during August. He sang in Santiago, where he added to his repertory Madame Butterfly, La Boheme, Andrea Chenier, Lohengrin, Loreley and L'Amore dei Tre Re. Concurrently he appeared in Valparaiso, before moving on to Concepcion. He returned to Europe during December and appeared at the Liceo in Barcelona (Manon Lescaut, La Boheme, Threepenny Opera). He returned to La Scala in January 1924, appearing in Manon Lescaut and La Leggenda di Sakuntala. The rest of 1924 was spent in Melbourne, Sydney (where he added Tamino to his repertory), Adelaide and New Zealand. He returned to Italy early 1925 to appear in Reggio Emilia (March), Carrara, Imola with a detour through Nice. Summer 1925 finds him back in South America (Santiago, Valparaiso, Concepcion). In 1926 he reappeared in Europe singing in Brescia (January), Verona (Teatro Nuovo, March), Monte Carlo (April), Sassari, Cesena (where he added Belmonte, during May, to his repertory), Trento, Imola, Bergamo (adding Turandot to his repertory), Barcelona, and Madrid. In 1927 he limited his appearances to Barcelona, Pesaro, Lecce, Aix-les-Bains and Florence. In 1928, he sang for the first time Silvio (February 12) in Turin. This is followed by appearances in Palermo, Naples, before going to South America. He appeared in Buenos Aires (Teatro Colon), Rio de Janairo. He returned to Europe to visit Berlin, where he recorded for Parlophon. During recording sessions, he appeared in Trieste, before finishing the year in Genoa. His international career continued during January in 1929 in Berlin (Walkure), before going to Riga and Budapest. He returned to Italy appearing in Venice (Teatro Malibran and Teatro Fenice, where he added Eisenstein to his repertory), and Lecce. During December 1929, he appeared for the first time in the US (Los Angeles, where he sang for the first time Il Trovatore; San Diego). During January 1930, he visited San Francisco, appearing at the Columbia Theatre. He briefly returned to Italy (Trieste, adding Loreley to his repertory), before touring Budapest, Athens. December 1930 finds him in Barcelona. In 1931, he appeared in Barcelona, San Remo, Palermo, Florence, Turin, Genoa, Pittsburg, Merano, Bolzano, Ferrara, Milan (Teatro Puccini) and Kansas City. During January 1932, he sang for the first time in Un Ballo in Maschera at the Theatre Carre in Amsterdam. He moved on to Rotterdam, Antwerp, La Haye, before returning to La Scala in March appearing in L'Amore dei Tre Re. The rest of 1932 is spent in Venice, Trieste, Turin, Montecatini, and Cardiff. January 1933 saw him at La Scala in new additions to his repertory (Il Re Cervo and Khovanshchina). He began to slow down and appeared for the rest of 1933 in Abbaza, Ancona, Rome and Casalmaggiore. In 1934 he appeared in Venice, Piacenza, Pola, Verona (Teatro Filarmonico), Ferrara, Genoa, Monza and Budapest. His appearances in 1935 were limited to Amsterdam (adding a new opera to his repertory Die Nachtwacht van Rembrandt), La Haye, Rotterdam, Pamplona and Busto Arsizio. In 1938 at the Teatro Grande in Brescia, he added another work to his repertory La Baronessa di Carinni. He made his farewell at the Teatro Puccini in Milan in Le Prophete.

Chronology of appearances

1919 Novara Teatro Coccia Manon Lescaut (De Grieux)
1920 Carrara  Politeama Verdi Gioconda (Enzo)
1920 Parma Teatro Regio Francesca da Rimini (Paolo)
1920 Ancona  Teatro delle Muse Francesca da Rimini (Paolo)
1920 Il Cairo Teatro Khediviale Fanciulla del West (Dick Johnson)
1920 Ravenna  Teatro Alighieri Fanciulla del West (Dick Johnson)
1921 Lisbona  Teatro San Carlos Ernani (Ernani)
1921 Lisbona  Teatro San Carlos Gioconda (Enzo)
1921 Piacenza Teatro Municipale Fanciulla del West (Dick Johnson)
1921 Milano Teatro Dal Verme Francesca da Rimini (Paolo)
1921 Trieste  Politeama Rossetti Francesca da Rimini (Paolo)
1921 Roma Teatro Costanzi Manon Lescaut (De Grieux)
1922 Milano  Teatro Dal Verme Francesca da Rimini (Paolo)
1922 Firenze  Teatro Verdi Gioconda (Enzo)
1922 Novara Teatro Coccia Manon Lescaut (De Grieux)
1922 Milano Teatro alla Scala Wally (Hagenbach)
1922 Il Cairo Teatro Khediviale Manon Lescaut (De Grieux)
1923 Faenza  Teatro Masini Andrea Chenier (Chenier)
1923 Santiago del Cile  Teatro Municipal Andrea Chenier (Chenier)
1923 Santiago del Cile  Teatro Municipal Boheme (Rodolfo)
1923 Santiago del Cile  Teatro Municipal Loreley (Walter)
1923 Santiago del Cile  Teatro Municipal Madama Butterfly (Pinkerton)
1923 Santiago del Cile  Teatro Municipal Manon Lescaut (De Grieux)
1923 Santiago del Cile  Teatro Municipal Wally (Hagenbach)
1923 Barcellona  Teatro Liceo Boheme (Rodolfo)
1923  Alessandria d'Egitto  Teatro Alhambra Cavalleria Rusticana (Turiddu)
1923 Alessandria d'Egitto  Teatro Alhambra Fanciulla del West (Dick Johnson)
1923  Alessandria d'Egitto  Teatro Alhambra Francesca da Rimini (Paolo)
1923 Il Cairo  Teatro Khediviale Cavalleria Rusticana (Turiddu)
1923 Il Cairo  Teatro Khediviale Fanciulla del West (Dick Johnson)
1923 Il Cairo  Teatro Khediviale Francesca da Rimini (Paolo)
1923 Conception Teatro Conception Cavalleria Rusticana (Turiddu)
1923 Conceptcion Teatro Conception Pagliacci (Canio)
1923 Santiago del Cile  Teatro Municipal Cavalleria Rusticana (Turiddu)
1923 Santiago del Cile  Teatro Municipal Pagliacci (Canio)
1923 Valparaiso Teatro Victoria Cavalleria Rusticana (Turiddu)
1923 Valparaiso Teatro Victoria Loreley (Walter)
1923 Valparaiso Teatro Victoria Manon Lescaut (De Grieux)
1923 Valparaiso Teatro Victoria Pagliacci (Canio)
1923 Valparaiso Teatro Victoria Wally (Hagenbach)
1923 Barcellona Teatro Liceo Manon Lescaut (De Grieux)
1923 Barcellona Teatro Liceo Pagliacci (Canio)
1923 Milano Teatro La Scala Manon Lescaut (De Grieux)
1924 Sidney  His Majesty's  Andrea Chenier (Chenier)
1924 Sidney  His Majesty's  Cavalleria Rusticana (Turiddu)
1924 Sidney  His Majesty's  Madama Butterfly (Pinkerton)
1924 Adelaide  Royal Theater  Andrea Chenier (Chenier)
1924 Adelaide  Royal Theater   Cavalleria Rusticana (Turiddu)
1924 Melbourne  His Majestic's Theater Boheme (Rodolfo)
1924 Melbourne  His Majesty's  Andrea Chenier (Chenier)
1924 Melbourne  His Majesty's  Madama Butterfly (Pinkerton)
1924 Adelaide  Royal Theater  Andrea Chenier (Chenier)
1924 Melbourne  His Majesty's  Andrea Chenier (Chenier)
1924 Melbourne  His Majesty's  Carmen (Don Jose)
1924 Adelaide  Royal Theater Boheme (Rodolfo)
1924 Sidney  His Majesty's Carmen (Don Jose)
1925 Reggio Emilia  Teatro Municipale  Andrea Chenier (Chenier)
1925 Carrara Politeama Verdi Manon Lescaut (De Grieux)
1925 Santiago del Cile  Teatro Municipal Andrea Chenier (Chenier)
1925 Santiago del Cile  Teatro Municipal Carmen (Don Jose)
1925 Santiago del Cile  Teatro Municipal Cavalleria Rusticana (Turiddu)
1925 Santiago del Cile  Teatro Municipal Madama Butterfly (Pinkerton)
1925 Santiago del Cile  Teatro Municipal Manon Lescaut (De Grieux)
1925 Valparaiso  Teatro Victoria  Andrea Chenier (Chenier)
1925 Valparaiso  Teatro Victoria  Cavalleria Rusticana (Turiddu)
1925 Valparaiso  Teatro Victoria  Manon Lescaut (De Grieux)
1925 Conception  Teatro Conception Andrea Chenier (Chenier)
1925 Conception  Teatro Conception Manon Lescaut (De Grieux)
1926 Sassari  Politeama Verdi  Andrea Chenier (Chenier)
1926 Sassari  Politeama Verdi  Wally (Hagenbach)
1926 Milano Teatro Dal Verme  Fanciulla del West (Dick Johnson)
1926 Barcellona Teatro Liceo Francesca da Rimini (Paolo)
1926 Trento  Teatro Sociale Francesca da Rimini (Paolo)
1926 Montecarlo Salle Garnier Madama Butterfly (Pinkerton)
1926 Modena Teatro Municipale Manon Lescaut (De Grieux)
1927 Aix les Bains  Grand Circle  Andrea Chenier (Chenier)
1927 Firenze  Teatro Della Pergola  Andrea Chenier (Chenier)
1927 Pesaro Teatro Rossini Francesca da Rimini (Paolo)
1927 Pesaro Arena al Lido Pagliacci (Canio)
1927 Brescia  Teatro Grande Manon Lescaut (De Grieux)
1927 Napoli Teatro San Carlo Manon Lescaut (De Grieux)
1928 Buenos Ayres  Teatro Colon Boheme (Rodolfo)
1928 Buenos Ayres Teatro Colon Cavalleria Rusticana (Turiddu)
1928 Buenos Ayres Teatro Colon Loreley (Walter)
1928 Rio de Janeiro  Teatro Municipal Carmen (Don Jose)
1928 Genova Teatro Carlo Felice Manon Lescaut (De Grieux)
1928 Trieste  Politeama Rossetti Pagliacci (Canio)
1929 Lecce  Politeama Greco Carmen (Don Jose)
1929 Los Angeles  Biltmore Theater Carmen (Don Jose)
1929 Los Angeles  Biltmore Theater Pagliacci (Canio)
1929 Los Angeles Biltmore Theater Trovatore (Manrico)
1929 San Diego Russ Auditorium Carmen (Don Jose)
1930 San Diego Russ Auditorium Pagliacci (Canio)
1930 San Diego Russ Auditorium Trovatore (Manrico)
1930 San Francisco  Columbia Theater Andrea Chenier (Chenier)
1930 San Francisco  Columbia Theater Trovatore (Manrico)
1930 Sanremo  Teatro del Casino Carmen (Don Jose)
1930 Trieste  Teatro Verdi Loreley (Walter)
1931 Barcellona  Teatro Liceo Andrea Chenier (Chenier)
1931 Viareggio  Teatro Eden  Andrea Chenier (Chenier)
1931 Roma  Eiar Carmen (Don Jose)
1931 Firenze  Teatro Verdi Pagliacci (Canio)
1931 Firenze  Teatro Verdi Trovatore (Manrico)
1931 Genova  Politeama Genovese Pagliacci (Canio)
1931 Bolzano Teatro Verdi Trovatore (Manrico)
1931 Merano  Teatro Civico Trovatore (Manrico)
1931 Lecce  Politeama Greco Trovatore (Manrico)
1931 'S-Gravenhage  Gebouw Voor Kunsten en Wetenschappen Pagliacci (Canio)
1932  Amsterdam  Teatro Carre  Andrea Chenier (Chenier)
1932  Amsterdam  Teatro Carre  Ballo in Maschera (Riccardo)
1932  Amsterdam  Teatro Carre  Manon Lescaut (De Grieux)
1932 Amsterdam  Teatro Carre  Pagliacci (Canio)
1932 'S-Gravenhage  Gebouw Voor Kunsten en Wetenschappen  Andrea Chenier (Chenier)
1932 Rotterdam Groote Schouwburg Andrea Chenier (Chenier)
1932 Rotterdam  Groote Schouwburg Ballo in Maschera (Riccardo)
1932 Rotterdam  Groote Schouwburg Manon Lescaut (De Grieux)
1932 Den Haag  Gebouw Ballo in Maschera (Riccardo)
1932 Den Haag  Gebouw Manon Lescaut (De Grieux)
1932 Merano Teatro Civico Andrea Chenier (Chenier)
1932 Vigevano Teatro Cagnoni  Andrea Chenier (Chenier)
1932 Venezia Teatro La Fenice Francesca da Rimini (Paolo)
1932  Asti Teatro Alfieri Andrea Chenier (Chenier)
1932 Torino Teatro Vittorio Emanuele Manon Lescaut (De Grieux)
1933 Tortona  Teatro Civico Andrea Chenier (Chenier)
1933 Milano  Politeama Estivo Boheme (Rodolfo)
1933 Milano  Politeama Cavalleria Rusticana (Turiddu)
1933 Roma  Teatro Argentina Boheme (Rodolfo)
1933 Roma  Teatro Argentina Cavalleria Rusticana (Turiddu)
1933 Novara Teatro Coccia Manon Lescaut (De Grieux)
1933 Abbazia Arena Pagliacci (Canio)
1933 Casalmaggiore Teatro Sociale Wally (Hagenbach)
1934 Ferrara Teatro Comunale Manon Lescaut (De Grieux)
1935 Amsterdam  Teatro Carre  Andrea Chenier (Chenier)
1935 Amsterdam  Teatro Carre  Boheme (Rodolfo)
1935 Amsterdam  Teatro Carre  Cavalleria Rusticana (Turiddu)
1935 Rotterdam  Groote Schouwburg  Andrea Chenier (Chenier)
1935 Rotterdam  Groote Schouwburg Boheme (Rodolfo)
1935 Rotterdam Groote Schouwburg Cavalleria Rusticana (Turiddu)
1935 Deh Haag  Gebouw Boheme (Rodolfo)
1935 Deh Haag  Gebouw  Cavalleria Rusticana (Turiddu)
1935 Merano  Teatro Civico Andrea Chenier (Chenier)
1935 Busto Arsizio Teatro Sociale Andrea Chenier (Chenier)
1935 Bagnacavallo Politeama Verdi Madama Butterfly (Pinkerton)
1935 Valtournanche/Aperto Wally (Hagenbach)

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

 

Columbia, Milano 1919/1920

Fanciulla del West (Puccini): Che'lla mi creda D9393 70260

Boheme (Puccini): Mimi e tanto malata D9367 70268

L'ultima canzone (Tosti) D9368 70265

Columbia, Milano 1921/1922

Manon Lescaut (Puccini): Donna non vidi mai D5411 74821

Pagliacci (Leoncavallo): No pagliaccio non son D9390 70418

Fanciulla del West (Puccini): Or son sei mesi D9393 70428

Dejanice (Catalani): Mio bianco amor D17544 74819

Manon Lescaut (Puccini): Tra voi belle D17545 74822

Manon Lescaut (Puccini): Ah! non v'avvicinate D17543 74823

Manon Lescaut (Puccini): Ah! Manon, mi tradisce D17543 74824

Fonotipia, Milano 1922-04-01

Fanciulla del West (Puccini): Che'lla mi creda N. 152007 Xph5275
Pagliacci (Leoncavallo): Recitar!... Vesti la giubba 74901 XXPh5276

Fonotipia, Milano 1922-04-03
Aida (Verdi): Celeste Aida 74902 XXPh5278

Fonotipia, Milano 1922-04-05

Fanciulla del West (Puccini): Or son sei mesi N. 152008 Xph5282
Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni): Addio alla madre 74904 XXPh5283

Fonotipia, Milano 1922-04-06

Otello (Verdi): Ora e per sempre addio 152005 Xph6012M

Fonotipia, Milano 1922-10-16
Otello (Verdi) Esultate! 152009 Pho5297

Columbia, Milano 1925

Tosca (Puccini): Recondita armonia D12354 B779

Tosca (Puccini): E lucevan le stelle D12354 B784

Odeon, Milano 1928-03-19

Otello (Verdi): Niun mi tema 6598 XXPh6208

Fonotipia, Milano 1928-03-20

Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni) : Mamma, quel vino e generoso N. 1216 XXPh6212

Parlophon, Berlin 1928-10-01

Otello (Verdi): Niun mi tema P.9846 2-20961

Parlophon, Berlin 1928-10-08

Turandot (Puccini): Non piangere, Liu P.8916 2-20985

Turandot (Puccini): Nessun dorma P.8916 2-20986

Africana (Meyerbeer): O paradiso P.9845 2-20987

Madama Butterfly (Puccini): Addio fiortio asil P8950-I 2-20989

Parlophon, Berlin 1928-10-17

Werther (Massenet): Ah! non mi ridestar P.8913 2-20998

Carmen (Bizet): Il fior P.9845 2-20999

Parlophon, Berlin 1928-10-24

Trovatore (Verdi): Ah! si ben mio P. 9846 2-21014

Andrea Chenier (Giordano): Come un bel di di maggio P.56513 2-21026

Andrea Chenier (Giordano): Credo a una possanza P. 9847 2-21027-2

Manon Lescaut (Puccini): Ah! Manon, mi tradisce P.9847-II 21028

Parlophon, Berlin 1928-12-14

Cavalleria rusticana (Mascagni): Viva il vino P. 8952 2-21128

Ballo in maschera (Verdi): La rivedro P.8952 2-21129

Homokord

Madama Butterfly (Puccini): Duo act 1, pt I with Cesarina Valobra H-9100-II

Madama Butterfly (Puccini): Duo act 1, pt 2 with Cesarina Valobra H-9100-I