Giuseppe Paganelli (Tenor) (Forli 1882 - Cape Town 1956)

Displaying exceptional gifts at an early age, Giuseppe Paganelli learned to play the cornet during his school years, and obtained a professional diploma at a music school in Venice at the age of seventeen. In 1902 he enrolled at the Academia de Santa Cecilia in Rome and studied the theory of music and composition, until his harmony lecturer advised him to study voice production with the famous teacher, Antonio Cotogni. He was accepted as a student and trained for four years. After an Academy concert he was engaged by a Roman concert impresario to sing the tenor role in The Barber of Seville, and subsequently scored one opera success after another in Italy, North and South America, Greece, Spain, Australia and New Zealand. In 1926 he accompanied the Sistine Chapel Choir as a solo tenor on a world tour. After their successful performance in Cape Town, Prof. W. H. Bell offered him the position of singing master and opera producer at the S.A. College of Music. He accepted and his first presentation was The barber of Seville, in which he and Timothy Farrell sang the leading roles. This was followed by other operas like Don Pasquale, La traviata, The secret marriage (Cimarosa), The marriage of Figaro and La sonnambula (Bellini). He was seriously ill in 1945; shortly afterwards he composed a passion-play based on Da Vinci’s Last supper, which he directed, with Dirk Lourens singing the tenor role. Among his students were his wife Eva Gain, and the soprano Albina Bini, who regularly took part in his productions. After the Second World War, Fiasconaro joined the College as an instructor in singing and started a school of opera under the supervision of Prof. E. Chisholm, thus continuing Paganelli’s pioneering work.

Chronology of some appearances

1905 Milan  Teatro Fossati  Don Pasquale (Malatesta)

1906 Venezia  Teatro Rossini Barbiere di Siviglia (Almaviva)

1907 Forli Teatro  Comunale  Don Pasquale (Ernesto)

1908 Genova Teatro Margherita Don Pasquale (Ernesto)

1909 Caracas Teatro Municipal Favorita (Fernando)

1910 Milano Teatro Lirico Mignon (Guglielmo)

1911 Puerto Rico Teatro Municipal Manon (De Grieux)

1912 Cinfuegos Teatro Municipal Rigoletto (Duca)

1913 Torino Teatro Regio Don Pasquale (Ernesto)

1914 Havana Teatro Payret Favorita (Fernando)

1915 Genova Teatro Carlo Felice Don Pasquale (Ernesto)

1916 Parma Teatro Regio Favorita (Fernando)

1917 Modena Teatro Storchi Mignon (Guglielmo)

1918 Milano Teatro Lirico Barbiere di Siviglia (Almaviva)

1919 Bologna Teatro Apollo Barbiere di Siviglia (Almaviva)

1920 Pesaro Teatro Rossini Barbiere di Siviglia (Almaviva)

1921 Cairo Kursaal Dalbagni Sonnambula (Elvino)

1922 Cairo Kursaal Dalbagni Mignon (Guglielmo)

1923 Roma Teatro Nazionale Matrimonio segreto (Paolino)

1924 Catania Teatro Bellini Adriana Lecouvreur (Maurizio)

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

 

Columbia, Milano 
Mignon (Thomas): Ah, non credevi tu D 4460 41901
Favorita (Donizetti): Spirto gentil  D4545

Barbiere di Siviglia (Rossini): Se il mio nome D4413 11461 

Barbiere di Siviglia (Rossini): Ecco ridente in cielo D4413 11470