Mario Ancona (Baritone) (Livorno 1860 - Florence 1931)

Originally, he studied social sciences and law, and became a diplomat. However, after vocal studies, he made his debut as Scindia (Roi de Lahore) in Trieste in 1890 and his debut at La Scala as the King (Le Cid) in 1890. He created Silvio in Pagliacci at the Teatro Dal Verme, Milan, in 1892 and the same year sang Alphonse (La favorite) at the New Olympic Theatre, London. Also sang for 17 seasons at Covent Garden starting in 1892. He made his Met debut in 1893, and in three seasons sang 91 performances of 17 roles. He also appeared with the Manhattan Opera (1906-08), in Boston (1913-14), Chicago (1915-16), Paris, Lisbon, Barcelona, Warsaw, and Buenos Aires. Ancona appeared in a wide repertory embracing W. A. Mozart ( Don Giovanni , Figaro), Giuseppe Verdi (Germont, Rigoletto, Renato, Amonasro, Iago, Don Carlo in Ernani), Richard Wagner (Wolfram, Telramund, Hans Sachs), Giacomo Puccini (Lescaut, Marcello), Pietro Mascagni (Alfio, David in L'amico Fritz) and many French roles, including Nevers (Les Huguenots), Escamillo and Valentin (Faust). After retirement in 1916, he taught in Florence, Italy.. Ancona, in his singing, coupled old-fashioned  elegance with an effortless technique. He was undoubtedly one of the most important baritones of his period.

Chronology of some appearances

1890 Livorno Teatro Goldoni Cavalleria rusticana (Alfio)

1892 Catania Teatro Bellini Carmen (Escamilio)

1892 Catania Teatro Bellini Ernani (Don Carlo)

1893 Mantova Teatro Sociale Barbiere di Siviglia (Figaro) 

1897 New York Metropolitan Opera Cavalleria rusticana (Alfio)

1898 Lisbon Teatro San Carlo Andrea Cheneir (Gerard)

1898 Lisbon Teatro San Carlo Ernani (Don Carlo)

1899 London Covent Garden Boheme (Marcello)

1902 Napoli  Teatro San Carlo Barbiere di Siviglia (Figaro) 

1902 Napoli  Teatro San Carlo Ernani (Don Carlo)

1902 Buenos Aires Opera Ernani (Don Carlo)

1902 Buenos Aires Opera Favorita (Alfonso)

1902 Torino Teatro Vittorio Emanuele Ernani (Don Carlo)

1903 Lisbon Teatro San Carlo Ernani (Don Carlo)

1904 Madrid Teatro Reale Ernani (Don Carlo)

1904 Madrid Teatro Reale Ballo in maschera (Riccardo)

1904 Madrid Teatro Reale Favorita (Alfonso)

1904 Lisbon Teatro San Carlo Ballo in maschera (Riccardo)

1904 Lisbon Teatro San Carlo Boheme (Marcello)

1904 Lisbon Teatro San Carlo Favorita (Alfonso)

1905 Lisbon Teatro San Carlo Don Carlo (Rodrigo)

1906 Napoli  Teatro San Carlo Barbiere di Siviglia (Figaro) 

1906 Napoli  Teatro San Carlo Cavalleria rusticana (Alfio)

1906 New York Manhattan Opera Carmen (Escamilio)

1907 New York Manhattan Opera House Barbiere di Siviglia (Figaro) 

1907 New York Manhattan Opera House Cavalleria rusticana (Alfio)

1907 New York Manhattan Opera House Ernani (Don Carlo)

1907 Parigi Casa de Reszke Barbiere di Siviglia (Figaro) 

1909 Lisbon Teatro San Carlo Ballo in maschera (Riccardo)

1913 Boston Opera House Ballo in maschera (Riccardo)

1914 Parigi Teatro Champs Elysees Ballo in maschera (Riccardo)

1914 Boston Opera House Boheme (Marcello)

1914 Parigi Teatro Champs Elysees Boheme (Marcello)

1915 Torino Teatro Regio Ballo in maschera (Riccardo)

1915 Chicago Civic Opera House Boheme (Marcello)

1917 Firenze  Teatro Verdi Favorita (Alfonso)

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

 

Pathe, Paris 1905/1906

L'heure exquise (Hahn) 4305

Rigoletto (Verdi): Pari siamo  4326

Pathe, Paris 1906?

Damnation de Faust (Berlioz): Su queste rose 4323

Ballo in maschera (Verdi) Eri tu 4318

Trovatore (Verdi): Il balen 4319
Rigoletto (Verdi): Cortigiani, vil razza dannata 4322

Edison 2-min cylinders, USA1906?

Huguenots (Meyerbeer): Nobil dama, nobil dama! Edison B. 41

Favorita (Donizetti): A tanto amor Edison B. 50

Victor, Philadelphia1907-02-27

Pagliacci (Leoncavallo): Si puo? Si puo? 88055 C4271

Faust (Gounod): Dio possente 88056 C4272

Traviata (Verdi): Di Provenza 87006 B4273

Victor, Philadelphia1907-03-06

Ernani (Verdi): O de' verd'anni miei 88062 C4284

Puritani (Bellini): Suoni la tromba with Marcel Journet 88500 C4285

Victor, New York 1907-03-24

Pecheurs de perles (Bizet): Deltempio al limitar with Enrico Caruso 89007 C4327

Victor, Philadelphia1907-04-03

Favorita (Donizetti): A tanto amor 88063 C4286

Ballo in maschera (Verdi): Eri tu 88081 C4369

Victor, Philadelphia1907-04-12

Mattinata (Tosti) (orch acc) 87010 B4396

Invano (Tosti) 87011 B4397

Victor, Camden NJ 1907-12-13

Puritani (Bellini): Ah! Per sempre 87014 B4970

Otello (Verdi): Era la notte 87015 B4971

Victor, Camden NJ 1908-01-06

Rigoletto (Verdi): Tutte le feste with Bessie Abott 89013 C4991

Faust (Gounod): Non val, non val (Morte di Valentino) 88109 C4992

Rigoletto (Verdi): Si, vendetta with Bessie Abott 87500 B4993

Victor, New York 1908-03-20

Dinorah (Meyerbeer): Sei vendicata assai 88169 C6044

Andrea Chenier (Giordano): Un di m'era di gioia  88170 C6045

Victor, Camden NJ 1908-03-26

Mia sposa sara la mia bandiera (Rotoli) 88167 C6057

Serenade de Don Juan (Tchaikovsky) 88168 C6057