Matteo Dragoni (Mate Culic-Dragun) (Baritone) (Spalato 1890 - San Francisco?)

His real name was Mate Culic-Dragun and he was of Croatian origin. He received his education with Vezzani in Bologna. In 1911 he debuted as Silvio in ‘’Pagliacci’’ at the municipal theater of Rovere. During the next ten years he has appeared primarily in bigger Italian provincial stages, also in 1921 at the Arena of Milan, where he appeared as Barnaba in ‘’La Gioconda’’ of Ponchielli. In 1924 he was a member of the Italian opera in Holland. In 1923 he guested at the Teatro Comunale of Bologna. About 1925 he went to North America, where he appeared at different opera societies, mostly touring companies; besides, his big roles were Conte in ‘’Trovatore’’, Posa in Verdi’s ‘’Don Carlo', Jago in ‘’Otello’’, Enrico in ‘’Lucia di Lammermoor’’, Gérard in ‘’Andrea Chénier’’, Escamillo in ‘’Carmen’’, Gellner in Catalani’s' ‘’La Wally’’, Alfio in ‘’Cavalleria Rusticana’’ and Telramund in ‘’Lohengrin’’. Last he lived as a singing teacher in San Francisco.

Chronology of some appearances

1911 Revere Teatro Sociale Pagliacci (Silvio)

1913 Alessandria Teatro Finzi Aida (Amonasro)

1915 Sampierdarena Politeama Sampierdarenese Fedora (De Siriex)

1917 Firenze Teatro Della Pergola Pagliacci (Tonio)

1919 Firenze Teatro Verdi Pagliacci (Tonio)

1920 Bari Teatro Petruzzelli     Wally (Gellner)

1922 Ferrara Teatro Comunale Traviata (Germont)

1924 Vicenza Teatro Verdi Wally (Gellner)

1929 San Francisco New Capitol Theater Carmen (Escamillo)

1938 Oakland  Auditorium Theater Traviata (Germont)

1943 San Francisco Fugazzi Theater Lucia di Lammermoor (Enrico)

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

HMV, Milano 1918-07-06

Rigoletto (Verdi): Si, vendetta with Graziella Pareto 2-054080, DB875

Traviata (Verdi): Dite alla giovine with Graziella Pareto 2-054082

Gramophone, Milano 1918-10-01
Andrea Chénier (Giordano): Un dì, m'era di gioia 2-052132 3307c

Gramophone, Milano 1919-10-08

Aida (Verdi): Si, fuggiam with Gennaro de Tura and Valentina Bartolomasi 2-054111 883aj

Gramophone, Milano 1919-10-14

Aida (Verdi): Rivedrai le foreste with Valentina Bartolomasi 2-054112 909aj

Gramophone, Milano 1919-10-18
Otello (Verdi): Sì pel ciel  with Gennaro de Tura 7-54013 4161ah

Gramophone, Milano 1920-09-17
Forza del destino (Verdi): Urna fatale 2-052189 DB740

Gramophone, Milano 1922-03-28
Gianni Schicchi (Puccini): In testa la cappelina 7-52209 DA424

Gramophone, Milano 1922-03-29
Tabarro (Puccini): Scorri fiume eterna 7-52211 DA424

Gramophone, Milano 1922-04-17

Germania (Franchetti): Ascolta, io moriro DA425  7-52218

Germania (Franchetti): Anch'io la visione DB740 2-052222

Gramophone, Milano 1922-04-20
Andrea Chénier (Giordano): Se ancor di me with Maria Turiglia 2-054122 DB476