Greatest Opera Singers

Greatest Opera Singers

Sunday, August 3, 2014

Eugenia Toller (Soprano) (Mazzo/Sondrio 1900 - Napoli 1981)


Probably she made her debut in 1926 at the Teatro Virginia Marini in Alessandria as Anna in ''Loreley''.

Chronology of some appearances

1926 Alessandria Teatro Virginia Marini Loreley (Anna)
1927 Trieste Politeama Rossetti Italiana in Algeri
1928 Pesaro Teatro Rossini Italiana in Algeri
1929 Napoli Teatro San Carlo Boheme (Musetta)
1930 Casalmaggiore Teatro Sociale  Carmen (Micaela)
1931 Napoli Teatro Bellini Traviata (Violetta)

RECORDINGS FOR SALE








Fonit 
Andrea Chénier (Giordano): Duetto finale, pt 1 with Arturo Ferrara  35048
Andrea Chénier (Giordano): Duetto finale, pt 2 with Arturo Ferrara  35048


Matelda Ceccherini (Mezzo-Soprano)



Probably she made her debut in 1911 at the Teatro Grande in Brescia as Ermyntrude in P. Mascagni's ''Isabeau''. In 1925 she made guest appearance in Madrid. She retired from the stage in 1946.

Chronology of some appearances

1911 Brescia Teatro Grande Isabeau (Ermyntrude)
1913 Legnago Politeama Salieri Rigoletto (Maddalena)
1917 Firenze Teatro Della Pergola Cavalleria Rusticana (Lola)
1919 Milano Teatro Lirico Forza del Destino (Preziosilla)
1922 Colle Val d'Elsa  Teatro Del Popolo Mignon (Mignon)
1924 Milano Teatro Verdi Ruy Blas (Regina)
1927 Firenze Teatro Verdi Gioconda (Laura)
1929 Venezia   Teatro La Fenice Isabeau (Giglietta)
1934 Palermo  Teatro Biondo  Madama Butterfly (Suzuki)
1938 Fano Teatro Della Fortuna Cavalleria Rusticana (Lola)
1940 Bari Teatro Piccinni Cavalleria Rusticana (Lola)
1946 Livorno Teatro Goldoni Trovatore (Leonora)

RECORDINGS FOR SALE








Brunswick
Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni): Duetto e stornello with Arturo Ferrara and Luisa Lucini 35005 A
Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni): Duetto e stornello  with Arturo Ferrara and Luisa Lucini 35005 B


Curt Taucher (Tenor) (Nürnberg, Germania 1885 - München 1954)




He studied singing under Heinrich Hermann in Munich and made his debut in 1908 at the Municipal Theatre of Augsburg in C. Gounod’s ‘’Faust’’. In 1935 he retired from the stage and lived since then in Bavaria.

Chronology of some appearances

1912-15 Chemnitz Municipal Theatre
1915 Hannover Court Theatre
1916 Dresden State Opera premiere Die toten Augen  (E. d'Albert)
1919 Dresden State Opera premiere Frau ohne Schatten premiere (Richard Strauss)
1920-1934 Dresden State Opera
1923-1927 New York Metropolitan Opera
1926 Dresden State Opera premiere Die Hochzeit des Mönchs (Alfred Schattmanns)
1926 Dresden State Opera premiere Der Protagonist (Kurt Weill)
1927 Dresden State Opera premiere Hanneles Himmelfahrt (Paul Graener)
1928 Dresden State Opera premiere Die ägyptische Helena  (Richard Strauss)
1928 Dresden State Opera German première Sly (E. Wolf-Ferrari)
1929 Barcelona Teatro Liceo
1930 Dresden State Opera lord Spleen (Mark Lothar)
1930 Vienna State Opera
1931 Salzburg Festival  
1931 Geneva Grand Théâtre
1932 London Covent Garden

RECORDINGS FOR SALE








Grammophon, Berlin 1922?
Siegfried (Wagner): Schmiedelied B2066 70669
Lohengrin (Wagner): Nun sei bedankt (Schwanenlied) B22044
Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner): Preislied B22055 72774


Saturday, August 2, 2014

Fritz Soot (Tenor) (Wellersweiler, Neuenkirchen 1878 – Berlin 1965)



He studied singing with Karl Scheidemantel in Dresden and made his début there in 1908 as Tonio ‘’(La fille du régiment’’). While at Dresden he created the Italian Tenor in ‘’Der Rosenkavalier’’ (1911). He was a member of the Stuttgart Opera (1918–22), then moved to the Berlin Staatsoper, where his creations included the Drum Major in ‘’Wozzeck’’ (1925). He was also the first Berlin Laca in ‘’Jenůfa’’ (1924), Mephistopheles in ‘’Doktor Faust’’ (1927) and Babinski in ‘’Švanda the Bagpiper’’ (1929). But it was as a Richard Wagner tenor that he was best known; in 1924 and 1925 he sang Siegmund, Siegfried, Tristan, Erik and Walther at Covent Garden, and later sang Parsifal. His repertory also included Palestrina and Otello. He returned to the Berlin Staatsoper after World War II and continued to sing character roles there until 1952, taking part in the première of Paul Dessau's ‘’Die Verurteilung des Lukullus’’ (1951).

Chronology of some appearances

1908 Dresden Opera House
1918-1922 Stuttgart Opera House
1923-1952 Berlin Opera House

RECORDINGS FOR SALE








Odeon, Berlin 1911-10/12
Mignon (Thomas): Leb' wohl, Mignon! X51973 xB5415
Si j'étais roi (Adam): Sie ist Prinzessin AA57009 xxB5417
Fra Diavolo (Auber): Dorina, jene Kleine X99739 xB5418
Eugen Onegin (Tchaikovsky): Wohin seid ihr entschwunden AA57011

Odeon, Berlin 1922
Siegfried (Wagner): Du holdes Vöglein XX80096 xxB6760
Siegfried (Wagner): Daß der mein Vater nicht ist XX80097 xxB6763

Grammophon, Berlin
Tannhäuser (Wagner): Inbrunst im Herzen B22174
Tannhäuser (Wagner): Nach Rom gelangte ich B22175
Tannhäuser (Wagner): Als ich erwachte B22318  66521
Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner): Preislied B22319 66521


Friday, August 1, 2014

Francesco Dominici (Tenor) (Havana 1885 - Havana 1968)


Gino Marinuzzi, Francesco Dominici, Ines Maria Ferraris, Giacomo Puccini, Gilda Dalla Rizza and Tito Scipa  (Montecarlo 1921)

He began his career as a lyric tenor in Italy, where he appeared among other things in 1915 at the Teatro Donizetti of Bergamo in Donizetti's ''La figlia del reggimento''. On 27. 3. 1917 he created in the premiere of G. Puccini's opera ''La Rondine'' at the opera of Monte Carlo the role of Prunier, which he repeated in the same year in the Italian première at the Teatro Comunale in Bologna. In 1918 he sang at the Teatro Costanzi in Rome the role of Fenton in G. Verid's ''Falstaff''. Because he was a superior actor, then he started to appear in Buffo parts. In 1921 he sang at the Teatro Alla Scala under Arturo Toscanini (who estimated him very much) the role of doctor Cajus in G. Verdi's ''Falstaff''. He performed at the Teatro Alla Scala till 1926. In 1922 he sang there in the première there of E. Wolf-Ferrari's ''I quattro rusteghi''. In 1929 he retired from the stage and returning to Cuba, he became a pedagogue in Havana.

Chronology of some appearances

1915 Bergamo Teatro Donizetti La figlia del reggimento (Tonio)
1917 Monte Carlo Opera House La Rondine (Prunier)
1918 Rome Teatro Costanzi Falstaff (Fenton)
1921 Milan Teatro Alla Scala Falstaff (doctor Cajus)

RECORDINGS FOR SALE








Columbia, Milano 1914/1915
Barbiere di Siviglia (Rossini): Ecco ridente  D4609 42349 
Barbiere di Siviglia (Rossini): Se il mio nome D4609 42351


John Coates (Tenor) (Girlington, nr Bradford 1865 - Northwood, Middlesex 1941)




Like many heroic tenors, Coates began as a baritone. As an amateur he had a try-out with Carl Rosa as Valentin, but this led nowhere. In 1894, he joined the D’Oyly Carte organisation, and in 1896 sang the lead role of Reginald Fairfax in the touring production of the enormously successful Sidney Jones musical comedy The Geisha. He retired for a further period of study in which his voice settled as a tenor. He then appeared at Covent Garden in 1901 as Faust and created the role of Claudio in Much Ado About Nothing (Stanford). He toured in Germany 1902-7 by the end of which period he was singing several Wagner roles, including Siegfried and Tristan. On his return to the UK he joined the Moody-Manners and then the Denhof, Quinlan and Beecham companies. In 1909 at Her Majesty's Theatre in London, he sang Mark in the British stage premiere of The Wreckers by Ethel Smyth, conducted by Beecham. He toured the USA in 1926-7. He also maintained an extensive concert career, which included a performance of The Dream of Gerontius for the opening concert at Dundee’s Caird Hall in 1921.

Chronology of some appearances

1901 London Covent Garden Faust (Faust)
1902-1907 Germany Tour
1909 London Her Majesty's Theatre
1926-1927 USA Tour

RECORDINGS FOR SALE








G&T, London 1907-05
Gioconda (Ponchielli): Cielo e mar  052219 1917f

G&T, London 1907-07
Mefistofele (Boito): Dai campi 052220 2001f

Gramophone, London 1908-05
Mefistofele (Boito): Giunto sul passo estremo 052223 2455f


Mario Chamlee (Tenor) (Los Angeles, California 1892 - Los Angeles, California 1966)




His real name was Archer Cholmondeley. He began a scientific study at the South California University, then studied singing under Achille Alberti in Los Angeles. He made his debut in 1916 in Los Angeles as  Edgardo in ''Lucia di Lammermoor''. After a renewed study with Sibella and Dellera in New York followed in 1917 a tour with the Aborn Opera Company and he led the name Mario Rodolfi. His partner was - under the name Francesca Milena - the soprano Ruth Miller (1892-1983), whom he married in 1919. From 1917-19 he was a soldier in the First World War. Returned to the USA, he sang in the 1919-20 season with the Scotti Opera Company. In 1920 he was engaged by the Metropolitan Opera in New York (beginning role: Cavaradossi in ''Tosca''). He was active in the 1920-21 season and from 1927-28 in this opera house; during this time he also sang in San Francisco (1927 and 1931) and in the 1921-31 seasons annually at the Ravinia Summer Opera in Chicago. In the 1928-36 seasons he appeared in Europe, namely above all at the Opéra-Comique of Paris, but also in Brussels, Lüttich, Lille, Bordeaux, Nice, at the Vienna People's Opera and at the German Theatre in Prague. In 1933 he performed at the Chicago Opera. In the 1936-39 seasons Chamlee again appeared at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. Now here he hsang in the première of the opera ''Caponsacchi'' of R. Hageman (1937) and in G. Menotti's ''Amelia goes to the ball'' (1938). In 1940 he retired from the stage. Then he worked, together with his wife, as a pedagogue in Los Angeles.

Chronology of some appearances

Il duca di Mantova 6/5/1920, B. F. Pinkerton 4/4/1922, 12/12/1922, Il duca di Mantova 2/6/1923, Uin-San-Lui 11/27/1923, Rodolfo 2/26/1924, B. F. Pinkerton 1/13/1925, Il duca di Mantova 6/5/1926, B. F. Pinkerton 3/8/1927, Hoffmann 2/14/1928, Jeník 12/22/1936, L’amante 3/3/1938, 3/8/1938, 1/11/1939 (in Filadelfia)

RECORDINGS FOR SALE








Brunswick, New York 1920-07?
Santa Lucia (trad) J2033 A62570

Brunswick, New York 1920-12?
Thank God for a garden (del Riego) 10026 4755

Brunswick, New York 1921-05?
O sole mio (di Capua) J2032 A62570

Brunswick, New York 1922-10?
L'alba separa dalla luce l'ombra (Tosti) 50020 X9091

Brunswick, New York 1923-01?
Manon (Massenet): La rêve 15040 9604

Brunswick, New York 1923-02-15 
Elisir d'amore (Donizetti): Una furtiva lagrima 50030 X9929

Brunswick, New York 1923-04-24
Call me no more  10111 10466
Your voice 10111 10469

Brunswick, New York 1923-12-24
Dreams dimly lying (Pallidi sogni) (Roxas) 10115 12176
The last hour (Kramer) 10115 12179

Brunswick, New York 1924-03-05
Trovatore (Verdi): Mal reggendo with Onegin 15093 12636

Brunswick, New York 1924-07-29
Serenade (Drigo) 10121  13639

Brunswick, New York 1925-02-06
Hosanna! (Granier) 30110 X14841

Brunswick, New York 1926-02-09
Fra Diavolo (Auber): On yonder rock reclining 10227 E17917

Brunswick, New York 1928-03-27
Absent (w. male trio: A Campbell, J Meyer & H Moeller) 15162 E27156

Brunswick, New York 1928-03-30
Mignon (Thomas): Adieu, Mignon  50141 XE27223

Brunswick, New York 1928-05-15 
Forza del destino (Verdi): Solenne in quest'ora with Bonelli 50142 XE27552-B
Martha (Flotow): Solo profugo (w. Bonelli) 50142 XE27553-B

Brunswick, New York 1928-10-08
Traviata (Verdi): Parigi o cara with Easton 50157 XE28459-B
Faust (Gounod): Laisse-moi with Easton  50157 XE28460-B

Brunswick, New York 1928-10-19
Don Pasquale (Donizetti): Com'è gentil 15194 E28483-B




Nicolò Fossetta (Baritone) (Venezia 1870 - ?)





Probably he made his debut in 1899 at the Teatro Sociale Ceneda in Vittorio Veneto as Escamilio in G. Bizet's ''Carmen''. He made guest appearances in Valencia (1901), Kharkov (1902), Odessa(1903), Alessandria (1904), New York (1906-1911) etc. He retired from the stage in USA (1914).

Chronology of some appearances

1899 Vittorio Veneto Teatro Sociale Ceneda Carmen (Escamillo)
1901 Pallanza  Teatro Sociale Barbiere di Siviglia (Figaro)
1903 Odessa Teatro Municipale  Barbiere di Siviglia (Figaro)
1905 Forlì  Teatro Comunale   Barbiere di Siviglia (Figaro)
1907 New York Manhattan Opera House Traviata (Douphol)
1909 New YorkManhattan Opera House Crispino e la Comare (Don Asdrubale)
1911 Philadelphia Teatro Metropolitan Fanciulla del West (Sid)
1913 Washington Teatro Opera Tosca (Sciarrone)
1914 Philadelphia Teatro Metropolitan Rigoletto (Marullo)

RECORDING FOR SALE








Zonophone, Milano 1902-09?
Ruy Blas (Marchetti): A miei rivali cedere X-1882


Benvenuto Finelli (Tenor) (London, England 1910 - London, England 1987)



His real name was Bennett Fynn and he was a pupil of the pedagogue John Tobin in London. In 1941 he made his debut under his real name as Almaviva in Rossini’s ‘’Barbiere di Siviglia’’. In 1942 he became a member of the Sadler's Wells Opera, in 1945 Carl Rose Opera Company. Here he took over parts like Duke in ‘’Rigoletto’’, Pinkerton in ‘’Madama Butterfly’’ and again Almaviva. He additionally studied singing under Italian tenors Dino Borgioli in London, Romeo Berti and Amedeo Bassi in Italy. He specialized in the Italian Belcanto repertoire and accepted the  name Benvenuto Finelli. He became known in the 1950’s in England above all as a broadcasting company singer. In 1971 he finished his career and worked since then as a singing teacher in London. 

Chronology of some appearances

1942 Sadler's Wells Opera
1945 Carl Rose Opera Company

RECORDINGS FOR SALE








HMV
Figlia Del Reggimento (Donizetti): Qual Destin Qual Favor
Don Pasquale (Donizetti):  E se fia che ad altro oggetto 
Lucrezia Borgia (Donizetti): Di Pescatore Ignobile
La Favorita (Donizett): Una Vergine
I Puritani (Bellini): A una fonte afflitto e solo
I Puritani (Bellini):  Nel Mirarti
Don Sebastiano (Donizetti): Deserta In Terra
I Puritani (Bellini): A te, o cara
I Puritani (Bellini): Credeasi misera
La Sonnambula (Bellini): Prendi l'anel ti dono
L Italiana in Algeri (Rossini): languir per una bella


Virgilio Lazzari (Bass) (Assisi 1887 - Castel Gandolfo 1953)




He sang with the Vitale Operetta Company, 1908–11, then studied in Rome with Cotogni . He made his operatic début at the Teatro Costanzi, Rome, in 1914. After singing in South America, in 1917 he made his North American début at Boston. He sang with the Chicago Opera (1918–33), then made his Metropolitan début as Don Pédro (''L'Africaine''), remaining with the company until 1951 and singing 20 roles. From 1934to1939 he appeared at the Salzburg Festival, where he sang Pistol (''Falstaff''), Bartolo and Leporello, the role of his only Covent Garden appearance (1939). His most famous role was that of Archibaldo ( Italo Montemezzi's ''L'amore dei tre re''), which he sang first in 1916 in Mexico City and as late as 1953 in Genoa. Although not blessed with a great voice, Lazzari was considered one of the best singing actors in his particular repertory.

Chronology of some appearances

Il re d’Egitto 6/6/1916, Fouquier-Tinville 11/13/1916, Il cieco 11/14/1916, Colline 11/17/1916, Fouquier-Tinville 11/18/1916, Raimondo Bidebent 3/4/1919, Don Basilio 3/6/1919, Erster Nazarener 2/28/1922, Ein Coppadocier 2/28/1922, Un moine peintre 3/1/1922, Colline 2/27/1934, Ramfis 3/27/1934, Colline 3/9/1937, Leporello 3/15/1938, Il dottore Bartolo 2/28/1939, Colline 2/13/1940, Simone 1/18/1944, Oroveso 2/1/1944, Alvise Badoero 3/13/1945, Il Talpa 1/22/1946, Colline 12/7/1951 (Filadelfia)

RECORDINGS FOR SALE








Edison, New York 1916-12-17/19
Barbiere di Siviglia (Rossini): La calunnia 82555 5220-A



Vocalion, New York 1922-05?
Bohème (Puccini): Vecchia zimarra  30171
Barbiere di Siviglia (Rossini): La calunnia 52038
Simon Boccanegra (Verdi): Il lacerato spirito 70040


Concetto Paterna (Bass) (Catania 1870 - ?1940)


Probably he made his debut in 1890. He had a long and successful career and during his tage career made guest appearances in Lisbon (1891), Rio de Janeiro (1899), Alessandria (1901), Buenos Aires (1906), Montevideo (1906), Madrid (1906), New York (1908) etc. He retired from the stage in 1938.

Chronology of some appearances

1891 Lisbona  Teatro San Carlos Crispino e la comare (Don Fabrizio)
1897 Savona Teatro Chiabrera Boheme (Benoit/Alcindoro)
1900 Cagliari Teatro Civico Boheme (Benoit/Alcindoro)
1904 Torino Teatro Vittorio Emanuele Resurrezione di F.Alfano
1908 Genova  Teatro Carlo Felice Tosca (Sagrestano)
1910 Cremona Politeama Verdi  Don Pasquale (Don Pasquale)
1915 Madrid Teatro Reale  Boheme (Benoit/Alcindoro)
1918 Firenze Teatro Della Pergola Barbiere di Siviglia (Don Bartolo)
1920 Londra Covent Garden   Tosca (Sagrestano)
1925 Basilea Opera Barbiere di Siviglia (Don Bartolo)
1929 Livorno Politeama Crispino e la Comare (Crispino)
1931 Modena  Teatro Storchi Elisir d'amore (Dulcamara)
1937 Ravenna  Teatro Alighieri Matrimonio Segreto (Robinson)
1938 Chianciano Teatro Delle Terme Barbiere di Siviglia (Don Bartolo)

RECORDINGS FOR SALE








Fonotipia, Milano 1910-12-10
Tutti in maschera (Pedrotti): Don Gregorio 92769 xPh 4446
Tutti in maschera (Pedrotti): Dunque l'opera è caduta? 92770  xPh 4447





















Domenico Mastronardi (Baritone) (Bari ? - ?)



He studied singing in Milan under the pedagogue Marconi and made his debut in 1928. In 1938 he went to South America, where he continued his career as tenor.

Chronology of some appearances

1928 Livorno Politeama Barbiere di Siviglia (Figaro)
1929 Malta Teatro Reale Boheme (Marcello)
1930 Bari Teatro Petruzzelli Rigoletto (Rigoletto)
1931 Bologna  Teatro Duse Rigoletto (Rigoletto)
1932 Pisa Teatro Verdi  Traviata (Germont)
1933 Torino Teatro Vittorio Emanuele Traviata (Germont)
1934 Bologna  Teatro Del Corso Barbiere di Siviglia (Figaro)
1936 Bari  Teatro Petruzzelli  Tosca (Cavaradossi)
1937 Bologna  Teatro Del Corso Madama Butterfly (Pinkerton)
1938 San Paolo Teatro Municipal  Carmen (Don Josè)
1939 Buenos Ayres Teatro Colon  Madama Butterfly (Pinkerton)
1940 Montevideo Teatro Solis Pagliacci (Canio)

RECORDINGS FOR SALE









Excelsius
I Pescatori di perle (Bizet): Del tempio al limitar with Franco Foresta  25M 891
Gioconda (Ponchielli): O grido di quest'anima with Franco Foresta M7104 25M/884
Pagliacci (Leoncavallo): Sì può? (Prologo, pt 1) M 7106 25M/881
Pagliacci (Leoncavallo): Un nido di memorie (Prologo, pt 2) M 7106 25M/882
Carmen (Bizet): Toreador M 7107 25M/887




Orville Harrold (Tenor) ( Cowan, Indiana 1878 - Norwalk, Connecticut 1933)


                                                                    Duka

                                                                     Canio

He had a notable singing voice even as a child. He sang in church choirs, singing clubs, and traveled with a boys' choir in 1893 to the World's Fair in Chicago, where he was christened "the boy wonder of Muncie" for his performance there. He also played in a band in Muncie and took violin lessons, hoping one day to become a professional violinist. Those dreams did not come true, and as an adult Orville went to work for the Ball brothers glass factory. He later became a driver for a casket company and impressed his fellow workers by singing arias as he worked. In 1906 he was "discovered" by Mme. Ernestine Shumann-Heink, a noted contralto, who was on a concert tour of her own and heard Orville singing with the Apollo Club, an amateur singing group in Muncie. She encouraged him to pursue a singing career, and, through friends in Muncie who had contacts in New York City, an audition was arranged. Orville left Muncie to begin a career in vaudeville and the musical theater, a decision that would take him to the greatest heights in his profession, but would cost him his marriage to Euphamia Evaline Kiger, who would divorce him in 1913. In 1908 he toured with a production of "Wine, Women, and Song" at which time he caught the attention of Oscar Hammerstein and Oscar Sanger. This meeting resulted in a contract with Hammerstein's Manhattan Opera Company. During the year 1910 he sang with the Manhattan company and also with Hammerstein's Philadelphia Opera Company. He toured with these groups and was invited to join the Metropolitan Opera in New York in 1919. He performed with the Met until 1924, taking the lead tenor rolls in "La Boheme," "Parsifal", "Lohengrin", "Louise", "Tosca", "The Barber of Seville," and many other productions. He made solo tours of his own, singing in cities throughout the United States, sometimes accompanied by his daughter, Adelina Patti Harrold, who had inherited her father's gifts and who would go on herself to star in musical comedy in Los Angeles. After leaving the Met, Orville toured Europe, appearing at the London Opera House as a lead tenor, and returned to America to join the Century Opera Company for a United States tour. He also authored a book of 200 songs for children titled "Nimble Bunny," that concerned a musical adventure trip around the world. At the time of his death from a cerebral hemorrhage, he had planned to join his daughter inCalifornia for a series of radio broadcasts. Orville's career was short, compared to the other great tenors of his day, perhaps due to his lack of rigorous formal training at an early age.

Chronology of some appearances

1910 Manhattan Opera House
1910 Philadelphia Opera House
1919-1924 New York Metropolitan Opera

RECORDINGS FOR SALE








Edison 4-min cylinders, New York 1912?
Favorita (Donizetti): Spirto gentil (Eng) BA 28182

Edison, New York 1913?
Martha (Flotow): Ah, so pure 82005

Victrola
Louise (Charpentier): Depuis longtemps j'habitais cette chambre with  Eva Gauthier  6151 C25555

Columbia
Jocelyn (Godard): Lullaby A 5439 36483
The snowy breasted pearl (Robinson) A5439 36422