Piero Menescaldi (Tenor) (Milano 1893 - ? 1973)

He studied singing under the retired tenor Giuseppe Russitano in Milan and made his debut at Conselice in 1921 as Duca in ''Rigoletto''. In 1924 he was engaged by the Teatro Alla Scala in Milano, to which ensemble he belonged till 1933. Not only here, but also at the leading Italian provincial opera houses he appeared with success. In 1935 he made guest appearance at the Gebouw Voor Kunsten en Wetenschappen at Hague as De Grieux in ''Manon Lescaut''of  G. Puccini. His repertoire included Edgar in ''Lucia di Lammermoor'', David in "Meistersingern", Julien in ''Louise'' of  G. Charpentier, Alfred in ''La Traviata'', Fenton in G. Verdi's ''Falstaff'', Pinkerton in ''Madama Butterfly'' and Loris in ''Fedora'' of U. Giordano. He sang at the Teatro Alla Scala in the premieres of the operas ''Il Diavolo nel campanile'' by Adriano Lualdi (22. 4. 1925) and ''La Bella e il Mostro'' of Luigi Ferrari-Trecate (20. 3. 1926). Here in 1929 he appeared in the première of M. Ravel's ''L'Heure espagnole''. Later he lived as a singing teacher in Milan.

Chronology of some appearances

1921 Conselice Teatro Sociale Rigoletto (Duca)

1922 Trapani Teatro Garibaldi Gioconda (Enzo)

1925 Milano Teatro La Scala Louise (Giuliano)

1927 Milano Teatro La Scala Boheme (Rodolfo)

1929 Milano Teatro La Scala Nozze di Figaro (Basilio)

1931 Bari Teatro Petruzzelli Manon Lescaut (De Grieux)

1933 Milano Teatro La Scala  Filanda Magiara T. Kodaly (Giovane)

1935 'S-Gravenhage Gebouw Voor Kunsten en Wetenschappen Manon Lescaut (De Grieux)

1937 Casale Monferrato Teatro Sociale Manon Lescaut (De Grieux)

1939 Palermo Teatro Garibaldi Fedora (Loris)

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

Columbia, Milano 1924
Boheme (Puccini): Mimì è una civetta D 17558

Parlophon 1927
Madama Butterfly (Puccini): Addio, fiorito asil  7901  43086
Manon Lescaut (Puccini): Donna non vidi mai 7900 43084
Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni): Brindisi P 8900 2-84005
Traviata (Verdi): Brindisi 7901 43080
Tosca (Puccini): Recondita armonia 7900 43083
Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti): Fra poco a me ricovero P 8901 2-84002
Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti): Tombe degliavi miei  P 8901 2-84003

Columbia, Milano 1930
Fedora (Giordano):  Mia madre D 9482 B 850
Manon Lescaut (Puccini): Ah! Manon mi tradisce D 9483  B 851
Manon Lescaut (Puccini): Ah! Non v'avvicinate!  D 9483 B 854
Fedora (Giordano): Vedi, io piango D 9482 B 856