Domenico Viglione Borghese (Baritone) (Mondovi 1877 – Milan 1957)

 

He studied at the Conservatorio Rossini in Pesaro and under Antonio Cotogni in Rome. He made his debut in 1899 at the Teatro Verdi as the King's Herald in ''Lohengrin''. during of two years he sang in different Italian stages and in 1901 emigrated to North America. Then in San Francisco he lived as a railroad worker and docker, nevertheless, took wide singing lessons. On a recommendation of Enrico Caruso impresario Scognamillo engaged there him in his opera troup, which also belonged Luisa Tetrazzini and with which he travelled in the 1905-06 season Mexico, the Caribbean islands, the Antilles and Venezuela. During this tour he had big success. Then he returned in 1906 to Italy. Here he debuted in 1907 at the the Teatro Regio of Parma as Amonasro in ''Aida'' since then he performed in the big Italian stages with great success. He sang regularly at La Scala and at the Teatro Costanzi of Rome, where he also appeared in 1910 in the premiere of  Leoncavallo's ''Maia''. In 1914 he appeared at the Teatro Carlo Felice of Genoa in the Italian première of E. Wolf  Ferrari's ''I Gioielli della Madonna''. In 1913 he sang at the Teatro Reale of Madrid, in 1914 at the Arena di Verona. Still during the 1930's he appeared in the Italian broadcasting company and guested in the Italian opera houses of Turin and Palermo. His star role was the Jack Rance in Puccini's opera ''La Fanciulla del West''. Puccini called him jokingly 'Il principe degli sceriffi'. In 1919 he guested at the Teatro Colón, Buenos Aires. He also appeared as a guest in Paris and Warsaw. In 1925 he appeared at the Teatro Regio, Turin in the Italian première of Rimsky-Korssakov's 'The golden cock''. Still in 1938 he has appeared as a guest at the Théâtre de la Monnaie, Brussels. His repertoire enclosed more than 70 roles. Only in 1940 he retired from the stage and then lived as a pedagogue in Milan. His repertoire was basically Verdi and verismo. The voice was really good, with an sickly sweet timbre, but also powerful and imperious, as needed. A true dramatic baritone. However, his technique is not really as refined as Battistini's or some other baritones we have already discussed in the thread. More like the verismo school. Instead of singing the aria, sometimes he just battled it to submission.

Chronology of some appearances

1906 Caracas Teatro Municipal Boheme (Marcello)
1907 San Paolo Politeama Boheme (Marcello)
1909 Roma  Teatro Costanzi Andrea Chenier (Gerard)
1909 Santiago del Cile  Teatro Municipal Boheme (Marcello)
1909 Valparaiso  Teatro Victoria Boheme (Marcello)
1909 Buenos Ayres  Teatro Coliseo Carmen (Ecamilio)
1912 Budapest Volgsopera Ballo in Maschera (Renato)
1913 Treviso  Teatro Sociale Ballo in Maschera (Renato)
1915 Madrid  Teatro Reale Barbiere di Siviglia (Figaro)
1916 Milano  Teatro Dal Verme Amica (Rinaldo)
1918 Firenze Teatro Della Pergola Andrea Chenier (Gerard)
1918 Brescia  Teatro Sociale Ballo in Maschera (Renato)

1919 Milano  Teatro Dal Verme Fanciulla del West (Rance)

1921 Reggio Emilia  Teatro Municipale Fanciulla del West (Rance)

1923  Il Cairo  Teatro Khediviale Fanciulla del West (Rance)

1924 Torino  Teatro Regio Fanciulla del West (Rance)

1926 Milano  Teatro Dal Verme Fanciulla del West (Rance)

1927 Milano  Teatro Carcano Fanciulla del West (Rance)

1928 Bologna  Teatro Comunale Fanciulla del West (Rance)

1930 Milano  Teatro La Scala Fanciulla del West (Rance)

1932  Genova  Teatro Carlo Felice Fanciulla del West (Rance)

1935 Milano  Teatro Lirico Fanciulla del West (Rance)

1937 Bologna  Teatro Del Corso Fanciulla del West (Rance)

1939  Brescia  Teatro Grande Fanciulla del West (Rance)
1940 Milano  Teatro Lirico Fanciulla del West (Rance)

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

Fonotipia Milano, 03-12-09

Herodiade (Massenet):  Visione fuggitiva 92646 xPh 4221   

Gioconda (Ponchielli) : O monumento 92650 xPh 4222     

Andrea Chénier (Giordano): Son sessant'anni 92647 XPh4218

Fonotipia Milano, 04-12-09
Tosca (Puccini): Ha piu forte sapore la conquista violenta 92645 xPh 4217      

Vill (Puccini):  Anima santa 92649 xPh 4220

Wally (Catalani):  Sei te che domandasti with Giannina Russ 92843 xPh 4225          

Wally (Catalani): L’Hagenbach qui with Giannina Russ 92844 xPh 4226     

Andrea Chénier (Giordano): Un dì m'era di gioia 92648 XPh4223

Fonotipia, Milano 1910-10-08
Thaïs (Massenet): Ecco dunque, l'orribil città 92781 XPh4362

Fonotipia, Milano 1910-10-11
Forza del destino (Verdi): Solenne in quest'ora with Mario Gilion  92663 XPh4367
Trovatore (Verdi): Tace la notte... Deserto sulla terra with Mario Gilion 92664 XPh4368

Fonotipia Milano, 11-10-10
Forza del Destino (Verdi): Solenne in quest'ora  with Mario Gilion  92663 xPh 4367

Germania (Franchetti): Tu, m'eri innanzi 92671 xPh 4374       

Aida (Verdi): Di Napata le gole with Icilio Calleja, Ester Mazzoleni and  Laura del Lungo 92673 xPh 4366

Fonotipia Milano, 12-10-10
Germania (Franchetti): Ascolta, io moriro 92672 xPh 4370      

Ruy Blas (Marchetti): Ai miei rivali cedere 92783 xPh 4373      

Germania (Franchetti): Ferito, prigionier! 92782 XPh4372

Fonotipia Milano, 12-10-10
Thais (Massenet): O Alessandria! 92781 xPh 4362          

Germania (Franchetti): Ferito prigionier  92782 xPh 4372

London   -05-1911, Edison Unpubl.
Ballo in maschera (Verdi): Alzati, la tua figlio…Eri tu 1146-A       

Polydor,  Germany 1924?
Rigoletto (Verdi): Pari siamo 72937
Carmen (Bizet): Con voi ber J 22036

Gioconda (Ponchielli): Pescatore Affonda L'esca J 22038  643AZ

Otello (Verdi): Credo J22044 675 AZ

Pagliacci (Leoncavallo):  Si puo? J 22045

Rigoletto (Verdi): Cortigiani vil razza 72937 641AZ

Zaza (Leoncavallo): Zaza, Piccola Zingara 72938

Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni): Il cavallo scalpita 72941