Ion Dumitrescu (Tenor) (Giovanni Dimitresco) (Iaşi, Romania 30 December 1860 - London, England 4 March 1913)

First he studied in Iaşi, then in Bucharest under Giuseppe Cima. In 1885 he made his debut at the National Opera in Bucharest in the title role in G. Verdi's ‘’Ernani’’. After further studies in Milan with famous pedagogue Francesco Lamperti, he sang with great success at the Teatro Filodrammatico in G. Verdi's ‘’Rigoletto’’ and ‘’Trovatore’’. In the 1888-1889 season he undertook an Australian tour as a member of Italian opera company. In 1890 and 1892 he had a huge success at the Covent Garden Opera in London; here his repertoire included Don Ottavio in ‘’Don Giovanni’’, Enzo in ‘’Gioconda’’, Radames in ‘’Aida’’ and José in ‘’Carmen’’. In the 1890-1892 seasons he was a member of the Carl Rosa Opera Company, which made guest tours through England. Later he made guest appearances in Barcelona, Zurich (1901), Warsaw, Kiev, Moscow and St. Petersburg. His interpretation of Vasco in ‘’L'Africaine’’ and Raoul in ‘’Huguenots’’ was considered unsurpassed and compared to Enrico Tamberlik’s interpretation. He retired from the stage in 1912. Probably he committed suicide. Dimitresco never made records.

Chronology of some appearances

1888 Melbourne  Her Majesty's Trovatore (Manrico)

1888 Melbourne  Her Majesty's Carmen (Jose)

1888 Melbourne  Her Majesty's Rigoletto (Duca)

1888  Rio de Janeiro  Teatro Municipal Carmen (Jose)

1889 Sidney  New Opera House Carmen (Jose)

1889 Melbourne  Her Majestic's Ballo in maschera (Riccardo)

1890  Torino  Teatro Balbo Rigoletto (Duca)

1897 Parma  Teatro Regio Cavalleria Rusticana (Turiddu)

1897 Parma  Teatro Regio Pagliacci (Canio)

1897 Santiago del Cile  Teatro Municipal Trovatore (Manrico)

1898 Napoli  Teatro Bellini Traviata (Alfredo)

1898 Rio de Janeiro  Teatro Lirico Ugonotti (Raoul)

1899  Napoli  Teatro Bellini Ballo in maschera (Riccardo)

1899 Roma  Teatro Nazionale Rigoletto (Duca)

1900 Lisbona Teatro San Carlo Robert le diable (Robert)

1901  San Paolo  Teatro Santana Pagliacci (Canio)

1901 San Paolo  Politeama Trovatore (Manrico)

1901 Rio de Janeiro  Teatro Lirico Ugonotti (Raoul)

1902 Napoli Teatro San Carlo Ernani (Ernani)

1903 Trieste Verdi Germania (Federico)

1909 Quito Teatro Sucre Ernani (Ernani)

1910 Lima Teatro  Forero Ernani (Ernani)

1910 Lima Teatro  Forero Mefistofele (Faust)

1911 Genova  Teatro Carlo Felice Madama Butterfly (Pinkerton)

1911 Lecce  Politeama Greco Madama Butterfly (Pinkerton)

1911 Carpi  Teatro Comunale Madama Butterfly (Pinkerton)

1911 Roma  Teatro Nazionale Pagliacci (Canio)

1912 Bologna  Teatro Del Corso Rigoletto (Duca)

1912 Genova Politeama Genovese Tosca (Cavaradossi)