Description

RICHARD BONELLI (PORT BYRON, NEW YORK, 6 FEBRUARY, 1889 – LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, 7 JUNE, 1980)

 

 

 

 

Real name: George Richard Bunn. He initially studied natural sciences at Syracuse University before turning to music. He studied voice with Arthur Alexander in Los Angeles, and later with Jean de Reszke and William Valonat in Paris.

He made his operatic debut in 1915 at the Brooklyn Academy as Valentin in Gounod’s Faust. In 1917, he toured with the Aborn Opera Company (still using his real name, Richard Bunn). He also made guest appearances in Cuba, but his career was interrupted when he was drafted into the U.S. Army during World War I.

His European debut took place in Modena in 1923. Through the mediation of the painter Léon Bakst, he gave an extended guest performance at the Monte Carlo Opera in 1924. He was invited to perform at La Scala in Milan, but had to decline due to a sudden illness.

In 1924, he toured the United States with the San Carlo Opera Company, and in 1925, he toured Germany with Max Sauter’s opera company. This was followed by an engagement at the Théâtre Gaîté Lyrique in Paris.

Also in 1925, he made his debut at the Chicago Opera as Germont-père in La Traviata and remained with the company until 1931. In 1926, he began appearing with the San Francisco Opera, where he would be a frequent guest until 1942.

From 1932 to 1945, he was a member of the Metropolitan Opera in New York, where he performed a wide repertoire. His debut role there was Germont-père in La Traviata, and he went on to sing roles such as Tonio in Pagliacci, Sharpless in Madame Butterfly, Amonasro in Aida, and Wolfram in Tannhäuser. Over his Met career, he appeared in 103 performances in 19 roles (not including appearances on the company’s annual tours).

After World War II, he performed with the New York City Centre Opera, including as Scarpia in Tosca, and also at the Philadelphia Opera.

His stage roles also included Figaro in The Marriage of Figaro, Malatesta in Don Pasquale, the title role in Rigoletto, Marcello in La Bohème, Enrico in Lucia di Lammermoor, Kurwenal in Tristan und Isolde, and Lescaut in Massenet’s Manon.

After Edward Johnson retired as General Manager of the Metropolitan Opera in 1949, Bunn was considered as a potential successor, though the position ultimately went to Rudolf Bing.

He taught at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia from 1940 to 1943, and again from 1950 to 1955.

 

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

Brunswick recordings

Because of you (Lamb-Solman) 10265 E19747 Brunswick, USA 1926-07-12

Bedouin love song (Pinsuti) 5141 8218 Brunswick, USA 1922-06

Bedouin Love Song (Taylor-Pinsuti) Brunswick 10264 E19742 Brunswick, USA 1926-07-12

Bird songs at eventide (Coates-Barrie) 15183 E27563-B Brunswick, USA 1928-05-17

Bohemian Girl (Balfe) The heart bowed down 13020 4291 Brunswick, USA 1920-10

Calling Me Home to You (Dorel) 10266 E19810 Brunswick, USA 1926-07-19

Calling Me Home to You (Dorel) 13009 3952 Brunswick, USA 1920-07

For all eternity (Mascheroni) Brunswick 13020 5233 Brunswick, USA 1921-03

Fortune Teller (Herbert) Fortune song 5141 8134 Brunswick, USA 1922-05

Fortune Teller (Herbert) Fortune song 10264 E19681 Brunswick, USA 1926-07-07

Forza del destino (Verdi) Solenne in quest’ora (w. Chamlee) 50142 XE27552-A Brunswick, USA 1928-05-15

Funiculi, funiculà (Denza) 13019 4975 Brunswick, USA 1921-01

Indian Dawn (Roce-Zamecnik) 10265 E19743 Brunswick, USA 1926-07-12

La paloma (Yradier) 13019 4979 Brunswick, USA 1921-01

Mah Lindy Lou (Strickland) Brunswick 13027 6160 Brunswick, USA 1921-08

Martha (Flotow) Good night quartet (w. Karle, Lennox & Tiffany as The Music Art Singers) 13051 8098 Brunswick, USA 1922-05

Martha (Flotow) Solo profugo (w. Chamlee) 50142 XE27553-A Brunswick, USA 1928-05-15

Mikado (Sullivan) Madrigal (w. Karle, Lennox & Tiffany as The Music Art Singers) 13051 8101 Brunswick, USA 1922-05

Mother Of Mine (Kipling) 13015 4736 Brunswick, USA 1920-12

On the road to Mandalay 50122 XE24696 Brunswick, USA 1927-10-11

Pale moon (Glick-Logan) Brunswick 13027 6155 Brunswick, USA 1921-08

Rolling down to Rio 5085 7164 Brunswick, USA 1922-01

Smilin’ through (Penn) Smilin’ through 13015 4065 Brunswick, USA 1920-08

Song of the mush on 5085 7161 Brunswick, USA 1922-01

The holy city (Adams) 10263 E19682 Brunswick, USA 1926-07-07

The Holy City (Weatherly) 5181 9669 Brunswick, USA 1923-01

The Palmas (Les Rameaux) (Faure) Brunswick 5181 8049 Brunswick, USA 1922-03

The palms (Faure) 10263 E19685 Brunswick, USA 1926-07-07

Tommy, Lad (Margetson) 10266 E24698 Brunswick, USA 1927-10-11

Tommy, Lad (Margetson) 13009-A 3911 Brunswick, USA 1920-07

Visione Veneziana (Brogi) A8276 E27561-A Brunswick, USA 1928-05-16

 

Columbia recordings

Come to the Fair (Taylor- Martin) Ernesto Lopez at the Piano WCO26643 17277-D 18 Columbia Mar. 1940

La Basoche (Messager) Old Song Theodore Paxson at the Piano 17287-D  LA 2267 Columbia Los Angeles, c. 1940.

Xerxes (Handel) Ombra mai fù 17287-D  LA 2269 Columbia Los Angeles, c. 1940

 

Town Hall Recital February 5, 1947, Ernst Victor Wolff (piano)

A Ballynure Ballad (arr. H. Hughes)

A Banjo Song (Howard Weeden; Sidney Homer, Op. 22 No. 4) » 3 Apr., 1935

Auf dem griinen Balcon (Heyse & Geibel; Hugo Wolf)

Beauty, passing beauty (Tennyson; Golde)

Border Ballad (Sir Walter Scott; F. H. Cowan) 23 Dec,, 1946 Alec Templeton, piano

Brockes-Passion Chi sprezzando (Die ihr Gottes Gnad’)

Das Huhn und der Karpfen (Seidel; Mattiesen) (with spoken intro. by Mr. Bonelli)

Die Mainacht (Halty; Brahms, Op. 43 No. 2) (with spoken intro. by Mr. Bonelli)

Fleur jetée (Silvestre; Fauré, Op. 23 No. 2)

Floridante (Handel) Alma Mia

Gifts (Alec Templeton)

Ich trage meine Minne (Henckell; Richard Strauss, Op. 32 No. 1)

La pas d’armes du Roi Jean (Hugo; Saint-Saéns)

La vague et la cloche (Coppée; Duparc)

La Vie antérieure (Baudelaire; Duparc)

Les Anes du Caire (A. Sylvestre; E. Nerini) (with spoken introduction by Mr. Bonelli)

Les berceaux (Prud’homme; Gabriel Fauré, Op. 23 No. 1)

Lied vom Winde (Mérike; Hugo Wolf)

Muzio Scevola (Handel) Volate pis dei venti

Old Mother Hubbard (ala Handel) (Victor Heley-Hutchinson)

Songs of Travel No 1 (R. L. Stevenson; R. Vaughan Williams) The Vagabond

Songs of Travel No 3 (R. L. Stevenson; R. Vaughan Williams) The Roadside Fire

Songs of Travel No 8  (R. L. Stevenson; R. Vaughan Williams) Bright Is the Ring of Words

The Bird of the Wilderness (R. Tagore; E. Horsman)

The Donkey (G. K. Chesterton; Richard Hageman) (with spoken intro. by Mr. Bonelli)

The Next Market Day (arr. H. Hughes) (with spoken introduction by Mr. Bonelli)

Und willst du deinen Liebsten sterben sehen (Heyse; Hugo Wolf)

Wie sollten wir geheim sie halten (A. F. Graf v. Schack; R. Strauss, Op 19 No. 4)

 

Aida (Giuseppe Verdi)

Aida – Zinka Milanov

Radamès – Giovanni Martinelli

Amneris – Bruna Castagna

Amonasro – Richard Bonelli

Ramphis – Norman Cordon

Il Re di Egitto – Lansing Hatfield

Una Sacerdotessa – Frances Greer

Un Messaggero – John Dudley

Orchestra – Metropolitan Opera

Chorus – Metropolitan Opera

Conductor – Wilfrid Pelletier

6 March 1943

 

Pagliacci (Ruggero Leoncavallo)

Canio – Giovanni Martinelli

Tonio – Richard Bonelli

Nedda – Queena Mario

Silvio – George Cehanovsky

Beppe – Giordano Paltrinieri

Conductor Gennaro Papi

Orchestra & chorus Metropolitan Opera

29 February 1936

 

Madama Butterfly (Giacomo Puccini)

Cio Cio San – Eleanor Steber

Pinkerton – Jan Peerce

Sharpless – Richard Bonelli

Suzuki – Suzanne Caré

Kate Pinkerton – Martha Larrimore

Il principe Yamadori – Clifford Harvuot

Lo zio Bonzo – Osie Hawkins

Holywood Bowl Orchestra & Chorus

Eugene Ormandy

3 September 1948

 

Trovatore (Giuseppe Verdi)

Manrico – Giovanni Martinelli

Azucena – Kathryn Meisle

Leonora – Elisabeth Rethberg

Conte di Luna – Richard Bonelli

Ruiz – Giordano Paltrinieri

Conductor Gennaro Papi

Orchestra – Metropolitan Opera

Chorus – Metropolitan Opera

15 February 1936