Description

ARMAND TOKATYAN (PLOVDIV, BULGARIA, 16 JANUARY, 1894 – PASADENA, CALIFORNIA, 12 JUNE, 1960)

 

 

 

 

He travelled to Egypt with his parents where he sang in cafés to favorable response. He was then sent to Paris to study tailoring, but instead sang in Left Bank cafés. In 1914, he returned to Egypt and earned his living by again singing in the cafés. He took up operetta, soon becoming a matinee idol, then in 1919 went to Milan to pursue an opera career. His operatic debut was in 1921 at the Teatro Dal Verme in Puccini’s Manon Lescaut. With the help of Italian conductor Giuseppe Bamboschek, he joined the touring Scotti Opera Company in the United States, and was soon noticed by the Metropolitan Opera where he debuted in 1923. For many years he performed there and at many other opera houses in the US and Europe. He was proficient in numerous languages.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1921 Milan Teatro Dal Verme Manon Lescaut (De Grieux)

1926 Philadelphia Academy of Music Barbiere di Siviglia (Almaviva)

1927 Philadelphia Academy of Music Carmen (Don Jose)

1928 Philadelphia Academy of Music Barbiere di Siviglia (Almaviva)

1928 San Francisco Civic Auditorium Carmen (Don Jose)

1929 Philadelphia Academy of Music Barbiere di Siviglia (Almaviva)

1932 Philadelphia Academy of Music Barbiere di Siviglia (Almaviva)

1935 Philadelphia Academy of Music Carmen (Don Jose)

1935 Chicago Civic Opera House Carmen (Don Jose)

1936 Chicago Civic Opera House Boheme (Rodolfo)

1936 Chicago Civic Opera House Cavalleria Rusticana (Turiddu)

1936 New York Teatro Metropolitan Carmen (Don Jose)

1938 Chicago Civic Opera House Carmen (Don Jose)

1939 Chicago Civic Opera House Andrea Chenier (Chenier)

1939 Chicago Civic Opera House Cavalleria Rusticana (Turiddu)

1940 Philadelphia Academy of Music Barbiere di Siviglia (Almaviva)

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

1. Trovatore (Verdi) Miserere with Rosa Raisa B70032 Vocalion, USA 1923 – 1925
2. Manon (Massenet) Ah fuyez, douce image 70008 Vocalion, USA 1923 – 1925
3. Faust (Gounod) Salut demeure chaste et pure 60056 Vocalion, USA 1923 – 1925
4. Tarantella sincera (de Crescenzo) Vocalion 70006 Vocalion, USA 1923 – 1925
5. Tengo nostalgia de ti (Tata Nacho) (Registro de finales de los años 40)
6. Gioconda (Ponchielli) Cielo e mar Vocalion 70006 Vocalion, USA 1923 – 1925
7. Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni) Siciliana 60070 Vocalion, USA 1923 – 1925
8. Fedora (Giordano) Amor ti vieta 60070 Vocalion, USA 1923 – 1925
9. Africaine (Meyerbeer) O paradiso 70041 Vocalion, USA 1923 – 1925
10. Carmen (Bizet) Il fior 70041 Vocalion, USA 1923 – 1925
11. Lolita (Buzzi-Peccia) 7318 CVE59724 Victrola, New York 1930-03-25
12. Andrea Chénier (Giordano) Un dì all’azzurro (Improvviso) 7183 CVE57594 Victrola, New York 1929-12-10
13. L’ultima canzone (Tosti) 7318 CVE58163 Victrola, New York 1930-03-25
14. Fanciulla del West (Puccini) Ch’ella mi creda 7183 CVE57595 Victrola, New York 1929-12-10
15. La Traviata (Verdi) Parigi,o cara with Eleanor Steber World’s Greatest Operas SR-69 CS 051115
16. La Traviata (Verdi) Brindisi with Eleanor Steber World’s Greatest Operas SR-67 CS 050355
17. La Traviata (Verdi) Act 3. Finale with Eleanor Steber and Leonard Warren World’s Greatest Operas SR-69 CS 050356
18. Boheme (Puccini) Che gelida manina World’s Greatest Operas CS 051129
19. Rigoletto (Verdi) Questa o quella with N. Cordon and P. Bontempi World’s Greatest Operas SR-58 CS 050357