Description

FIORELLO GIRAUD (PARMA, 22 OCTOBER, 1868 – PARMA, 28 MARCH, 1928)

 

 

 

 

His father, Lodovico Giraud (1846–1882), was a famous tenor. Giraud studied in Parma and made his debut as Lohengrin at Vercelli in 1891. His success came quickly, and the following year, he created the role of Canio in Pagliacci at the Teatro Dal Verme in Milan during its world premiere. However, unlike Fernando Valero, who originated the role of Turiddu in Cavalleria rusticana and was invited to perform it worldwide, Giraud did not receive such international recognition. When engaged at Monte Carlo in 1897, he was cast only as Cassio alongside Tamagno’s Otello. His appearances abroad were mainly limited to Spain, Portugal, and South America.

In Italy, however, his reputation as a Wagnerian tenor steadily grew. In 1907, he performed Siegfried in the La Scala premiere of Götterdämmerung under Arturo Toscanini. Later that season, he also became Italy’s first Pelléas in Pelléas et Mélisande. Other notable premieres in his career included Vincenzo Tommasini’s Medea (1906, Trieste) and Stefano Donaudy’s Sperduti nel buio (1907, Palermo).

His few recordings, which include some of his Wagner repertoire but none from Pagliacci, reveal a strong, vibrant voice, used with great imagination and skill, although his upper range was somewhat limited.

 

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

1. Andrea Chénier (Giordano): Come un bel dì di maggio 52046 2188h G&T, Milano 1904-04
2. Tannhauser (Wagner): Sia lode a te 52047 2190h G&T, Milano 1904-04
3. Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner): Nel verno al pie 52048 2191h G&T, Milano 1904-04
4. Oblio (Tosti) 52049 2192h G&T, Milano 1904-04
5. Ancora (Tosti) 052067 271i G&T, Milano 1904-04
6. Carmen (Bizet): Il fior 052069 272i G&T, Milano 1904-04
7. Luisa Miller (Verdi): Quando le sere al placido 052070 273i G&T, Milano 1904-04
8. Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner): Appena il mite aprile 052071 274i G&T, Milano 1904-04
9. Invano (Tosti) 7-52085 R3847 Gramophone, Milano 1916-03-16
10. Primavera (Tosti) R3849 7-52089 Gramophone, Milano 1916-03-18
11. Serenata (Rimpianto) (Toselli) 7-52091 R3851 Gramophone, Milano 1916-03-18
12. Ave Maria (Grigolata) 7-52090 R3851 Gramophone, Milano 1916-04-01
13. Non m’ama più (Tosti) 7-52086 R3847 Gramophone, Milano 1916-04-01
14. Jocelyn (Godard): Ninna nanna (Berceuse) 7-252238 20092b Gramophone, Milano 1917-07-18
15. Sérénade d’autrefois (Silvestri) 7-252239 20093½b Gramophone, Milano 1917-07-18
16. Rosa (Tosti) 7-52081 6439ae Gramophone, Milano 1916-03-16
17. Sogno (Tosti) 7-52082 6440ae Gramophone, Milano 1916-03-16
18. Io ricordo (Tosti) (Oblio) 7-52084 6441ae Gramophone, Milano 1916-03-16
19. Jocelyn (Godard) Ninna nanna (Berceuse) 7-52132 20092b Gramophone, Milano 1917-07-18
20. Lungi (Tosti) 7-52088 6446ae Gramophone, Milano 1916-03-18
21. Oblio (Tosti) (Io ricordo) 7-52083 6488ae Gramophone, Milano 1916-04-01
22. Sérénade d’autrefois (Silvestri) 7-52133 20093½b Gramophone, Milano 1917-07-18