Description

FRANCESCO FEDERICI (FERRARA, 1873 – THE HAAG, 1934)

 

 

 

He hailed from an aristocratic family in Ferrara and made his operatic debut in 1894 at the Teatro Poliziano in Montepulciano. He initially performed in various Italian provincial theaters, and by 1903, he had gained recognition, guesting in Bari as Schaunard in La Bohème. His performances extended to major venues such as the Teatro Massimo in Palermo, where in 1905, he appeared in Dinorah and Iris. In 1906, he performed in Bergamo at the Teatro Donizetti as Belcore in L’elisir d’amore.

He also participated in important premieres, notably in 1905 at the Teatro Comunale in Bologna, where he appeared in the debut performance of Vittorio Gnecchi’s Cassandra. By 1909, he was making international appearances, including guest performances at the Teatro Liceo in Barcelona. Between 1913 and 1916, he was engaged at the Chicago Opera, where he performed in the American premiere of Leoncavallo’s I Zingari in 1913, with the composer present. His career took him to São Paulo in 1916, and later, in 1934, he was engaged by the Italian Opera in Holland.

Tragically, he collapsed during a performance in Amsterdam and passed away a few days later, finding his final resting place in The Hague.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1894 Montepulciano Teatro Poliziano Cavalleria rusticana (Alfio)

1905 Palermo Teatro Massimo Dinorah (Hoel)

1905 Bologna Teatro Comunale Madama Butterfly (Sharpless)

1906 Bergamo Teatro Donizetti Boheme (Marcello)

1909 Barcelona Teatro Liceo Madama Butterfly (Sharpless)

 

 

GIUSEPPE CAMILLO PICCO (GABIANO, MONFENATO, ITALY, FEBRUARY 27, 1875 – ?)

 

 

 

He likely made his debut in Italy before moving to the United States to further his career. In the U.S., he appeared in the 1927 Vitaphone film Cavalleria Rusticana, where he performed alongside the renowned tenor Beniamino Gigli. From 1905 to 1921, he was residing in New York City and Highland Park, Illinois, and he became a naturalized citizen on July 7, 1920, in Chicago, Illinois. The April 26, 1940, US census shows that he was residing at the Hotel Dauphin at Broadway & 67th Street, Manhattan, New York, with Ida, and had been residing there for at least the past five years. He was 65 years old and Ida was 55. His occupation was listed as “singing-teacher studio”, working on his own account.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1909 Boston  Opera House Pagliacci (Tonio)

1910 Boston  Boston Theater Pagliacci (Tonio)

1911 Città del Messico  Teatro Arbeu Boheme (Schaunard)

1911 Città del Messico  Teatro Arbeu Barbiere di Siviglia (Figaro)

1911 Città del Messico  Teatro Arbeu Rigoletto (Rigoletto)

1911 Boston  Opera House Trovatore (Conte)

1912  Città del Messico  Teatro Nuovo Colon Barbiere di Siviglia (Figaro)

1912 Città del Messico  Nuovo Colon Rigoletto (Rigoletto)

1914  Boston  Boston Theater Rigoletto (Rigoletto)

1915 Boston  Opera House Carmen (Escamilio)

1915 Boston  Opera House Pagliacci (Tonio)

1915 Boston  Opera House Rigoletto (Rigoletto)

1915 Baltimora  New Academy of Music Pagliacci (Tonio)

1915 Washington  Belasco Theater Rigoletto (Rigoletto)

1915 Louisville  Macauley’s Theater Rigoletto (Rigoletto)

1915 Detroit  Garrick Theater Traviata (Germont)

1915 Detroit  Garrick Theater Tosca (Scarpia)

1916  Buffalo  Teck Theater  Boheme (Schaunard)

1916  Buffalo  Teck Theater   Madama Butterfly (Sharpless)

1916 Memphis  Lyceum Theater Trovatore (Conte)

1917 Città del Messico  Plaza de Toros Ballo in Maschera (Renato)

1917 Chicago  Ravinia Park Barbiere di Siviglia (Figaro)

1917 Chicago  Ravinia Park Pagliacci (Tonio)

1918 Città del Messico  Teatro Arbeu Manon Lescaut (Lescaut)

1919 Philadelphia  Teatro Metropolitan Boheme (Schaunard)

1919 Philadelphia  Teatro Metropolitan Cavalleria Rusticana (Alfio)

1921 Chicago  Ravinia Park Boheme (Schaunard)

1923 New York  Teatro Metropolitan Boheme (Schaunard)

1923 New York  Teatro Metropolitan Cavalleria Rusticana (Alfio)

1924 San Francisco  Civic Auditorium Boheme (Schaunard)

1924 San Francisco  Civic Auditorium  Madama Butterfly (Sharpless)

1925 New York  Teatro Metropolitan Boheme (Schaunard)

1925 New York  Academy of Music Barbiere di Siviglia (Figaro)

1925 Philadelphia  Academy of Music Boheme (Schaunard)

1927 San Francisco  Civic Auditorium Pagliacci (Tonio)

1928 San Francisco Civic Auditorium Madama Butterfly (Sharpless)

1929 San Francisco Civic Auditorium Pagliacci (Tonio)

1930 San Francisco  Civic Auditorium Boheme (Schaunard)

1930 San Francisco  Civic Auditorium Cavalleria Rusticana (Alfio)

 

 

UGO DONARELLI DOBICI (1888 – 1962)

 

 

 

After studying under the legendary baritone Antonio Cotogni, he launched his career on Italian stages, first establishing a name for himself in provincial theaters. In 1920, he made a notable guest appearance at the Opéra de Monte-Carlo, performing the role of Manfredo in Montemezzi’s L’Amore dei Tre Re alongside renowned artists Lucrezia Bori, Beniamino Gigli, and Vanni-Marcoux. He also appeared as Marcello in La Bohème and as Silvio in Pagliacci.

His career took him internationally, performing at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires in roles such as Des Grieux in Manon and Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly, partnering with Juanita Carracciolo and Ferdinando Ciniselli. In 1920, he expanded his engagements to Rio de Janeiro, and in 1924, he joined an Italian opera group for performances in London, further enhancing his profile on the international opera scene.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1919 Foligno Teatro Piermarini Rigoletto (Rigoletto)

1919 Foligno Teatro Piermarini Tosca (Scarpia)

1919 Foligno Teatro Traviata (Germont)

1920 Buenos Ayres Teatro Colon Madama Butterfly (Sharpless)

1920 Montevideo Teatro Solis Madama Butterfly (Sharpless)

1920 Rio de Janeiro Teatro Municipal Madama Butterfly (Sharpless)

1920 Opéra de Monte-Carlo L’Amore dei Tre Re (Manfredo)

1920 Opéra de Monte-Carlo Boheme (Marcello)

1920 Opéra de Monte-Carlo Pagliacci (Sivlio)

 

 

FABIO RONCHI (ESTE, 1884 – ROME, 1974)

 

 

 

He made his debut in 1922 at the Teatro Valle in Rome in La Traviata. He was a well-known lyric baritone who primarily appeared at smaller opera houses. After retiring, he devoted himself to teaching.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1922 Roma Teatro Valle Traviata (Germont)

1924 Padova Teatro Garibaldi Aida (Amonasro)

1926 Livorno Politeama Piccolo Marat (Soldato)

1928 Genova Teatro Carlo Felice Werther (Albert)

1930 Augsburg Stadt Madama Butterfly (Sharpless)

1932 Modena Teatro Municipale Turandot (Ping)

1934 Milano Teatro La Scala Don Giovanni di F. Lattuada (Avellia)

1937 Barcellona Teatro Tivoli Boheme (Schaunard)

 

 

LEO PICCIOLI (FLORENCE, 1899 – MILAN, 1962)

 

 

 

He studied under Eugenio Giachetti in Florence and made his debut at the Teatro Alfieri in Florence as Figaro in Rossini’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia in 1922. In 1925, he made a guest appearance at the Manhattan Opera House in New York. The following year, he performed in the Netherlands (Amsterdam and The Hague), where he achieved great success and continued to perform until 1938.

His most celebrated roles included Zurga in Bizet’s Les Pêcheurs de Perles (with tenor Luigi Fort as a partner), Figaro in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Amonasro in Aida, Marcello in La Bohème, and Ford in Verdi’s Falstaff, along with many other Italian and French roles. While his appearances in Italy were primarily in provincial theaters, he performed at La Scala in Milan in 1938 in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro.

In 1953, he sang in Nice and returned to perform in the Netherlands. After retiring from the stage, he spent several years working as a vocal pedagogue in Milan.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1922 Florence Teatro Alfieri Barbierei di Siviglia (Figaro)

1925 New York Manhattan Opera House Faust (Valentino)

1938 Milan La Scala Le nozze di Figaro (Figaro)

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

Millo Picco Ballo in maschera (Verdi) Eri tu No 02012 3656-2 Emerson 1919

Millo Picco Carmen (Bizet) Votre toast 3106-A Empire

Millo Picco Forza del destino (Verdi) Solenne in quest’ora (w. Berini) 02011 Emerson, 1919

Millo Picco Faust (Gounod) Dio possente F-2017-A Rex, Philadelphia 1913

Millo Picco Gioconda (Ponchielli) Pescator, affonda l’esca F-2009 Rex

Ugo Donarelli Ballo in Maschera (Verdi) Eri tu 559 1252 Edison Bell

Ugo Donarelli Barbiere di Siviglia (Rossini) Largo al Factotum 532 X1191H Edison Bell

Ugo Donarelli Boheme (Puccini) O Mimi tu non torni (w. Fusati) X 1235 Edison Bell

Ugo Donarelli Faust (Gounod) Avant de quitter ces lieux 551 X1220 Edison Bell

Ugo Donarelli Gioconda (Ponchielli) O monumento 551 X1196 Edison Bell

Francesco Federici Eidelberga mia (Pacchierotti) Parea mill’anni 052284 1892c Gramophone, Milano 1909-11-23

Francesco Federici Elisir d’amore (Donizetti) Come Paride vezzoso 2-52702 11278b Gramophone, Milano 1908

Francesco Federici Ernani (Verdi) O sommo Carlo (w. Davi & Popovici) 054287 1851c Gramophone, Milano 1909-05-14

Francesco Federici Faust (Gounod) Che fate qui? (w. Giovanelli & Quinzi-Tapergi) 54431 13160b Gramophone, Milano 1909-04-29

Francesco Federici Faust (Gounod) Dio possente 2-52801 13182b Gramophone, Milano 1909-05-03

Fabio Ronchi Favorita (Donizetti) A tanto amor 74257 XXPh5679 Fonotipia, Milano 1926-04-01

Fabio Ronchi Nerone (Boito) Nell’antro ov’io m’ascondo 74252 XXPh5459 Fonotipia, Milano 1924-11-17

Fabio Ronchi Nerone (Boito) S’avanza una gran nube di turbe 152631 Pho5460 Fonotipia, Milano 1924-11-18

Fabio Ronchi Trovatore (Verdi) Il balen 74315 XXPh5684 Fonotipia, Milano 1926-04-03

Fabio Ronchi Ballo in maschera (Verdi) Alla vita che t’arride 152738 Pho5667 Fonotipia, Milano 1925-09-28

Leo Piccioli Pescatori di perle (Bizet) Del tempio al limitar (w. Fort) CQ1393 CB6149 Columbia

Leo Piccioli Barbiere di Siviglia (Rossini) Numero quindici (w. Fort) CQ1393 CB6150 Columbia

Leo Piccioli Forza del destino (Verdi) Solenne in quest’ora (w. Fort) DQ1976 CB7657 Columbia

Leo Piccioli Boheme (Puccini) O Mimì tu più non torni (w. Fort) DQ 1976 CB7655 Columbia

Leo Piccioli Rigoletto (Verdi) Pari siamo CQ 1977 CB7656 Columbia