Description

GAETANO REBONATO (SANGUINETTO ? – ?)

 

 

 

Gaetano Rebonato was an Italian baritone active from the 1890s through the 1930s, celebrated for his versatility in both comic and dramatic roles. He studied singing first with Riccardo Daviesi and later under the teacher E. Herbert-Caesari, developing a solid vocal technique that allowed him to excel in a wide range of repertoire.

He began his career in Treviglio at the Teatro Sociale in 1892 performing in Tutti in Maschera, and quickly established himself in major Italian theaters. Rebonato’s repertoire spanned both the Italian comic and dramatic traditions, including Belcore in L’Elisir d’Amore, Tonio in Pagliacci, Barnaba in La Gioconda, Melitone in Forza del Destino, Malbruk in Malburk, and Don Bartolo in Il Barbiere di Siviglia. He was particularly admired for his portrayal of Don Bartolo, which he performed in theaters across Italy and internationally, including Cuneo, La Spezia, Macerata, and Trieste.

He also appeared on prestigious international stages, performing in Lisbon at the Teatro San Carlos (1902), Madrid at the Teatro Reale (1904), Mexico City at the Teatro Arbeu (1906), and Barcelona at the Teatro Liceo (1919, 1930). In addition to comic roles, Rebonato excelled in supporting roles in verismo operas, such as Tonio in Pagliacci and Barnaba in La Gioconda, demonstrating both vocal skill and dramatic presence.

 

VIRGILIO ROMANO

 

 

 

He began his professional career in 1903 at the Teatro Sociale in Casale Monferrato, performing the role of the Conte di Luna in Il trovatore. Over the next several years, he established himself as a versatile baritone, appearing in a wide range of Italian repertoire. In January 1908, he sang Renato in Un ballo in maschera, Malatesta in Don Pasquale, and Jago in Otello at the Teatro Toselli in Cuneo. Later that year, at the Teatro Vittorio Emanuele in Turin, he performed in Sansone e Dalida (Sacerdote), Carmen (Escamillo), La Navarraise, and A.F. Cuneo’s Serafina d’Albania (Domenico). In December 1908, he returned to Rimini for Un ballo in maschera (Renato).

In 1909, he sang Jago in Otello and Gellner in Wally at the Teatro Manzoni in Pistoia, and Scarpia in Tosca at the Teatro Verdi in Alessandria. His career continued to flourish in 1910 with performances as Scarpia in Asti, Rodrigo in Don Carlo in Ascoli Piceno, Figaro in Il barbiere di Siviglia and Rodolfo in La Sonnambula in Montecarlo, and Tetralmondo in Lohengrin at the Teatro Costanzi in Rome.

He remained active on international stages, appearing in Bari at the Teatro Petruzzelli in 1911 (L’Africana as Nelusko, Ruy Blas as Sallustio), at the Teatro Kroll in Berlin (Tosca as Scarpia), in Saint Petersburg for a concert, and at London’s Covent Garden (Rigoletto as Rigoletto). Later that year, he performed again in Rome at the Teatro Adriano in Ruy Blas. In 1913, he returned to the Teatro Costanzi in Rome for Rigoletto.

After a period of performances across Italy, he continued singing into the 1920s, appearing in 1925 at the Teatro Balbo in Turin as Silvio in Pagliacci. His repertoire combined the dramatic intensity of Verdi and Puccini with the finesse of comic and lyric roles, establishing him as a baritone of remarkable versatility.

 

 

GAETANO ROMBOLI (EMPOLI, 1879 – EVERETT, USA, 1961)

 

 

 

He began appearing on Italian stages in 1905, performing at the Teatro Salvini in Empoli as David in Amico Fritz and shortly after at Politeama Verdi in Cremona as Marcello in La Bohème.

Over the next several years, Romboli maintained a busy regional schedule, performing in a variety of roles including De Siriex in Fedora, the Conte di Luna in Il Trovatore, Lescaut in Manon, Riccardo in Un Ballo in Maschera, and Scarpia in Tosca. His repertoire displayed a balance between the French Romantic style and the dramatic intensity of Italian opera.

In 1909, Romboli expanded his career internationally, performing in New York at Teatro Manhattan as Marcello in La Bohème and Germont in La Traviata, marking his entry onto the American stage. He continued to alternate between Italy and international venues, demonstrating a particular affinity for roles such as Enrico in Lucia di Lammermoor and David in Amico Fritz.

From 1905 to 1911, Gaetano Romboli was especially associated with theaters in Empoli, Cremona, Carrara, and Chiavari, building a reputation as a reliable and expressive baritone capable of both lyrical and dramatic roles. His early career highlights illustrate his commitment to bringing a wide range of operatic characters to life across both regional and international stages.

His brother was the better-known baritone, Arturo Romboli.

 

 

ALFREDO RUBINO

 

 

 

Arturo Rubino was an Italian baritone active from the late 1910s through the 1940s, known for his commanding stage presence and versatility across both dramatic and lyric roles. He studied under the celebrated tenor Ernesto Colli, which helped shape his expressive singing and strong technique.

Rubino made his early appearances in Brescia (1917) in Francesca da Rimini (Giovanni) and Loreley (Hermann). Over the next decade, he performed widely across Italy, taking on major roles in Verdi, Puccini, and Mascagni operas, including Germont (La Traviata), Carlo (Forza del Destino), Renato (Un Ballo in Maschera), Alfio (Cavalleria Rusticana), Tonio (Pagliacci), Marcello (La Bohème), Scarpia (Tosca), Escamillo (Carmen), and Enrico (Lucia di Lammermoor).

His career also included international engagements in Algeria and Cairo, where he performed repertoire such as Madama Butterfly, Manon, and Carmen. Rubino appeared at major theaters including Teatro La Fenice in Venice, Teatro Carlo Felice in Genoa, and Teatro Verdi in Trieste, earning acclaim for both his dramatic intensity and vocal control.

Despite periods of activity spanning decades, Rubino remained closely connected to the Italian provincial theaters, often performing in Empoli, Prato, and Pescia, demonstrating his commitment to bringing opera to a wide audience. He continued performing well into the 1940s, with appearances at Prato’s Teatro Metastasio in 1941.

 

 

ILDEBRANDO SANTAFÈ

 

 

 

Ildebrando Santafè was an Italian baritone active from the 1920s through the late 1940s, known for his versatility in both comic and dramatic roles. He began appearing in Italian theaters in 1924 at the Teatro Balbo in Torino as Silvio in Pagliacci. Over the following decades, Santafè developed a varied repertoire spanning Italian opera classics from Rossini to Puccini.

He gained recognition for his portrayals of Figaro and Don Bartolo in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, performing in multiple theaters including Milano, Fiorenzuola d’Arda, Bergamo, Macerata, and even Lisbon at the Coliseo Recrejos in 1946. Santafè was also active in dramatic roles, such as Riccardo in I Puritani (Milano, 1928), Carlo in Ernani (Castelsangiovanni, 1926), Lescaut in Manon Lescaut (Novara, 1942), and Franz in Lodoletta (Livorno, 1948).

In addition to standard repertoire, he performed in less frequently staged works, including Maurizio in I Quattro Rusteghi at Fano’s Teatro della Fortuna in 1940 and Schaunard in La Bohème at Bari’s Teatro Petruzzelli in 1937, showing his adaptability to both verismo and lyric roles.

 

 

TRACKLIST

 

Gaetano Rebonato Ballo in maschera (Verdi) Eri tu J 514 Lyrophon, Milano

Gaetano Rebonato Don Pasquale (Donizetti) Bella siccome un angelo J498 Lyrophon, Milano

Gaetano Rebonato Forza del destino (Verdi) Solenne in quest’ora with Renato Azzarri J 532 Lyrophon, Milano

Virgilio Romano Tannhauser (Wagner) O tu bell’astro Beka 42236

Virgilio Romano Carmen (Bizet) Votre toast 42231 6038 Parlophon

Virgilio Romano Barbiere di Siviglia (Rossini) Largo al factotum 42230 Beka

Virgilio Romano Don Giovanni (Mozart) Deh vieni alla finestra 42239 Beka

Virgilio Romano Otello (Verdi) Credo 42228 6038 Parlophon

Gaetano Romboli Don Pasquale (Donizetti): Bella siccome un angelo 5089 1137 Phono-Cut, USA 1917?

Gaetano Romboli Faust (Gounod): Dio possente 5090 Phono-Cut, USA 1917?

Gaetano Romboli Traviata (Verdi) Di Provenza 5089 A 1121 Phono-Cut, USA 1917?

Gaetano Romboli Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti): Cruda funesta smania 5090 Phono-Cut, USA 1917?

Alfredo Rubino Carmen (Bizet) Con voi ber P 8554 2-84053 Parlophone, Berlin

Alfredo Rubino Maria, Mari (di Capua) A187 Ultraphon, Berlin

Alfredo Rubino Santa Lucia (trad) A187 Ultraphon

Ildebrando Santafè Il barbiere di Siviglia (Rossini) All’idea di quel metallo with Fernando Orlandis GO 17583 mo 3269 Odeon Fonotipia

Ildebrando Santafè Don Pasquale (Donizetti) Pronta io son, pt 1, pt 2 with Pina Bruschi 168504 Mo3230, 168504 Mo3246 Odeon, Milano 1930-10-17